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SF 176

1st Engrossment - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 09/29/2015 12:29pm

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

Current Version - 1st Engrossment

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A bill for an act
relating to health; creating a certification for community medical response
emergency medical technicians; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections
144E.001, by adding a subdivision; 144E.275, subdivision 1, by adding a
subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 144E.001, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:


new text begin Subd. 5h. new text end

new text begin Community medical response emergency medical technician.
new text end

new text begin "Community medical response emergency medical technician" or "CEMT" means
a person who is certified as an emergency medical technician, who is a member of a
registered medical response unit under section 144E.275, and who meets the requirements
for additional certification as a CEMT as specified in section 144E.275, subdivision 7.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 144E.275, subdivision 1, is amended to read:


Subdivision 1.

Definition.

For purposes of this section, the following definitions
apply:

(a) "Medical response unit" means an organized service recognized by a local
political subdivision whose primary responsibility is to respond to medical emergencies to
provide initial medical care before the arrival of a licensed ambulance service.new text begin Medical
response units may also provide CEMT services as permitted under subdivision 7.
new text end

(b) "Specialized medical response unit" means an organized service recognized by a
board-approved authority other than a local political subdivision that responds to medical
emergencies as needed or as required by local procedure or protocol.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 144E.275, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:


new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Community medical response emergency medical technician. new text end

new text begin (a) To be
eligible for certification by the board as a CEMT, an individual shall:
new text end

new text begin (1) be currently certified as an EMT or AEMT;
new text end

new text begin (2) have two years of service as an EMT or AEMT;
new text end

new text begin (3) be a member of a registered medical response unit as defined under section
144E.275;
new text end

new text begin (4) successfully complete a CEMT training program from a college or university that
has been approved by the board or accredited by a board-approved national accrediting
organization. The training must include clinical experience under the supervision of the
medical response unit medical director, an advanced practice registered nurse, a physician
assistant, or a public health nurse operating under the direct authority of a local unit
of government; and
new text end

new text begin (5) complete a board-approved application form.
new text end

new text begin (b) A CEMT must practice in accordance with protocols and supervisory standards
established by the medical response unit medical director in accordance with section
144E.265.
new text end

new text begin (c) A CEMT may provide services within the CMT skill set as approved by the
medical response unit medical director.
new text end

new text begin (d) A CEMT may provide episodic individual patient education and prevention
education but only as directed by a patient care plan developed by the patient's primary
physician, an advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant, in conjunction
with the medical response unit medical director and relevant local health care providers.
The patient care plan must ensure that the services provided by the CEMT are consistent
with services offered by the patient's health care home, if one exists, that the patient
receives the necessary services, and that there is no duplication of services to the patient.
new text end

new text begin (e) A CEMT is subject to all certification, disciplinary, complaint, and other
regulatory requirements that apply to EMTs under this chapter.
new text end

new text begin (f) A CEMT may not provide services as defined in section 144A.471, subdivisions
6 and 7, except a CEMT may provide verbal or visual reminders to the patient to:
new text end

new text begin (1) take a regularly scheduled medication, but not to provide or bring the patient
medication; and
new text end

new text begin (2) follow regularly scheduled treatment or exercise plans.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin COMMUNITY MEDICAL RESPONSE EMERGENCY MEDICAL
TECHNICIAN SERVICES COVERED UNDER THE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of human services, in consultation with representatives of
emergency medical service providers, public health nurses, community health workers,
the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association, the Minnesota Professional Firefighters
Association, the Minnesota State Firefighters Department Association, Minnesota
Academy of Family Physicians, Minnesota Licensed Practical Nurses Association,
Minnesota Nurses Association, and local public health agencies, shall determine specified
services and payment rates for these services to be performed by community medical
response emergency medical technicians certified under Minnesota Statutes, section
144E.275, subdivision 7, and covered by medical assistance under Minnesota Statutes,
section 256B.0625. Services must be in the CMT skill set and may include interventions
intended to prevent avoidable ambulance transportation or hospital emergency department
use, care coordination, and diagnosis-related patient education.
new text end

new text begin (b) In order to be eligible for payment, services provided by a community medical
response emergency medical technician must be:
new text end

new text begin (1) ordered by a medical response unit medical director;
new text end

new text begin (2) part of a patient care plan that has been developed in coordination with the
patient's primary physician, advanced practice registered nurse, and relevant local health
care providers; and
new text end

new text begin (3) billed by an eligible medical assistance enrolled provider that employs or
contracts with the community medical response emergency medical technician.
new text end

new text begin In determining the community medical response emergency medical technician services
to include under medical assistance coverage, the commissioner of human services shall
consider the potential of hospital admittance and emergency room utilization reductions as
well as increased access to quality care in rural communities.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner of human services shall submit the list of services to be
covered by medical assistance to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services policy and
spending by February 15, 2016. These services shall not be covered by medical assistance
until legislation providing coverage for the services is enacted in law.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY MEDICAL RESPONSE
EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN SERVICES.
new text end

new text begin If legislation is enacted to cover community medical response emergency medical
technician services with medical assistance, the commissioner of human services shall
evaluate the effect of medical assistance and MinnesotaCare coverage for those services
on the cost and quality of care under those programs and the coordination of those services
with the health care home services. The commissioner shall present findings to the chairs
and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health
and human services policy and spending by December 1, 2017. The commissioner shall
require medical assistance and MinnesotaCare enrolled providers that employ or contract
with community medical response emergency medical technicians to provide to the
commissioner, in the form and manner specified by the commissioner, the utilization, cost,
and quality data necessary to conduct this evaluation.
new text end