SF 970

1st Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/10/2026 08:40 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to health insurance; requiring health plans to cover bowel and bladder
management for spinal cord injuries; requiring coverage of bowel and bladder
management for spinal cord injuries in medical assistance and MinnesotaCare;
appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0625, by
adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
62Q.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [62Q.6661] COVERAGE OF BOWEL AND BLADDER MANAGEMENT
FOR SPINAL CORD INJURIES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definition. new text end

new text begin For the purposes of this section, "bowel and bladder
management for spinal cord injuries" means any treatment, service, supply, or equipment
for bowel or bladder management, prescribed for the insured by a provider licensed in this
state, as the result of a spinal cord injury, including but not limited to over-the-counter
medications and supplies prescribed by the provider.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Required coverage. new text end

new text begin All health plans must cover bowel and bladder management
for spinal cord injuries.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Cost-sharing requirements. new text end

new text begin A health plan must not impose on the coverage
under this section any cost-sharing requirement that is not generally applicable to other
coverages under the plan, including but not limited to the following requirements:
new text end

new text begin (1) deductible;
new text end

new text begin (2) co-payment; or
new text end

new text begin (3) coinsurance.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Review and referral limitations. new text end

new text begin A health plan must not impose on the coverage
under this section any review or referral limitation that is not generally applicable to other
coverages under the plan, including but not limited to the following limitations:
new text end

new text begin (1) utilization review, as defined in section 62M.02;
new text end

new text begin (2) referral requirement; or
new text end

new text begin (3) delay period.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Quantity limitations. new text end

new text begin A health plan must not impose on the coverage under
this section any quantity limitation.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Reimbursement. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of commerce must reimburse health
plan companies for coverage under this section, as required by Code of Federal Regulations,
title 45, section 155.170. Reimbursement is available only for coverage that would not have
been provided by the health plan without the requirements of this section. Treatments,
services, supplies, and equipment covered by the health plan as of January 1, 2026, are
ineligible for payments under this subdivision by the commissioner of commerce.
new text end

new text begin (b) Health plan companies must report to the commissioner of commerce quantified
costs attributable to the additional benefit under this section in a format developed by the
commissioner. A health plan's coverage as of January 1, 2026, must be used by the health
plan company as the basis for determining whether coverage would not have been provided
by the health plan for purposes of this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner of commerce must evaluate submissions and make payments to
health plan companies as provided in Code of Federal Regulations, title 45, section 155.170.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Appropriation. new text end

new text begin Beginning in fiscal year 2028, an amount necessary to make
payments to health plan companies to defray the cost of providing coverage under this
section is annually appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of commerce.
The amount appropriated under this subdivision must include the administrative costs
incurred by the commissioner to make the defrayal payments.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective January 1, 2027, and applies to all health
plans offered, issued, or sold on or after that date.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0625, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 77. new text end

new text begin Bowel and bladder management for spinal cord injuries. new text end

new text begin (a) Medical
assistance covers bowel and bladder management for spinal cord injuries, as defined in
section 62Q.6661.
new text end

new text begin (b) Medical assistance must meet the requirements that would otherwise apply to a health
plan under section 62Q.6661, except that medical assistance is not required to comply with
any provision of section 62Q.6661 if compliance with the provision would prevent the state
from receiving federal financial participation for the coverage under this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective January 1, 2027, or upon federal approval,
whichever is later. The commissioner of human services shall notify the revisor of statutes
when federal approval is obtained.
new text end