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HF 1574

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/15/2023 12:18pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Bill Text Versions

Engrossments
Introduction Posted on 02/09/2023

Current Version - as introduced

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A bill for an act
relating to human services; modifying and expanding medical assistance coverage
of tobacco and nicotine cessation treatment; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022,
sections 256B.04, subdivision 14; 256B.0625, by adding a subdivision; 256B.0631,
subdivision 1; 256L.03, subdivision 5.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 256B.04, subdivision 14, is amended to read:


Subd. 14.

Competitive bidding.

(a) When determined to be effective, economical, and
feasible, the commissioner may utilize volume purchase through competitive bidding and
negotiation under the provisions of chapter 16C, to provide items under the medical assistance
program including but not limited to the following:

(1) eyeglasses;

(2) oxygen. The commissioner shall provide for oxygen needed in an emergency situation
on a short-term basis, until the vendor can obtain the necessary supply from the contract
dealer;

(3) hearing aids and supplies;

(4) durable medical equipment, including but not limited to:

(i) hospital beds;

(ii) commodes;

(iii) glide-about chairs;

(iv) patient lift apparatus;

(v) wheelchairs and accessories;

(vi) oxygen administration equipment;

(vii) respiratory therapy equipment;

(viii) electronic diagnostic, therapeutic and life-support systems; and

(ix) allergen-reducing products as described in section 256B.0625, subdivision 67,
paragraph (c) or (d);

(5) nonemergency medical transportation level of need determinations, disbursement of
public transportation passes and tokens, and volunteer and recipient mileage and parking
reimbursements; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(6) drugsdeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (7) quitline services as described in section 256B.0625, subdivision 68, paragraph (c).
new text end

(b) Rate changes and recipient cost-sharing under this chapter and chapter 256L do not
affect contract payments under this subdivision unless specifically identified.

(c) The commissioner may not utilize volume purchase through competitive bidding
and negotiation under the provisions of chapter 16C for special transportation services or
incontinence products and related supplies.

Sec. 2.

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


new text begin Subd. 68. new text end

new text begin Tobacco and nicotine cessation. new text end

new text begin (a) Medical assistance covers tobacco and
nicotine cessation services, drugs to treat tobacco and nicotine addiction or dependence,
and drugs to help individuals discontinue use of tobacco and nicotine products. Medical
assistance must cover services and drugs as provided in this subdivision consistent with
evidence-based or evidence-informed best practices.
new text end

new text begin (b) Medical assistance must cover in-person individual and group tobacco and nicotine
cessation education and counseling services if provided by a health care practitioner whose
scope of practice encompasses tobacco and nicotine cessation education and counseling.
Service providers include but are not limited to the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) mental health practitioners under section 245.462, subdivision 17;
new text end

new text begin (2) mental health professionals under section 245.462, subdivision 18;
new text end

new text begin (3) mental health certified peer specialists under section 256B.0615;
new text end

new text begin (4) alcohol and drug counselors licensed under chapter 148F;
new text end

new text begin (5) recovery peers as defined in section 245F.02, subdivision 21;
new text end

new text begin (6) certified tobacco treatment specialists;
new text end

new text begin (7) community health workers;
new text end

new text begin (8) physicians;
new text end

new text begin (9) physician assistants;
new text end

new text begin (10) advanced practice registered nurses; or
new text end

new text begin (11) other licensed or nonlicensed professionals or paraprofessionals with training in
providing tobacco and nicotine cessation education and counseling services.
new text end

new text begin (c) Medical assistance covers telephone cessation counseling services provided through
a quitline. Notwithstanding section 256B.0625, subdivision 3b, quitline services may be
provided through audio-only communications. The commissioner of human services may
utilize volume purchasing for quitline services consistent with section 256B.04, subdivision
14.
new text end

new text begin (d) Medical assistance must cover all prescription and over-the-counter pharmacotherapy
drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for cessation of tobacco
and nicotine use or treatment of tobacco and nicotine dependence, and that are subject to a
Medicaid drug rebate agreement.
new text end

new text begin (e) Services covered under this subdivision may be provided by telemedicine.
new text end

new text begin (f) The commissioner must not:
new text end

new text begin (1) restrict or limit the type, duration, or frequency of tobacco and nicotine cessation
services;
new text end

new text begin (2) prohibit the simultaneous use of multiple cessation services, including but not limited
to simultaneous use of counseling and drugs;
new text end

new text begin (3) require counseling before receiving drugs or as a condition of receiving drugs;
new text end

new text begin (4) limit pharmacotherapy drug dosage amounts for a dosing regimen for treatment of
a medically accepted indication as defined in United States Code, title 14, section
1396r-8(K)(6); limit dosing frequency; or impose duration limits;
new text end

new text begin (5) prohibit simultaneous use of multiple drugs, including prescription and
over-the-counter drugs;
new text end

new text begin (6) require or authorize step therapy; or
new text end

new text begin (7) require or utilize prior authorization or require a co-payment or deductible for any
tobacco and nicotine cessation services and drugs covered under this subdivision.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 256B.0631, subdivision 1, is amended to read:


Subdivision 1.

Cost-sharing.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision 2, the medical
assistance benefit plan deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end include the following cost-sharing for all recipients,
effective for services provided on or after September 1, 2011:

(1) $3 per nonpreventive visit, except as provided in paragraph (b)new text begin and except that a
co-payment must not apply to tobacco and nicotine cessation services covered under section
256B.0625, subdivision 68
new text end . For purposes of this subdivision, a visit means an episode of
service which is required because of a recipient's symptoms, diagnosis, or established illness,
and which is delivered in an ambulatory setting by a physician or physician assistant,
chiropractor, podiatrist, nurse midwife, advanced practice nurse, audiologist, optician, or
optometrist;

(2) $3.50 for nonemergency visits to a hospital-based emergency room, except that this
co-payment shall be increased to $20 upon federal approval;

(3) $3 per brand-name drug prescription, $1 per generic drug prescription, and $1 per
prescription for a brand-name multisource drug listed in preferred status on the preferred
drug list, subject to a $12 per month maximum for prescription drug co-payments. deleted text begin Nodeleted text end
Co-payments deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin must notnew text end apply to antipsychotic drugs when used for the treatment of
mental illness;

(4) a family deductible equal to $2.75 per month per family and adjusted annually by
the percentage increase in the medical care component of the CPI-U for the period of
September to September of the preceding calendar year, rounded to the next higher five-cent
increment; and

(5) total monthly cost-sharing must not exceed five percent of family income. For
purposes of this paragraph, family income is the total earned and unearned income of the
individual and the individual's spouse, if the spouse is enrolled in medical assistance and
also subject to the five percent limit on cost-sharing. This paragraph does not apply to
premiums charged to individuals described under section 256B.057, subdivision 9.

(b) Recipients of medical assistance are responsible for all co-payments and deductibles
in this subdivision.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), the commissioner, through the contracting process
under sections 256B.69 and 256B.692, may allow managed care plans and county-based
purchasing plans to waive the family deductible under paragraph (a), clause (4). The value
of the family deductible deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin must new text end not be included in the capitation payment to managed
care plans and county-based purchasing plans. Managed care plans and county-based
purchasing plans deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end certify annually to the commissioner the dollar value of the
family deductible.

(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), the commissioner may waive the collection of the
family deductible described under paragraph (a), clause (4), from individuals and allow
long-term care and waivered service providers to assume responsibility for payment.

(e) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), the commissioner, through the contracting process
under section 256B.0756 shall allow the pilot program in Hennepin County to waive
co-payments. The value of the co-payments deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end not be included in the capitation
payment amount to the integrated health care delivery networks under the pilot program.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 256L.03, subdivision 5, is amended to read:


Subd. 5.

Cost-sharing.

(a) Co-payments, coinsurance, and deductibles do not apply to
children under the age of 21 and to American Indians as defined in Code of Federal
Regulations, title 42, section 600.5.

(b) The commissioner deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end adjust co-payments, coinsurance, and deductibles for
covered services in a manner sufficient to maintain the actuarial value of the benefit to 94
percent. The cost-sharing changes described in this paragraph do not apply to eligible
recipients or services exempt from cost-sharing under state law. The cost-sharing changes
described in this paragraph shall not be implemented prior to January 1, 2016.

(c) The cost-sharing changes authorized under paragraph (b) must satisfy the requirements
for cost-sharing under the Basic Health Program as set forth in Code of Federal Regulations,
title 42, sections 600.510 and 600.520.

new text begin (d) Cost-sharing must not apply to drugs used for tobacco and nicotine cessation or to
tobacco and nicotine cessation services covered under section 256B.0625, subdivision 68.
new text end