SF 576

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 complementary 
  1.3             medicine; appropriating money. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [COMPLEMENTARY 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   complementary medicine therapies and further finds that there 
  1.9   is, therefore, a need to encourage and support the use of 
  1.10  complementary medicine with the ultimate goal of integrating 
  1.11  complementary medicine with conventional health care coverage. 
  1.12     Subd. 2.  [DEFINITION.] For purposes of this section, the 
  1.13  term "complementary 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 complementary medicine offered in this state.  The 
  1.22  study shall identify: 
  1.23     (1) the types of complementary 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 complementary medicine therapies currently covered 
  2.5   by health plan companies; 
  2.6      (5) obstacles that may prevent consumers from receiving 
  2.7   complementary 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 complementary 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 
  2.15  complementary medicine therapies; 
  2.16     (2) the cost effectiveness of complementary medicine; and 
  2.17     (3) the role of complementary medicine in prevention and 
  2.18  health improvement. 
  2.19     In conducting this review, the commissioner shall consult 
  2.20  with the office of complementary 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 complementary medicine, including the feasibility 
  2.27  and financial impact of mandating coverage; and 
  2.28     (2) whether the state should credential or regulate any of 
  2.29  the complementary 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  complementary 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.