1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to insurance; requiring no-fault automobile 
  1.3             insurance medical benefits to include sign 
  1.4             interpreting and language translation; making 
  1.5             technical changes; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.6             section 65B.44, subdivision 2. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 65B.44, 
  1.9   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 2.  [MEDICAL EXPENSE BENEFITS.] (a) Medical expense 
  1.11  benefits shall reimburse all reasonable expenses for necessary: 
  1.12     (1) medical, surgical, x-ray, optical, dental, 
  1.13  chiropractic, and rehabilitative services, including prosthetic 
  1.14  devices,; 
  1.15     (2) prescription drugs, necessary; 
  1.16     (3) ambulance and all other reasonable transportation 
  1.17  expenses incurred in traveling to receive other covered 
  1.18  medical expense benefits,; 
  1.19     (4) sign interpreting and language translation services 
  1.20  related to the receipt of medical, surgical, x-ray, optical, 
  1.21  dental, chiropractic, hospital, extended care, nursing, and 
  1.22  rehabilitative services; and 
  1.23     (5) hospital, extended care, and nursing services.  
  1.24     (b) Hospital room and board benefits may be limited, except 
  1.25  for intensive care facilities, to the regular daily semiprivate 
  1.26  room rates customarily charged by the institution in which the 
  2.1   recipient of benefits is confined.  
  2.2      (c) Such benefits shall also include necessary remedial 
  2.3   treatment and services recognized and permitted under the laws 
  2.4   of this state for an injured person who relies upon spiritual 
  2.5   means through prayer alone for healing in accordance with that 
  2.6   person's religious beliefs.  
  2.7      (d) Medical expense loss includes medical expenses accrued 
  2.8   prior to the death of a person notwithstanding the fact that 
  2.9   benefits are paid or payable to the decedent's survivors.  
  2.10     (e) Medical expense benefits for rehabilitative services 
  2.11  shall be subject to the provisions of section 65B.45. 
  2.12     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.13     Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.