SF 485

as introduced - 80th Legislature (1997 - 1998) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to health; requiring a study of alternative 
  1.3             medicine; appropriating money. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE STUDY.] 
  1.6      Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE.] The legislature finds that a 
  1.7   significant proportion of the population uses and benefits from 
  1.8   alternative medicine therapies and further finds that there is, 
  1.9   therefore, a need to encourage and support the use of 
  1.10  alternative medicine with the ultimate goal of integrating 
  1.11  alternative medicine with conventional health care coverage. 
  1.12     Subd. 2.  [DEFINITION.] For purposes of this section, the 
  1.13  term "alternative medicine" includes, but is not limited to, 
  1.14  acupuncture, homeopathy, manual healing, macrobiotics, 
  1.15  naturopathy, biofeedback, mind/body control therapies, 
  1.16  traditional and ethnomedicine therapies, structural 
  1.17  manipulations and energetic therapies, bioelectromagnetic 
  1.18  therapies, and herbal medicine. 
  1.19     Subd. 3.  [STUDY.] (a) The commissioner of health, in 
  1.20  consultation with the commissioner of commerce, shall study the 
  1.21  scope of alternative medicine offered in this state.  The study 
  1.22  shall identify: 
  1.23     (1) the types of alternative medicine therapies available 
  1.24  in this state; 
  2.1      (2) the consumers of the therapies; 
  2.2      (3) the type of provider offering the therapies and the 
  2.3   credentials the providers maintain; 
  2.4      (4) the alternative medicine therapies currently covered by 
  2.5   health plan companies; 
  2.6      (5) obstacles that may prevent consumers from receiving 
  2.7   alternative medicine therapies, including, but not limited to, 
  2.8   issues related to reimbursement and regulation; and 
  2.9      (6) activities occurring in other states regarding 
  2.10  reimbursement and regulation of alternative medicine therapies 
  2.11  and providers. 
  2.12     (b) The study shall also determine through a review of the 
  2.13  research literature: 
  2.14     (1) the potential effectiveness and validity of alternative 
  2.15  medicine therapies; 
  2.16     (2) the cost effectiveness of alternative medicine; and 
  2.17     (3) the role of alternative medicine in prevention and 
  2.18  health improvement. 
  2.19     In conducting this review, the commissioner shall consult 
  2.20  with the office of alternative medicine. 
  2.21     Subd. 4.  [RECOMMENDATIONS; REPORT.] The commissioner shall 
  2.22  report the study findings to the legislature by January 15, 
  2.23  1998.  As part of the report, the commissioner shall make 
  2.24  recommendations on: 
  2.25     (1) the most appropriate means of ensuring cost-effective 
  2.26  delivery of alternative medicine, including the feasibility and 
  2.27  financial impact of mandating coverage; and 
  2.28     (2) whether the state should credential or regulate any of 
  2.29  the alternative medicine providers. 
  2.30     Subd. 5.  [ADVISORY COMMITTEE.] The commissioner shall 
  2.31  appoint an advisory committee to provide expertise and advice on 
  2.32  the study.  The committee must include representation from the 
  2.33  following groups:  health care providers, including providers of 
  2.34  alternative medicine; health plan companies; and consumers. 
  2.35     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.36     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.1   commissioner of health to implement section 1, to be available 
  3.2   until June 30, 1998.  This appropriation shall not become part 
  3.3   of the base for the fiscal year 1998-1999 biennium.