Legislative Session number- 83

Bill Name: SF1915

Relating to health ARTICLE 1- CONSUMER EMPOWERMENTConforming certain state
income tax provisions to changes in the +internal revenue code (IRC) resulting
from the federal medicare prescription +drug improvement and modernization act
of 2003 relating to health savings +accounts to encourage consumer driven health
plans; repealing a certain +requirement for high deductible health plans used in
connection with medical savings +accounts to provide enrollees access to
discounted provider fees for covered +services without regard to enrollee
deductible satisfaction status ARTICLE 2 � PROVIDER BEST PRACTICESExpanding
the definition of facility under the Minnesota adverse +health care act of 2003
to outpatient surgical centers or other locations +providing outpatient
services; requiring the commissioner of human services to +establish an
information and referral center to assist health care providers in+ obtaining
oral language interpreter services needed for certain patients +seeking health
care services, requiring the center to collect and maintain contact +and rate
information for interpreter services providers and to make the +information
available to all health care providers, authorizing a contract with a+ private
sector nonprofit organizationfor implementation purposes ARTICLE 3 � MEDICAL
MALPRACTICE REFORMAuthorizing the board of medical practice to evaluate and
approve +best practice guidelines and to make approved guidelines available to
physicians on+ the board web site, guidelines to be an absolute defense against
malpractice +allegations after approval; defining certain terms for health care
provider +actions purposes, specifying certain limits on noneconomic and
punitive +damages and prohibiting excessive attorney fees; specifying certain
damage +findings and awards requirements ARTICLE 4 � REDUCING GOVERNMENT
MANDATESPlacing a moratorium on the enactment of new mandated health +benefits;
requiring the commissioner of commerce to develop and implement a +pilot project
by a certain date to authorize health carriers to offer alternative +health
benefit plans to small employers under certain conditions, specifying+ an
project expiration date; repealing the requirement for health plans +to provide
coverage for autologous bone marrow transplants for the treatment of +breast
cancerARTICLE 5 � ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMAuthorizing the board of medical
practice to conduct final +interviews of applicants applying for licensure to
practice medicine by endorsement+ or reciprocity by teleconference; expanding
the definition of claimant +agency relating to nonprofit hospitals under the
revenue recapture act; +repealing certain expenditure reporting requirements of
health care providers ARTICLE 6 � HEALTH PLAN COMPETITION AND
REFORMAuthorizing the use of health plan forms before approval by the
+commissioner of commerce; expanding the health maintenance organization and
+authorizing the qualification of foreign corporations subject to obtaining a
+certificate of authority; transferring regulatory authority over HMOs from the
+commissioner of health to the commissioner of commerce after a certain date,
+specifying certain conforming changes instructions to the revisor of
statuesARTICLE 7 � TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZED HEALTH PROGRAM COST SHIFTINGRequiring
the commissioners of human services and finance in +preparing fiscal notes for
legislative proposals requiring new or increased funding +for expansion of
eligibility or covered services for state health plans +to include an estimate
of the financial impact of cost shifting on private +sector payors and
individuals paying for health care services out of pocket, +specifying certain
requirements for measuring the financial impact of cost +shifting; limiting the
expansion of state health care programs (medical +assistance (MA), general
assistance medical care (GAMC) and MinnesotaCare); requiring +the commissioner
of human services to evaluate the extent of cost +shifting by heath care
providers to private sector payors and individuals resulting +from state health
care program reimbursement rates, specifying certain +evaluation requirements
and requiring presentation of results and +recommendations to the legislature by
a certain date, authorizing a contract with an +actuarial consulting firm for
implementation purposes (mk)