1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; creating a certification for community paramedics; 
1.3 	requiring the commissioner to determine medical assistance-covered services 
1.4 	performed by community paramedics; requiring the commissioner to evaluate the 
1.5 	effect of coverage of services by a community paramedic;amending Minnesota 
1.6 	Statutes 2010, sections 144E.001, by adding a subdivision; 144E.28, by adding a 
1.7 	subdivision.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 144E.001, is amended by adding a 
1.10 	subdivision to read:
1.11 		Subd. 5f.Emergency medical technician-community paramedic. "Emergency 
1.12 	medical technician-community paramedic," "EMT-CP," or "community paramedic" means 
1.13 	a person who is certified as an EMT-P and who meets the requirements for additional 
1.14 	certification as an EMT-CP as specified in section 144E.28, subdivision 9.

1.15 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2011.

1.16 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 144E.28, is amended by adding a subdivision 
1.17 	to read:
1.18 		Subd. 9.Community paramedics. (a) To be eligible for certification by the board 
1.19 	as an EMT-CP, an individual shall:
1.20 	(1) be currently certified as an EMT-P, and have two years of full-time service 
1.21 	as an EMT-P, or the part-time equivalent;
1.22 	(2) successfully complete a community paramedic training program from a college 
1.23 	or university that has been approved by the board or accredited by a board-approved 
1.24 	national accreditation organization. The training program must include clinical experience 
2.1 	that is provided under the supervision of an ambulance medical director, advanced practice 
2.2 	registered nurse, physician assistant, or public health nurse operating under the direct 
2.3 	authority of a local unit of government; and
2.4 	(3) complete a board-approved application form.
2.5 	(b) A community paramedic must practice in accordance with protocols and 
2.6 	supervisory standards established by an ambulance service medical director in accordance 
2.7 	with section 144E.265. A community paramedic may provide services as directed by 
2.8 	a patient care plan if the plan has been developed by the patient's primary physician, 
2.9 	an advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant, in conjunction with 
2.10 	the ambulance service medical director and relevant local health care providers. The 
2.11 	patient care plan must ensure that the services provided by the community paramedic are 
2.12 	consistent with the services offered by the patient's health care home, if one exists, that 
2.13 	the patient receives the necessary services, and that there is no duplication of services 
2.14 	to the patient. 
2.15 	(c) A community paramedic is subject to all certification, disciplinary, complaint, 
2.16 	and other regulatory requirements that apply to EMT-Ps under this chapter.

2.17 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2011.

2.18 	Sec. 3. COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC SERVICES COVERED UNDER THE 
2.19 	MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
 2.20 	(a) The commissioner of human services, in consultation with representatives 
2.21 	of emergency medical service providers, physicians, public health nurses, and local 
2.22 	public health agencies, shall determine specified services and payment rates for these 
2.23 	services to be performed by community paramedics certified under Minnesota Statutes, 
2.24 	section 144E.28, subdivision 9, to be covered by medical assistance under Minnesota 
2.25 	Statutes, section 256B.0625. Services may include interventions intended to prevent 
2.26 	avoidable ambulance transportation or hospital emergency department use, including the 
2.27 	performance of minor medical procedures, initial assessments within the paramedic scope 
2.28 	of practice, care coordination, diagnosis related to patient education, and the monitoring of 
2.29 	chronic disease management directives in accordance with educational preparation.
2.30 	(b) Payment for services provided by a community paramedic must be ordered by an 
2.31 	ambulance medical director, must be part of a patient care plan that has been developed in 
2.32 	coordination with the patient's primary physician and relevant local health care providers, 
2.33 	and must be billed by an eligible medical assistance enrolled provider that employs or 
2.34 	contracts with the community paramedic. In determining the community paramedic 
2.35 	services to include under medical assistance coverage, the commissioner shall consider 
3.1 	the potential of hospital admittance and emergency room utilization reductions as well 
3.2 	as increased access to quality care in rural communities.
3.3 	(c) The commissioner shall submit the list of services to be covered by medical 
3.4 	assistance to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate Health and Human 
3.5 	Services Budget and Policy Committee and the house of representatives Health and 
3.6 	Human Services Finance Committee by January 15, 2012. These services shall not be 
3.7 	covered by medical assistance until further legislative action is taken.

3.8 	Sec. 4. EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC SERVICES.
 3.9 	The commissioner of human services shall evaluate the effect of medical assistance 
3.10 	and MinnesotaCare coverage of community paramedic services on the cost and quality of 
3.11 	care under those programs and the coordination of these services with health care home 
3.12 	services. The commissioner shall present findings to the chairs and ranking minority 
3.13 	members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services by 
3.14 	December 1, 2014. The commissioner shall require medical assistance and MinnesotaCare 
3.15 	enrolled providers that employ or contract with community paramedics to provide to the 
3.16 	commissioner, in the form and manner specified by the commissioner, the utilization, cost, 
3.17 	and quality data necessary to conduct this evaluation.