HF 2711

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to health; requiring health and auto insurance reimbursement for
emergency care provided by first responders; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006,
sections 62J.48; 65B.44, subdivision 2.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 62J.48, is amended to read:

62J.48 CRITERIA FOR REIMBURSEMENT.

All ambulance services licensed under section 144E.10 new text begin and first responder
emergency care provided by a medical response unit, as defined in section 144E.275,
subdivision 1, paragraph (a), new text end are eligible for reimbursement under health plan companies.
new text begin Reimbursement under this section does not apply to medical response units that are
operated by a law enforcement agency, that are used by a business solely for on-site
response, that are for-profit companies that receive compensation through contractual
arrangements or other means, or that are licensed ambulance services provided by a fire
department. new text end The commissioner shall require health plan companies to adopt the following
reimbursement policies.

(1) All scheduled or prearranged air and ground ambulance transports must be
reimbursed if requested by an attending physician or nurse, and, if the person is an enrollee
in a health plan company, if approved by a designated representative of a health plan
company who is immediately available on a 24-hour basis. The designated representative
must be a registered nurse or a physician assistant with at least three years of critical care
or trauma experience, or a licensed physician.

(2) Reimbursement must be provided for all emergency ambulance calls in which a
patient is transported or medical treatment rendered.

(3) Special transportation services must not be billed or reimbursed if the patient
needs medical attention immediately before transportation.

new text begin (4) Reimbursement must be provided for first responder emergency care provided by
a medical response unit, as defined in section 144E.275, subdivision 1, paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin (5) No more than one medical response unit may bill for providing services at a
single incident, except in cases of a mass casualty incident or mutual aid responses.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2008, and applies to
coverage issued or renewed on or after that date.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 65B.44, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Medical expense benefits.

(a) Medical expense benefits shall reimburse
all reasonable expenses for necessary:

(1) medical, surgical, x-ray, optical, dental, chiropractic, and rehabilitative services,
including prosthetic devices;

(2) prescription drugs;

(3) ambulance and all other transportation expenses incurred in traveling to receive
other covered medical expense benefits;

(4) sign interpreting and language translation services, other than such services
provided by a family member of the patient, related to the receipt of medical, surgical,
x-ray, optical, dental, chiropractic, hospital, extended care, nursing, and rehabilitative
services; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(5) hospital, extended care, and nursing services new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (6) first responder emergency care provided by a medical response unit, as defined
in section 144E.275, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), that is registered with the Emergency
Medical Services Regulatory Board under section 144E.275 new text end .

(b) Hospital room and board benefits may be limited, except for intensive care
facilities, to the regular daily semiprivate room rates customarily charged by the institution
in which the recipient of benefits is confined.

(c) Such benefits shall also include necessary remedial treatment and services
recognized and permitted under the laws of this state for an injured person who relies
upon spiritual means through prayer alone for healing in accordance with that person's
religious beliefs.

(d) Medical expense loss includes medical expenses accrued prior to the death of a
person notwithstanding the fact that benefits are paid or payable to the decedent's survivors.

(e) Medical expense benefits for rehabilitative services shall be subject to the
provisions of section 65B.45.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2008, and applies to
coverage issued or renewed on or after that date.
new text end