1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to human services; authorizing a pilot 
  1.3             project to increase nursing facility reimbursement to 
  1.4             provide services to persons with multiple sclerosis; 
  1.5             appropriating money. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [NURSING FACILITY MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PILOT 
  1.8   PROJECT.] 
  1.9      (a) For the period from July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2002, the 
  1.10  commissioner of human services shall establish and implement a 
  1.11  pilot project to contract with nursing facilities eligible to 
  1.12  receive medical assistance payments that, at the time of 
  1.13  enrollment in the pilot project, serve ten or more persons with 
  1.14  a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.  The commissioner shall 
  1.15  negotiate a payment rate with eligible facilities to provide 
  1.16  services to persons with multiple sclerosis that must not exceed 
  1.17  150 percent of the person's case mix classification payment rate 
  1.18  for that facility.  The commissioner may contract with up to six 
  1.19  nursing facilities. 
  1.20     (b) Facilities may enroll in the pilot project between July 
  1.21  1, 2001, and July 31, 2001. 
  1.22     (c) The commissioner shall evaluate the additional payments 
  1.23  made under the pilot project to determine if the adjustment 
  1.24  enables participating facilities to adequately meet the needs 
  1.25  for individual care and specialized programming, including 
  2.1   programs to meet psychosocial, physiological, and case 
  2.2   management needs, without incurring financial losses.  The 
  2.3   commissioner of human services, in consultation with the 
  2.4   commissioner of health, shall report to the legislature by 
  2.5   January 15, 2002, on the results of the project and with a 
  2.6   recommendation on whether the project should be made permanent. 
  2.7      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.8      $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.9   commissioner of human services for the biennium beginning July 
  2.10  1, 2001, for the purposes of section 1.