HF 2836

1st Engrossment - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/21/2012 05:22pm

A bill for an act
relating to emergency medical services; establishing an interstate highway
emergency response reimbursement pilot program; requiring a report;
appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 144E.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [144E.51] INTERSTATE HIGHWAY EMERGENCY RESPONSE
REIMBURSEMENT PILOT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Established. new text end

new text begin The board shall establish and administer a pilot
program to reimburse an eligible ambulance service for unrecovered costs resulting from
providing emergency services to persons on interstate highways in the state.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Eligibility. new text end

new text begin In order to be eligible for reimbursement under this program,
the ambulance service must meet the following criteria:
new text end

new text begin (1) be a licensed ambulance service with the majority of its personnel being
volunteer ambulance attendants, as defined in section 144E.001, subdivision 15;
new text end

new text begin (2) be located in Washington County;
new text end

new text begin (3) have an interstate highway that runs through its primary service area;
new text end

new text begin (4) serve a primary service area immediately adjacent to Wisconsin; and
new text end

new text begin (5) submit evidence to the board on a quarterly basis demonstrating that it (i)
provided emergency services to an out-of-state resident on an interstate highway, issued
the patient a claim for such service, and was unable to collect on the debt, or (ii) provided
emergency services on an interstate highway to an unidentified patient and was unable to
collect on the debt.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Reimbursement. new text end

new text begin Upon receipt of a request for reimbursement from
an eligible ambulance service pursuant to subdivision 2, the board may determine the
percentage of eligible claims to be reimbursed based on available funding.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin INTERSTATE HIGHWAY EMERGENCY RESPONSE
REIMBURSEMENT PILOT PROGRAM REPORT.
new text end

new text begin By January 15, 2013, the emergency medical services regulatory board and the
Minnesota Ambulance Association must report to the governor and to the legislature the
impediments to collection of uncompensated emergency care provided by Minnesota
ambulance services provided to nonresidents. The report must be based on information
gathered by an ambulance service participating in the pilot program, established under
Minnesota Statutes, section 144E.51, and must consider data submitted by other
ambulance services in the state that have an interstate highway within their primary
service area and experience significant uncompensated care originating from nonresidents.
The report must include options for addressing future collection of unpaid charges
generated by nonresidents.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2013 to the Emergency
Medical Services Regulatory Board for the interstate highway emergency response
reimbursement pilot program, established under Minnesota Statutes, section 144E.51. Of
this appropriation, $....... is for the board to administer the pilot program. Funds are
available until expended.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 3 are effective July 1, 2012.
new text end