Minnesota Law
Minnesota Elder & Social Security Law
- Elder & Social Security Law
Elder & Social Security Law
Elder law is one of the fastest growing specialty areas of legal practice today. As recently as ten years ago, almost no one would have claimed to practice elder law because most lawyers viewed elderly clients in the same way as any other clients. Lawyers assumed that, outside of the area of estate planning, the concerns of elderly clients were indistinguishable from the interests of any other group. As a consequence, few lawyers focused their practices on senior citizens, and many seniors felt their unique concerns were ignored by the legal profession.
All this is changing rapidly. As the average age of Americans rises, society is becoming increasingly aware of the unique problems facing elderly people, as well as the professional opportunities available in serving them. Government has responded with a wide array of state and federal programs designed to guarantee financial and physical well-being for the elderly and to fight age-based discrimination. As senior citizens take a more active role in asserting their rights, an increasing number of the elderly have sought legal representation from lawyers sensitive to their needs.
Elder law is not a well-defined area of legal specialization. Elder law crosses traditional boundaries and borrows from many other areas such as health law, probate, estate planning and trusts, civil rights, and even consumer protection.
Age Discrimination in Employment
Minnesotans have among the longest life expectancies in the country. With longer life expectancies and better access to health care, more elder Minnesotans are staying active longer and want to remain in the work force past traditional retirement age. Also, many elder Minnesotans need the income from employment. Consequently, employers have far more elderly employees, and the number of elderly job applicants is higher than at any other time in history. Unfortunately, incidents of age-based job discrimination are also on the rise.
Seniors in Minnesota have two primary means to fight age discrimination in the workplace: the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) and the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA).
Minnesota Human Rights Act
MHRA is a comprehensive anti-discrimination package prohibiting labor organizations, employers, and employment agencies from discriminating based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, sexual orientation, or age. Under MHRA, it is illegal in most instances for an employer to use a person's age as a basis for decisions regarding hiring, tenure, compensation, terms, upgrading, conditions, facilities, or privileges of employment if the person is over the age of 18. MHRA does permit an employer to offer various insurance plans or other fringe benefits to an employee based on age but only so long as the cost to the employer is reasonably equivalent for all employees. The most important exception to MHRA is for mandatory retirement ages. Some employers can legally enforce a mandatory retirement age if the policy meets a number of statutory requirements.
Any person who feels victimized by a violation of MHRA may bring a civil action directly against the employer or may file a charge with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. If the worker chooses to file a charge directly, it generally must be filed within one year of the alleged unfair discriminatory practice.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
The ADEA also prohibits age-based discrimination by labor organizations, employers, and employment agencies. Under ADEA, employers are prohibited from using age as a basis for making hiring, firing, promotion, or compensation decisions, or from limiting, segregating, or classifying employees in any way that would deprive them of employment opportunities or adversely affect employment status. ADEA also specifically prohibits the use of job advertisements that specify an applicant should be "young," a "recent graduate," or that use terms such as "retired" or "over 65."
ADEA has five major exceptions to its coverage:
- Tenured Faculty Members - Prior to 1994, ADEA allowed compulsory retirement at age 70 for tenured faculty members at institutions of higher learning.
- Executives and Policy Makers - A small number of very high-level employees with very substantial executive authority are not covered by ADEA and can be subjected to compulsory retirement at age 70.
- Good Cause - An employer is always permitted to discharge an employee for "good cause," a catch-all category that includes many different forms of failure to do a job adequately.
- Occupational Requirement - In certain, very narrowly defined situations, an action otherwise impermissible under ADEA may be legal where such a requirement is "reasonably necessary to the operation of the business" or is based on "reasonable factors other than age." For example, employers can have mandatory retirement policies for firefighters and airplane pilots.
- Bona Fide Seniority Systems and Employee Benefit Plans - It is generally permissible for an employer to adopt a bona fide seniority system or employee benefit plan so long as the system or plan is not intended to evade the purposes of ADEA.
A victim of age-based discrimination can bring an action under ADEA against his or her employer within two years of a nonwillful violation or within three years of a willful violation.
Relationship Between MHRA and ADEA
The relationship between MHRA and ADEA is complex, primarily because ADEA was not intended to supersede or replace existing state regulations regarding age-based discrimination. Because of the complex interplay between the two laws and because they have different statutes of limitation, a lawyer or representative of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or Minnesota Department of Human Rights can best advise a victim of discrimination how, when, and where to proceed against an employer.
Health Care Decisions and Protective Arrangements
With Minnesotans living longer than ever before and medical technology advancing at a dizzying pace, more people are beginning to plan now for their future health care.
Living Will
Despite its popular name, a living will is not actually a will at all. A living will is a document spelling out how much and what kind of medical care its writer (declarant) wants should he or she become terminally ill and incapable of communicating his or her wishes. Any competent adult can make a living will. A person may also designate someone else (proxy) to make these decisions. A common perception about living wills is that they are only appropriate for people who do not want extraordinary measures taken to sustain their life. This perception is incorrect. The treatment choice may range from no treatment at all to every possible life-sustaining treatment. Living wills are still controversial and many states refuse to recognize them. The State of Minnesota has chosen to recognize them and created the Minnesota Living Wills Act to give its citizens more input in deciding what health care they will receive.
A person does not need a lawyer to draft a living will, but many people have them drafted at the same time that they are having a traditional will drafted. Many people also seek advice from a doctor before drafting a living will because most people would not be able to describe their wishes specifically without first researching the kinds of medical technology currently available to them. Individuals can direct that certain treatments be given for specific illnesses. They can specify a preference for home, hospital, or hospice treatment. They can make known any religious objections to a particular treatment. The individual can even specify, in advance, the individuals who are likely to try to interfere with treatment decisions and clarify his or her wishes with regard to those persons. The most important point about a living will is that the individual decides how much and what kind of health care he or she wants.
Under a new Minnesota law, a living will also may include a section on organ donation. A person may state whether he or she wishes to donate organs upon death and specify any limitations or special wishes.
There are several technical requirements to create a valid living will in Minnesota. Minnesota has a suggested form to follow in the creation of a living will, which must be followed substantially for the living will to be valid. Living wills can be used only for terminal illnesses. Treatment decisions for nonterminal illness can be addressed by the creation of a durable power of attorney for health care (discussed below). There must be at least two witnesses or one notary public to the creation of a living will. A living will becomes effective upon its delivery to an appropriate health care professional. A copy should also be given to a family member and any family clergy. A doctor does have a right to decline to follow the terms of a living will but must assist the patient in finding another doctor and must see that the new doctor is aware of the living will. Living wills may be totally or partially revoked at any time in any manner, regardless of the physical or mental condition of the declarant.
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
A power of attorney is a document that one person (principal) signs in order to give another person (agent) authority to make decisions and carry out financial tasks. A traditional power of attorney ends if the principal becomes incapacitated. A durable power of attorney remains in effect after the principal becomes incapacitated. A springing power of attorney takes effect only when the principal becomes incapacitated. In Minnesota, state law permits the creation of a durable power of attorney specifically for health care decisions when, in the opinion of the principal's health care provider, the principal is unable to make or communicate health care decisions. Unlike a living will, a person's health condition does not have to be terminal for a durable power of attorney to be effective.
A principal must be at least 18 years of age in order to create a durable power of attorney. Minnesota has a suggested form to follow in creating a durable power of attorney for health care that must be signed by the principal or someone acting on behalf of the principal, and must be witnessed by two persons at least 18 years of age or acknowledged by the principal in front of a notary public.
A durable power of attorney for health care can be revoked. Unless the document specifically provides otherwise, if the agent is the spouse or registered domestic partner of the principal, divorce, annulment, or termination of domestic partnership revokes the durable power of attorney for health care.
Guardianship and Conservatorship
A court may appoint a conservator or guardian to manage another person's personal affairs, estate, or both should the person ever become incapacitated and incapable of making personal or financial decisions. Guardianship and conservatorship are closely related concepts under Minnesota law. Their creation and functioning are quite similar and most of the laws governing them are identical. Under a guardianship, a person or entity is appointed to exercise a certain list of powers, including paying for support, maintenance, and education, paying lawful debts, possessing and managing the estate, collecting debts, and instituting lawsuits on behalf of another person, the ward. Under a conservatorship, known in many other states as limited guardianship, a person or entity is appointed by the court to exercise some, but not all, of these powers on behalf of another person, known as the conservatee. While both conservatorship and guardianship place someone in charge of another person's affairs, neither a guardian nor a conservator is obligated to use his or her own funds to provide for the ward or conservatee. The guardian or conservator is entitled to reasonable compensation in fulfilling his or her duties.
To create either a guardianship or conservatorship, any person can petition a probate court, whether that person be a potential guardian, a potential ward, or a third person. Usually it is done by a family member or close friend concerned about the person's competence to manage property or make personal decisions. A petition must include the name and other information about the person, the value of the person's property, name and other information about the proposed guardian or conservator, and must set forth the reasons why a guardianship or conservatorship is needed. The petitioner has the burden of proving the ward's or conservatee's incapacity, and the court applies a standard of the best interest of the ward or conservatee in making its decision. A ward or conservatee can be restored to capacity by petition to the court. Anyone can bring such a petition and must show by a preponderance of the evidence that the ward or conservatee is no longer incapacitated and is able to make provisions for personal care or self-management of property.
Conservatorship and guardianship, for most families, are drastic alternatives to be used only as a last resort. Family relationships can be terribly strained when a child alleges that a parent has become incompetent. Relationships between siblings can be strained if more than one child wishes to be named conservator or guardian of a parent or if no child wants the responsibility. Many of these problems can be avoided if the person, while he or she is still competent, creates a living will or durable power of attorney, discussed earlier in this chapter, or a living trust.
Commitment to a State Institution
There are many institutions for mentally ill, mentally retarded, or chemically dependent persons in Minnesota. There are three ways an individual can be committed to one of these institutions.
Voluntary Commitment
A person 16 years of age or older in Minnesota can voluntarily request to be admitted to a hospital or public mental health institution for treatment of mental illness, mental retardation, or chemical dependency. This is usually done very informally by phone or by appearing in person at the institution and requesting admission. The state is required by law to provide mental health services, regardless of a person's ability to pay, but the individual and the individual's spouse or parents (if the individual is under age 18) are financially liable for the costs of treatment.
Emergency Hold
A health care professional or peace officer can hold a person under emergency involuntary admission for up to 72 hours if the person is found to be sick, incapacitated, or drugged and poses an imminent danger to self or others. The person held under an emergency hold has the right to a medical examination within 48 hours and a right to be informed in writing that the emergency hold expires in 72 hours. If the institution believes the person should be held longer, it must seek judicial commitment.
Judicial Commitment
Any adult can petition a court for judicial commitment of another individual. The person petitioning for involuntary judicial commitment must file the petition in the county where the facility is located. Each county designates a person to receive commitment petitions. The petition must state the facts that make commitment necessary, names and addresses of witnesses to these facts, and names and addresses of the subject's nearest relatives. Upon the filing of a petition for commitment, the court appoints an examiner to evaluate the person and make recommendations to the court. The proposed patient receives notice of the hearing and a written summary of his or her rights. A judge can involuntarily commit someone to a state institution for an initial period of up to six months. After that period, the patient is entitled to periodic review of his or her case and possible release.
Social Security
Congress passed the Social Security Act in 1935 to create a very broad social safety net for all American workers and their families. The Social Security Act and subsequent amendments to it started several public benefit programs. Most of these programs are financed by taxes on the income of American workers. Employers automatically deduct a portion of each worker's paycheck and match that amount with money from their own pocket. Self-employed workers are responsible for paying the entire amount themselves.
The three largest programs within the Social Security Act are Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Health Insurance (RSDHI), Supplemental Social Income (SSI), and Medicaid. RSDHI is the name of the federal government's benefits program for workers and retirees and is of most interest to seniors. RSDHI is further subdivided into three branches for retirement, disability, and health insurance (Medicare).
These three programs within RSDHI are extremely complex. However, the various branches of RSDHI are closely related and a general familiarity with them is helpful for understanding one's entitlements.
Retirement and Survivor's Insurance
Despite the fact that Retirement and Survivor's Insurance (RSI) is only one branch of RSDHI, which in turn is only one branch of the Social Security Act, when most people refer to social security they actually mean RSI. Payments from RSI are the social security checks that millions of Americans receive each month. RSI costs the federal government billions of dollars every year and constitutes a significant portion of the federal budget. For many, RSI is their only source of income, so any proposed changes to RSI inevitably provoke intense emotions. Social Security is not intended to be a person's sole source of income, but is intended only to supplement other income sources such as pensions, insurance, savings, and investments.
A worker gains RSI coverage by performing covered employment for a given length of time. The term "covered employment" includes most types of work including full- or part-time wage or salary workers, self-employed persons, farm workers, members of the United States Armed Services, employees of private nonprofit organizations, most federal, state, and local government employees, and most domestic workers. The only major exceptions are for federal workers hired before 1984, certain religious workers, employees of certain religious sects, and railroad employees separately covered by the Railroad Retirement System (RRS). The rules of eligibility and benefit amount are quite complex and provide limited coverage for spouses, children, and survivors.
The usual age for first receiving RSI benefits is 65; however, a worker has the option of initiating benefits at age 62. All benefits are based on what is called the primary insurance amount (PIA) - the amount a worker is entitled to if he or she retires exactly at age 65. The amount of each monthly check varies depending on how much the worker made each year. The higher his or her pay, the higher the benefits, up to a maximum dollar amount. Initiating benefits at age 62 means that the recipient is only entitled to a permanently reduced monthly amount equal to a percentage of their PIA. This reduction amounts to approximately 7 percent of the PIA for each year a person receives benefits before age 65. Postponing the receipt of benefits until after age 65 can entitle a worker to receive permanently increased monthly amounts based on their PIA. Cost-of-living increases are built into the system so that the monthly checks automatically increase each year as the national cost of living rises. Workers under age 70 can see their benefit checks reduced if they earn income greater than a specified amount. After age 70, a person's benefits remain the same regardless of how much he or she earns at a job.
The spouse of an eligible worker can usually draw spousal benefits on the worker's account if he or she is at least 62 years old or cares for a child eligible for child's benefits on the worker's account. The spousal benefit is usually equal to one-half of the worker's PIA. A divorced spouse can still receive spousal benefits if he or she was married to the insured worker for at least ten continuous years and has not remarried. A child or grandchild of an insured worker can draw benefits if he or she was dependent on the worker when benefits began, is unmarried, 18 years old or younger, or older than 18 years but became disabled before reaching age 22. A surviving widow or widower of a fully insured worker can draw full benefits on the worker's account at age 65. A one-time death benefit is available to fully insured workers' relatives. A survivor qualifying for the death benefit must apply for it within two years of the worker's death.
As a general rule, an eligible individual must apply for RSI benefits in order to receive them. It is wise to apply at least two months in advance of when one wants benefits to begin, as it can take time for paperwork to be completed. Failure to apply for benefits as soon as one is entitled to them can forfeit earned benefits. In limited circumstances, an applicant is entitled to receive benefits for up to six months preceding the application. Benefits before that time would be permanently lost. Anyone interested in learning how much he or she is likely to receive in RSI benefits can visit a local Social Security office and request an estimate of future benefits based on past earnings.
Railroad Retirement System
The Railroad Retirement System (RRS) is a federal income insurance program specifically for workers in the railroad industry. RRS originally existed entirely independently of the Social Security Administration, but in 1974 its provisions were substantially integrated into the Social Security Administration. The integration is not entirely a smooth one, however, and the combination of the two programs has led to very complex and confusing rules which are often the source of errors in awarding benefits.
Most of the rules for Railroad Retirement closely parallel those for RSI. A retired railroad worker is eligible for monthly benefits if he or she worked for a railroad employer for at least ten years before reaching age 65. As with RSI, a worker can opt to retire earlier at age 62 but will receive reduced benefits. Anyone with fewer than ten years employment in the railroad industry is ineligible for railroad benefits, but the years of railroad employment can be added to years of nonrailroad employment for purposes of calculating RSI benefits.
Some railroad workers who retired before January 1, 1975, are entitled to draw both full RSI benefits and full Railroad Retirement benefits. Most other workers, however, will have RSI benefits reduced by the amount of the Railroad benefits.
Disability Benefits
The federal government has two disability benefit programs administered by the Social Security Administration for qualified applicants - RSDHI Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These two programs are substantially similar and are governed by many of the same rules. An individual who qualifies for one program can occasionally receive benefits from both programs simultaneously.
RSDHI Disability Insurance
RSDHI Disability Insurance provides benefits for workers with a substantial work history in covered employment who are unable to continue work because they have become disabled before reaching their 25th birthday. The term "covered employment" includes most types of work. Both the disabled worker and any dependent may be eligible for RSDHI disability benefits and, in a few cases, disabled survivors of an insured worker can receive benefits.
Both RSDHI and SSI programs define disability as "inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determined physical or mental impairment which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months." The disability can be either physical or mental and must be "of such severity" that an applicant is no longer able to engage in any kind of substantial gainful work, given his or her age, education, experience, and place of residence.
The applicant for either RSDHI disability or SSI has the burden of showing the disability by medical evidence. Most applicants must wait for five full months before their benefits begin. Each applicant's case is reviewed periodically to determine whether his or her condition has improved to the point where he or she is able to resume working.
Supplemental Security Income
SSI is a nationwide income maintenance program designed to help elderly, blind, or disabled persons with limited income and assets. Although SSI is administered by the Social Security Administration, it is not funded by Social Security taxes. SSI differs from RSI because it is based solely on financial need; a person's past work record is entirely ignored in determining eligibility for SSI. Thus, a disabled person under age 65 who has not worked sufficient quarters to qualify for RSDHI disability may be eligible to receive SSI disability benefits.
To receive SSI, a person must be 65 years of age or older, blind, or disabled. A person qualifying on the basis of blindness or disability must be referred to vocational rehabilitation services. If the disability is related to alcohol or drug dependency, the applicant can be required to enroll in an appropriate treatment program or risk losing eligibility. Residence in a public institution such as a prison or certain hospitals disqualifies an applicant and the applicant must take appropriate steps to get any pensions, annuities, retirement, disability benefits, worker's compensation benefits, unemployment insurance, or veterans benefits to which he or she may be entitled. The formula for determining SSI eligibility and benefits takes into account both income level and assets.
When the federal government created SSI, it replaced many state-administered welfare programs for the elderly, the blind, and the disabled. The state of Minnesota chose to continue its own programs to supplement SSI benefits. These programs are known as Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA) and Minnesota General Assistance (MGA). MSA provides monthly checks to qualified elderly, blind, and disabled persons. The eligibility requirements for MSA are substantially similar to those for SSI but also take into consideration the applicant's living expenses in determining eligibility and benefit levels. The purpose of MGA is to help very poor Minnesotans who are unable to work but whose needs are not met by other federal or state programs. Very few elderly Minnesotans will qualify for MGA because the receipt of SSI and/or MSA would disqualify them from receiving MGA.
Medicare
Medicare is a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration designed to cover some basic medical and health care costs of eligible individuals over age 65 and some disabled individuals under age 65. Medicare has become an enormous federal program, providing billions of dollars in coverage every year.
Medicare should not be confused with Medicaid. Medicaid is a program administered by the Social Security Administration to pay doctor and hospital bills of people with limited income and assets. Unlike Medicaid, Medicare benefits are available to qualified individuals regardless of financial need. Because Medicare is closely linked to RSI, Disability Insurance, and Railroad Disability benefits, a basic understanding of the eligibility requirements and application procedures for those programs is helpful for an understanding of Medicare.
Parts A and B
Medicare has two primary divisions, called Part A and Part B. Medicare Part A, commonly known as Hospital Insurance, covers medically necessary hospital and related health care. Included in Part A are costs for such expenses as inpatient hospital care necessitated by acute illness, skilled nursing home care, certified hospice care for the terminally ill, inpatient psychiatric care, and care in the home by a certified home health care provider.
Medicare Part B, commonly known as Supplemental Medical Insurance, is a voluntary health insurance program designed to cover some of the costs not covered by Medicare Part A, such as outpatient hospital services, outpatient physical therapy, speech pathology services, necessary ambulance service, and medical equipment. Unlike Part A, which is paid for out of Social Security taxes and is free to anyone qualifying for it, Part B is an optional program that carries small monthly premiums.
The federal government contracts with private insurance companies to handle routine claims processing, payment, and other functions under Parts A and B. Private insurance companies contracted under Part A are called fiscal intermediaries. The fiscal intermediary for almost all of Minnesota is Blue Cross/Blue Shield of St. Paul. Private insurance companies contracted under Part B are called carriers. The Travelers of Bloomington is the carrier for the counties around the Twin Cities metropolitan area and Rochester. Blue Cross/Blue Shield is the carrier for the rest of Minnesota. The Travelers Insurance Company of Salt Lake City is the carrier for Railroad Retirement beneficiaries in Minnesota.
Anyone eligible to receive RSI or Railroad benefits is eligible to receive Medicare Part A coverage, although the person need not actually be receiving money benefits through either of these two programs in order to receive Medicare benefits. Anyone age 65 or older not eligible for RSI or Railroad benefits can still receive Medicare Part A coverage by paying a monthly premium. Medicare Part B coverage is automatically available to anyone who qualifies for Medicare Part A benefits. In fact, all applicants for Medicare Part A benefits are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part B unless they opt out of Part B coverage.
Costs not Covered by Medicare
Medicare was never intended to provide comprehensive coverage for all medical needs of America's elderly population, but rather was intended to supplement private resources. Many health services are not covered by Medicare. For example, Medicare does not pay for:
- Custodial care that could reasonably be given by someone without medical training and is generally intended to help the patient with his or her daily living needs, such as help with bathing, walking, or exercising
- Dentures or routine dental care
- Eyeglasses, hearing aids, and examinations to prescribe or fit them
- Nursing home care (except skilled nursing care)
- Prescription drugs
- Routine physical checkups and related tests
Insurance Issues Related to Medicare
Many seniors look for some form of private insurance to supplement Medicare coverage. Some seniors are able to get continuation or conversion coverage from group policies they had at their workplace. Under these plans, seniors continue to be covered by the policies that covered them while they were working. Another popular option for seniors is to join a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). HMO coverage is similar to continuation or conversion coverage, but many HMOs have more complicated rules for persons who are covered by Medicare, so it pays to learn about a particular HMO's policies regarding Medicare benefits before signing up.
Another popular option for seniors is private insurance policies intended to cover gaps not covered by Medicare, such as deductibles, co-payments, or procedures not covered by Medicare. These policies are commonly referred to as Medigap policies. Medigap policies have been a source of much confusion and outright fraud in Minnesota, so the state legislature has created a complex scheme to regulate them. The two types of Medigap policies are basic policies and extended basic policies. The state of Minnesota requires that basic Medigap coverage offered in the state include coverage for several preventative health care procedures and that extended Medigap coverage covers everything covered by basic Medigap coverage plus 100 percent of the cost of several routine cancer screening procedures, immunizations, and many more preventative tests and measures. In Minnesota, most dread disease policies - policies designed to cover a particular type of illness, such as cancer or heart disease - are illegal to sell to Medicare beneficiaries. For certain indigent elderly, Medicaid is available, and therefore private insurance is financially inadvisable.
Seniors also receive benefits, such as discounted prescription drugs, through MinnesotaCare.
Resources
Center for Public Representation, Minnesota Practice Library, Counseling the Elderly Client in Minnesota, (Lynn K. Klobuchar, gen. ed., Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, Rochester, NY, 1994).
Minnesota Attorney General's Office, Consumer Protection, 1400 NCL Tower, 445 Minnesota Street, St. Paul, MN, 55101; (612) 296-3353 or 1-800-657-3787, TDD (612) 297-7206 or 1-800-657-3787 (free booklet: Seniors' Legal Rights).
Social Security Administration, 1811 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, MN; 1-800-772-1213 (free pamphlet: Understanding Social Security).
Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly, American Bar Association, 740 Fifteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 662-8690.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 330 Second Avenue South, Suite 430, Minneapolis, MN 55401; (612) 335-4040 or 1-800-669-4000.
Minnesota Board on Aging, 444 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-3843; (612) 296-2770 or 1-800-882-6262 (information on living wills).
Minnesota Department of Human Rights, 800 Bremer Tower, 82 Seventh Place East, St. Paul, MN 55105; (612) 296-5663.