1st Engrossment - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 01/20/2011 03:07pm
A bill for an act
relating to human services; establishing the healthy Minnesota contribution
program; requiring plan to redesign service delivery for lower-income
MinnesotaCare enrollees; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256L.05,
by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 256L.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
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(a) Beginning January 1, 2012,
the commissioner shall provide each MinnesotaCare enrollee eligible under section
256L.04, subdivision 7, with gross family income equal to or greater than 133 percent
of the federal poverty guidelines, with a monthly defined contribution to purchase health
coverage under a health plan as defined in section 62A.011, subdivision 3. Beginning
January 1, 2012, or upon federal approval, whichever is later, the commissioner shall
provide each MinnesotaCare enrollee eligible under section 256L.04, subdivision 1, with
gross family income equal to or greater than 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines,
with a monthly defined contribution to purchase health coverage under a health plan as
defined in section 62A.011, subdivision 3.
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(b) Enrollees eligible under paragraph (a) shall not be charged premiums under
section 256L.15 and are exempt from the managed care enrollment requirement of section
256L.12.
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(c) Sections 256L.03 and 256L.05, subdivision 3, do not apply to enrollees eligible
under paragraph (a). Covered services, cost-sharing, and the effective date of coverage for
enrollees eligible under paragraph (a) shall be as provided under the terms of the health
plan purchased by the enrollee.
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An enrollee may use up to the monthly
defined contribution only to pay premiums for coverage under a health plan as defined in
section 62A.011, subdivision 3.
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(a) The commissioner
shall determine the defined contribution sliding scale using the base contribution specified
in paragraph (b) for the specified age ranges. The commissioner shall use a sliding scale
for defined contributions that provides:
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(1) persons with household incomes equal to 133 percent of the federal poverty
guidelines with a defined contribution of 150 percent of the base contribution;
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(2) persons with household incomes equal to 175 percent of the federal poverty
guidelines with a defined contribution of 100 percent of the base contribution;
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(3) persons with household incomes equal to or greater than 250 percent of
the federal poverty guidelines with a defined contribution of 80 percent of the base
contribution; and
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(4) persons with household incomes in evenly spaced increments between the
percentages of the federal poverty guideline specified in clauses (1) to (3) with a base
contribution that is a percentage interpolated from the defined contribution percentages
specified in clauses (1) to (3).
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Age new text end |
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Monthly Per-Person Base Contribution new text end |
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Under 21 new text end |
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$122.79 new text end |
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21-29 new text end |
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122.79 new text end |
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30-31 new text end |
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129.19 new text end |
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132.38 new text end |
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136.06 new text end |
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141.02 new text end |
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151.25 new text end |
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159.89 new text end |
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44-45 new text end |
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175.08 new text end |
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191.71 new text end |
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48-49 new text end |
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213.13 new text end |
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50-51 new text end |
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239.51 new text end |
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266.69 new text end |
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293.88 new text end |
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56-57 new text end |
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323.77 new text end |
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341.20 new text end |
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60+ new text end |
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357.19 new text end |
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(b) The commissioner shall multiply the defined contribution amounts developed
under paragraph (a) by 1.20 for enrollees who are denied coverage under an individual
health plan by a health plan company and who purchase coverage through the Minnesota
Comprehensive Health Association.
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The commissioner shall administer the
defined contributions. The commissioner shall:
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(1) calculate and process defined contributions for enrollees; and
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(2) pay the defined contribution amount to health plan companies or the Minnesota
Comprehensive Health Association, as applicable, for enrollee health plan coverage.
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The commissioner of human services, in
consultation with the commissioner of commerce, shall develop an efficient and
cost-effective method of referring eligible applicants to professional insurance agent
associations.
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Beginning
January 1, 2012, MinnesotaCare enrollees who are denied coverage under an individual
health plan by a health plan company are eligible for coverage through a health plan
offered by the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association. Any difference between the
revenue and covered losses to the MCHA related to implementation of this section shall
be paid to the MCHA from the health care access fund.
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The commissioner shall seek all federal waivers
and approvals necessary to implement coverage under this section for MinnesotaCare
enrollees eligible under section 256L.04, subdivision 1, with gross family incomes equal
to or greater than 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, while continuing to
receive federal matching funds.
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Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256L.05, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:
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The commissioner shall modify the Minnesota
health care programs application form to add a question asking applicants: "Are you a U.S.
military veteran?" The commissioner shall ensure that all applicants for MinnesotaCare
with incomes less than 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines who identify
themselves as veterans are referred to a county veterans service officer for assistance in
applying to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for any veterans benefits for which
they may be eligible.
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The commissioner of human services shall develop and present to the legislature,
by December 15, 2011, a plan to redesign service delivery for MinnesotaCare enrollees
eligible under Minnesota Statutes, section 256L.04, subdivisions 1 and 7, with incomes
less than 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The plan must be designed to
improve continuity and quality of care, reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, and
reduce average per-enrollee costs. In developing the plan, the commissioner shall consider
innovative methods of service delivery, including but not limited to increasing the use
and choice of private sector health plan coverage and encouraging the use of community
health clinics, as defined in the federal Community Health Care Act of 1964, as health
care homes.
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The commissioner of human services shall apply to the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services for a federal waiver to cover eligible families with children
under the MinnesotaCare healthy Minnesota contribution program established under
Minnesota Statutes, section 256L.031, by July 1, 2011. The commissioner shall report to
the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services policy and
finance whether or not the federal waiver application was accepted within ten working
days of receipt of the decision.
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This section is effective the day following final enactment.
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