SF 3365

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 05/20/2018 01:38pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; authorizing the commissioner of health to establish a state
necessary provider program and designate certain rural hospitals as necessary
providers; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section
144.1483.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 144.1483, is amended to read:

144.1483 RURAL HEALTH INITIATIVES.

The commissioner of health, through the Office of Rural Health, and consulting as
necessary with the commissioner of human services, the commissioner of commerce, the
Minnesota Office of Higher Education, and other state agencies, shall:

(1) develop a detailed plan regarding the feasibility of coordinating rural health care
services by organizing individual medical providers and smaller hospitals and clinics into
referral networks with larger rural hospitals and clinics that provide a broader array of
services;

(2) develop recommendations regarding health education and training programs in rural
areas, including but not limited to a physician assistants' training program, continuing
education programs for rural health care providers, and rural outreach programs for nurse
practitioners within existing training programs;

(3) develop a statewide, coordinated recruitment strategy for health care personnel and
maintain a database on health care personnel as required under section 144.1485;

(4) develop and administer technical assistance programs to assist rural communities
in: (i) planning and coordinating the delivery of local health care services; and (ii) hiring
physicians, nurse practitioners, public health nurses, physician assistants, and other health
personnel;

(5) study and recommend changes in the regulation of health care personnel, such as
nurse practitioners and physician assistants, related to scope of practice, the amount of
on-site physician supervision, and dispensing of medication, to address rural health personnel
shortages;

(6) support efforts to ensure continued funding for medical and nursing education
programs that will increase the number of health professionals serving in rural areas;

(7) support efforts to secure higher reimbursement for rural health care providers from
the Medicare and medical assistance programs;

(8) coordinate the development of a statewide plan for emergency medical services, in
cooperation with the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council;

(9) establish a Medicare rural hospital flexibility program pursuant to section 1820 of
the federal Social Security Act, United States Code, title 42, section 1395i-4, by developing
a state rural health plan and designating, consistent with the rural health plan, rural nonprofit
or public hospitals in the state as critical access hospitals. Critical access hospitals shall
include facilities that are certified by the state new text begin prior to January 1, 2006, new text end as necessary providers
of health care services to residents in the area. Necessary providers of health care services
are designated as critical access hospitals on the basis of being more than 20 miles, defined
as official mileage as reported by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, from the
next nearest hospital, being the sole hospital in the county, being a hospital located in a
county with a designated medically underserved area or health professional shortage area,
or being a hospital located in a county contiguous to a county with a medically underserved
area or health professional shortage area. A critical access hospital located in a county with
a designated medically underserved area or a health professional shortage area or in a county
contiguous to a county with a medically underserved area or health professional shortage
area shall continue to be recognized as a critical access hospital in the event the medically
underserved area or health professional shortage area designation is subsequently withdrawn;
deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(10) new text begin establish a state necessary provider program, in which the commissioner designates
rural nonprofit or public hospitals in the state as necessary providers and provides hospitals
so designated with the benefits and flexibility available to critical access hospitals under
the Medicare rural hospital flexibility program, United States Code, title 42, section 1395i-4.
To be designated as a necessary provider of health care services, a hospital must be (i) more
than 20 miles from the next nearest hospital, as determined by official mileage as reported
by the Department of Transportation; (ii) the sole hospital in the county; (iii) a hospital
located in a county with a designated medically underserved area or health professional
shortage area; or (iv) a hospital located in a county contiguous to a county with a medically
underserved area or health professional shortage area. Any costs associated with providing
hospitals designated as necessary providers under this clause with the benefits and flexibility
available under the Medicare rural hospital flexibility program shall be paid by the state;
and
new text end

new text begin (11) new text end carry out other activities necessary to address rural health problems.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2018.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; NECESSARY PROVIDERS.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
health for costs associated with the state necessary provider program under Minnesota
Statutes, section 144.1483, clause (10).
new text end