SF 5415

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 04/16/2024 09:42am

A bill for an act
relating to human services; requiring medical assistance to cover palliative care
services; requiring rulemaking; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes
2022, section 256B.0625, by adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 256B.0625, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 72. new text end

new text begin Palliative care. new text end

new text begin (a) Effective July 1, 2026, or upon federal approval, whichever
is later, medical assistance covers palliative care services. For purposes of this subdivision,
"palliative care" has the meaning provided in section 144A.75, subdivision 12.
new text end

new text begin (b) Medical assistance must cover palliative care services for all enrollee populations,
including underserved populations, populations in all geographic areas of the state, and
populations in all care settings. Care settings include but are not limited to inpatient hospitals,
community-based facilities, and the residence of the enrollee.
new text end

new text begin (c) Reimbursement for palliative care services must be available to all participating
medical assistance providers who are part of the patient's full palliative care interdisciplinary
team. Reimbursement must be available for all palliative care services provided by the
patient's full palliative care interdisciplinary team, as appropriate based on the plan of care
and regardless of the care setting in which the service was provided.
new text end

new text begin (d) The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this section. Rules must be based
on national guidelines and standards for quality palliative care. In developing rules and
implementing this section, the commissioner shall convene stakeholder groups to develop
consensus standards for the palliative care benefit, including but not limited to palliative
care assessment, including patient identification and eligibility; core palliative care services;
composition of the full palliative care interdisciplinary team; and reimbursement models
that include payment for the full palliative care interdisciplinary team.
new text end

new text begin (e) The provision of a palliative care benefit must not result in the elimination or reduction
of covered benefits or services generally available to all medical assistance enrollees. The
provision of a palliative care benefit must not affect an enrollee's eligibility to receive,
concurrently with receipt of palliative care services, home health care and other health
services for which the enrollee would have been eligible in the absence of a palliative care
benefit, to the extent that these services are not duplicative.
new text end

new text begin (f) Managed care plans and county-based purchasing plans providing services under this
chapter and chapter 256L must provide coverage for palliative care services as required by
this subdivision and the rules adopted by the commissioner.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; DEVELOPMENT OF PALLIATIVE CARE BENEFIT.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
human services to develop a medical assistance palliative care benefit as required under
Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0625, subdivision 72. This is a onetime appropriation and
is available until June 30, 2026.
new text end