HF 1874

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/23/2015 04:01pm

A bill for an act
relating to MNsure; requiring background checks for navigators; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 62V.05, subdivision 4.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 62V.05, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Navigator; in-person assisters; call center.

(a) The board shall
establish policies and procedures for the ongoing operation of a navigator program,
in-person assister program, call center, and customer service provisions for MNsure to be
implemented beginning January 1, 2015.

(b) Until the implementation of the policies and procedures described in paragraph
(a), the following shall be in effect:

(1) the navigator program shall be met by section 256.962;

(2) entities eligible to be navigators, including entities defined in Code of Federal
Regulations, title 45, part 155.210 (c)(2), may serve as in-person assisters;

(3) the board shall establish requirements and compensation for the navigator
program and the in-person assister program by April 30, 2013. Compensation for
navigators and in-person assisters must take into account any other compensation received
by the navigator or in-person assister for conducting the same or similar services; and

(4) call center operations shall utilize existing state resources and personnel,
including referrals to counties for medical assistance.

(c) The board shall establish a toll-free number for MNsure and may hire and
contract for additional resources as deemed necessary.

(d) The navigator program and in-person assister program must meet the
requirements of section 1311(i) of the Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148. In
establishing training standards for the navigators and in-person assisters, the board must
ensure that all entities and individuals carrying out navigator and in-person assister
functions have training in the needs of underserved and vulnerable populations; eligibility
and enrollment rules and procedures; the range of available public health care programs
and qualified health plan options offered through MNsure; and privacy and security
standards. For calendar year 2014, the commissioner of human services shall ensure that
the navigator program under section 256.962 provides application assistance for both
qualified health plans offered through MNsure and public health care programs.

(e) The board must ensure that any information provided by navigators, in-person
assisters, the call center, or other customer assistance portals be accessible to persons
with disabilities and that information provided on public health care programs include
information on other coverage options available to persons with disabilities.

new text begin (f) Any person who serves as a navigator shall be subject to background checks.
Prior to employment as a navigator, the person must submit a completed criminal history
records check consent form, a full set of classifiable fingerprints, and the required fees
for submission to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The bureau must conduct a
Minnesota criminal history records check and the superintendent is authorized to exchange
the fingerprints with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to obtain the applicant's national
criminal history record information. The bureau shall return the results of the Minnesota
and federal criminal history records check to the board.
new text end