SF 1113

as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) Posted on 02/25/2025 08:54am

A bill for an act
relating to medical assistance; requiring medical assistance to cover birth services
provided at home; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0625, by
adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0625, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 54a. new text end

new text begin Home birth. new text end

new text begin (a) Medical assistance covers birth services provided at home
when the criteria in paragraphs (b) to (d) are met. For purposes of this subdivision, "birth
services" are prenatal, labor, birth, and postpartum services.
new text end

new text begin (b) The birth services must be provided by an eligible provider whose scope of practice
and experience includes home birth. For purposes of this subdivision, an "eligible provider"
is a certified professional midwife, certified nurse-midwife, physician, certified nurse
practitioner, or physician assistant.
new text end

new text begin (c) The recipient must be deemed a low-risk patient for birth services. For purposes of
this subdivision, "low-risk patient for birth services" means a person undergoing a normal,
uncomplicated prenatal course as determined by documentation of adequate prenatal care
who anticipates a normal, uncomplicated labor and birth, as defined by reasonable and
generally accepted criteria adopted by professional groups for maternal, fetal, and neonatal
health care.
new text end

new text begin (d) The recipient must have a plan of care that includes the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) a consent form detailing the risks and benefits of home birth signed by the recipient;
new text end

new text begin (2) sufficient visits, test results, and follow-up consultations as needed to establish that
the recipient is a low-risk patient for birth services; and
new text end

new text begin (3) a plan for transfer to a hospital, as needed.
new text end

new text begin (e) Professional services provided by an eligible provider must be paid at 100 percent
of the rate paid to a physician performing the same services. An eligible provider who does
not perform the delivery must not bill for any delivery services.
new text end

new text begin (f) The payment for facility services, pertaining to the place of services for the home
birth, must be paid at 70 percent of the statewide average for a facility payment rate made
to a hospital for an uncomplicated vaginal delivery as determined using the most recent
calendar year for which complete claims data are available. If a recipient is transported from
a home to a hospital prior to the delivery, the payment for the facility services for delivery
to the eligible provider must be the lower of billed charges or 15 percent of the statewide
average for a facility payment rate made to a hospital for the services provided for an
uncomplicated vaginal delivery as determined using the most recent calendar year for which
complete claims data are available.
new text end