1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to human services; directing the Minnesota 
  1.3             home care association to study reimbursing home care 
  1.4             and personal care providers for transportation 
  1.5             expenses. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [HOME CARE TRANSPORTATION.] 
  1.8      By December 15, 2000, the Minnesota home care association, 
  1.9   in collaboration with the commissioner of human services, may 
  1.10  prepare a study and report to the legislature on reimbursing 
  1.11  home care and personal care service providers receiving 
  1.12  reimbursement under medical assistance, general assistance 
  1.13  medical care, or home and community-based waiver services under 
  1.14  Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256B, for worker transportation 
  1.15  costs.  The commissioner shall provide technical assistance to 
  1.16  the home care association in conducting the study.  The study 
  1.17  shall include, but not be limited to: 
  1.18     (1) an analysis of the characteristics of home care 
  1.19  provider worker transportation costs and needs; 
  1.20     (2) proposed methods of reimbursement, including, but not 
  1.21  limited to: 
  1.22     (i) per mile reimbursement; 
  1.23     (ii) per visit reimbursement; 
  1.24     (iii) countywide average per visit reimbursement; 
  1.25     (iv) per visit reimbursement based on distance to the home 
  2.1   care provider office; and 
  2.2      (v) incorporating a transportation reimbursement amount 
  2.3   into statewide home care services reimbursement rates; 
  2.4      (3) options for funding transportation reimbursement; 
  2.5      (4) options for obtaining federal matching funds for 
  2.6   transportation reimbursement; and 
  2.7      (5) methods for home care providers to compensate their 
  2.8   workers for transportation expenses using the additional revenue.