1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to medical assistance reimbursement for 
  1.3             special transportation services; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 2000, section 256B.0625, subdivision 17. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 256B.0625, 
  1.7   subdivision 17, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 17.  [TRANSPORTATION COSTS.] (a) Medical assistance 
  1.9   covers transportation costs incurred solely for obtaining 
  1.10  emergency medical care or transportation costs incurred by 
  1.11  nonambulatory persons in obtaining emergency or nonemergency 
  1.12  medical care when paid directly to an ambulance company, common 
  1.13  carrier, or other recognized providers of transportation 
  1.14  services.  For the purpose of this subdivision, a person who is 
  1.15  incapable of transport by taxicab or bus shall be considered to 
  1.16  be nonambulatory. 
  1.17     (b) Medical assistance covers special transportation, as 
  1.18  defined in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0315, subpart 1, item F, 
  1.19  if the provider receives and maintains a current physician's 
  1.20  order by the recipient's attending physician certifying that the 
  1.21  recipient has a physical or mental impairment that would 
  1.22  prohibit the recipient from safely accessing and using a bus, 
  1.23  taxi, other commercial transportation, or private automobile.  
  1.24  Special transportation includes driver-assisted service to 
  1.25  eligible individuals.  Driver-assisted service includes 
  2.1   passenger pickup at and return to the individual's residence or 
  2.2   place of business, assistance with admittance of the individual 
  2.3   to the medical facility, and assistance in passenger securement 
  2.4   or in securing of wheelchairs or stretchers in the vehicle.  The 
  2.5   commissioner shall establish maximum medical assistance 
  2.6   reimbursement rates for special transportation services for 
  2.7   persons who need a wheelchair lift van or stretcher-equipped 
  2.8   vehicle and for those who do not need a wheelchair lift van or 
  2.9   stretcher-equipped vehicle.  The ~~average of these two rates~~ 
  2.10  maximum rate per trip must not ~~exceed $15~~ be less than $20 for 
  2.11  patients requiring a wheelchair lift van or $15.50 for patients 
  2.12  not requiring a wheelchair lift van or a stretcher-equipped 
  2.13  vehicle for the base rate and ~~$1.20~~ $1.30 per mile.  ~~Special~~ 
  2.14  ~~transportation provided to nonambulatory persons who do not need~~ 
  2.15  ~~a wheelchair lift van or stretcher-equipped vehicle, may be~~ 
  2.16  ~~reimbursed at a lower rate than special transportation provided~~ 
  2.17  ~~to persons who need a wheelchair lift van or stretcher-equipped~~ 
  2.18  ~~vehicle.~~  The commissioner shall establish a maximum medical 
  2.19  assistance reimbursement rate for special transportation 
  2.20  attendant services which shall not be less than $20 per trip. 
  2.21     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.22     Section 1 is effective July 1, 2001.