SF 4160

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 03/10/2020 08:58am

A bill for an act
relating to health care access; requesting that the Board of Regents of the University
of Minnesota establish certain rural training programs for physicians and nurses;
establishing a grant program to increase rural access to prenatal care; appropriating
money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 137.40, by adding a
subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 137;
145.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 137.40, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Rural residency training program in obstetrics and gynecology; rural
rotation in geriatrics. new text end

new text begin (a) The medical school is requested to establish a rural residency
training program in obstetrics and gynecology. The program shall be four years in length.
At least 20 percent of a resident's training over the four-year period shall take place in local
clinics and community hospitals in rural communities.
new text end

new text begin (b) The medical school is requested to establish a rural geriatrics rotation for internal
medicine residents and family medicine and community health residents. The rural geriatrics
rotation shall provide resident training in local clinics, community hospitals, and nursing
facilities in rural communities.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [137.445] RURAL NURSE RESIDENCY PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin The Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, through the University of
Minnesota School of Nursing, is requested to establish a rural residency program for nurses
working in the fields of geriatrics and obstetrics and gynecology. The nurse residency
program shall be two years in length and shall include classroom, peer support, and clinical
components. The program shall place nurses with less than one year of nursing experience
in rural communities to provide care and receive training in local clinics, community
hospitals, and nursing facilities in the area.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [145.9295] GRANTS TO HEALTH CLINICS AND HOSPITALS; ACCESS
TO PRENATAL CARE.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Designated rural area" means an area that is outside the seven-county metropolitan
area as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2, and that does not include the cities of
Duluth, Mankato, Moorhead, Rochester, and St. Cloud.
new text end

new text begin (c) "High deductible health plan" has the meaning given in section 62Q.01, subdivision
4a.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Grant program established. new text end

new text begin (a) Within the limits of available appropriations,
the commissioner of health shall award grants to health clinics and hospitals located in
designated rural areas, that provide prenatal care services to pregnant women, to increase
access to prenatal care for women covered by a high deductible health plan.
new text end

new text begin (b) A health clinic or hospital seeking a grant under this section must apply to the
commissioner at a time and in a manner established by the commissioner. In its application,
a health clinic or hospital must describe the methods the clinic or hospital will use to identify
women covered by high deductible health plans, and the method the clinic or hospital will
use to reduce out-of-pocket payments for prenatal care. In determining which health clinics
and hospitals will receive grants under this section, the commissioner shall give preference
to grant applicants that provide evidence of pursuing multiple approaches to increasing
patient access to prenatal care in the clinic's or hospital's service area.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Uses of grant funds. new text end

new text begin A clinic or hospital receiving a grant under this section
shall use grant funds to reduce the out-of-pocket payment amounts for prenatal care paid
by women covered by a high deductible health plan.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Progress reports; evaluation. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall collect progress reports
from grant recipients on uses of grant funds, measures of the amount and type of prenatal
care provided to women who are covered by a high deductible health plan and whose
out-of-pocket payments for prenatal care are reduced, and other information required by
the commissioner. Using this information, the commissioner shall evaluate the effectiveness
of the grant program in increasing access to prenatal care for women in designated rural
areas covered by a high deductible health plan, and shall make that evaluation available to
the public.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the Board of Regents
of the University of Minnesota for rural residency training activities for physicians and
nurses. Of this amount:
new text end

new text begin (1) $....... is for the establishment of a rural residency training program in obstetrics and
gynecology under Minnesota Statutes, section 137.40, subdivision 4, paragraph (a);
new text end

new text begin (2) $....... is for the establishment of a rural geriatrics rotation under Minnesota Statutes,
section 137.40, subdivision 4, paragraph (b); and
new text end

new text begin (3) $....... is for establishment of a rural nurse residency program under Minnesota
Statutes, section 137.445.
new text end

new text begin (b) $....... in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of health for a grant program under Minnesota Statutes, section 145.9295, to increase access
in designated rural areas to prenatal care for women covered by a high deductible health
plan.
new text end