1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to human services; requesting the 
  1.3             commissioners of health and human services to seek a 
  1.4             federal waiver; amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, 
  1.5             section 144A.04, by adding a subdivision. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 144A.04, is 
  1.8   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 10.  [ASSESSMENTS FOR SHORT-STAY RESIDENTS.] Upon 
  1.10  federal approval, a nursing home is not required to perform a 
  1.11  resident assessment on a resident expected to remain in the 
  1.12  facility for 30 days or less.  A short-stay resident 
  1.13  transferring from a hospital to a nursing home must have a plan 
  1.14  of care developed at the hospital before admission to the 
  1.15  nursing home.  If a short-stay resident remains in the nursing 
  1.16  home longer than 30 days, the nursing home must perform the 
  1.17  resident assessment in accordance with sections 144.072 to 
  1.18  144.0722 within 40 days of the resident's admission. 
  1.19     Sec. 2.  [WAIVER REQUEST.] 
  1.20     The commissioners of health and human services shall seek 
  1.21  any federal waivers necessary to accomplish the following: 
  1.22     (1) eliminate the three-day hospital stay requirement 
  1.23  before receiving Medicare skilled nursing facility coverage; 
  1.24     (2) allow for Medicare reimbursement for respiratory 
  1.25  therapists providing services in a skilled nursing facility or 
  2.1   at home; 
  2.2      (3) eliminate assessments for residents that are expected 
  2.3   to stay in a subacute unit of a skilled nursing facility for 30 
  2.4   days or less; 
  2.5      (4) allow staff other than nurses' aides to transport and 
  2.6   feed residents of a skilled nursing facility; 
  2.7      (5) allow the state to commingle Medicare and alternative 
  2.8   care grant funds for individuals eligible for both programs; and 
  2.9      (6) permit a nursing home to satisfy the financial 
  2.10  requirement under Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 
  2.11  483.10 (c)(7)(1994), through self-insurance mechanisms, 
  2.12  including a savings account listing the commissioner on the 
  2.13  account or a letter of credit.