HF 3842

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to human services; modifying the scholarship program for employees
of home and community-based service providers; amending Minnesota Statutes
2005 Supplement, section 256B.0918, subdivisions 1, 3, 4; Laws 2005, First
Special Session chapter 4, article 9, section 5, subdivision 8.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 256B.0918, subdivision 1,
is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Program criteria.

Beginning on or after October 1, 2005, within
the limits of appropriations specifically available for this purpose, the commissioner shall
provide funding to qualified provider applicants for employee scholarships for education
in nursing and other health care fields. Employee scholarships must be for a course of
study that is expected to lead to career advancement with the provider or in the field
of long-term care, including home care or care of persons with disabilities, or nursing.
Providers that secure this funding must use it to award scholarships to employees who
work an average of at least 20 hours per week for the provider. new text begin Executive new text end management
staff new text begin without direct care duties new text end , registered nurses, and therapists are not eligible to receive
scholarships under this section.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 256B.0918, subdivision 3,
is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Provider selection criteria.

To be considered for scholarship funding,
the provider shall submit a completed application within the time frame specified by the
commissioner. In awarding funding, the commissioner shall consider the following:

(1) the size of the provider as measured in annual billing to the medical assistance
program. To be eligible, a provider must receive at least deleted text begin $500,000 deleted text end new text begin $300,000 new text end annually
in medical assistance payments;

(2) the percentage of employees meeting the scholarship program recipient
requirements;

(3) staff retention rates for paraprofessionals; and

(4) other criteria determined by the commissioner.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 256B.0918, subdivision 4,
is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Funding specifics.

Within the limits of appropriations specifically
available for this purpose, for the rate period beginning on or after October 1, 2005, to
September 30, 2007, the commissioner shall provide to each provider listed in subdivision
2 and awarded funds under subdivision 3 a medical assistance rate increase to fund
scholarships up to deleted text begin two-tenths deleted text end new text begin three-tenths new text end percent of the medical assistance reimbursement
rate. The commissioner shall require providers to repay any portion of funds awarded
under subdivision 3 that is not used to fund scholarships. If applications exceed available
funding, funding shall be targeted to providers that employ a higher percentage of
paraprofessional staff or have lower rates of turnover of paraprofessional staff. During
the subsequent years of the program, the rate adjustment may be recalculated, at the
discretion of the commissioner. In making a recalculation the commissioner may consider
the provider's success at granting scholarships based on the amount spent during the
previous year and the availability of appropriations to continue the program.

Sec. 4.

Laws 2005, First Special Session chapter 4, article 9, section 5, subdivision 8,
is amended to read:

Subd. 8. Board of Nursing

3,078,000

3,631,000

new text begin new text end

BASE ADJUSTMENT. The base for the
board of nursing is increased by $141,000
in fiscal year 2008 and by $216,000 in fiscal
year 2009.

BOARD OF NURSING
APPROPRIATIONS INCREASE. Of
this appropriation, $120,000 the first year
and $126,000 the second year are for the
increased cost of board operations, excluding
salary increases and $85,000 each year is to
hire an advanced practice registered nurse.

TRANSFERS FROM SPECIAL
REVENUE FUND. Of this appropriation,
the following transfers shall be made as
directed from the state government special
revenue fund:

(a) $392,000 in fiscal year 2006, $864,000
in fiscal year 2007, $930,000 in fiscal year
2008, and $930,000 in fiscal year 2009
shall be transferred to the general fund
and is appropriated to the Department
of Human Services to offset the state
share of the medical assistance program
costs of the long-term care and home and
community-based care employee scholarship
program and associated administrative costs.
At the end of each biennium, any funds
not expended for the scholarship program
and associated administrative costs shall
be deleted text begin transferred to the state government
special revenue fund deleted text end new text begin carried over to the
next biennium for the same purpose new text end .
Notwithstanding section 15, this paragraph
expires June 30, deleted text begin 2009 deleted text end new text begin 2011 new text end .

(b) $125,000 the first year and $200,000 the
second year shall be transferred to the health
professional education loan forgiveness
program account for loan forgiveness
for nurses under Minnesota Statutes,
section 144.1501. This appropriation shall
become part of base level funding for the
commissioner for the biennium beginning
July 1, 2007, but shall not be part of base
level funding for the biennium beginning
July 1, 2009. Notwithstanding section 15,
this paragraph expires on June 30, 2009.