1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to human services; requiring the commissioner 
  1.3             of human services to identify and address nonfinancial 
  1.4             barriers to provider participation in state health 
  1.5             care programs. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [REGULATORY SIMPLIFICATION FOR STATE HEALTH 
  1.8   CARE PROGRAM PROVIDERS.] 
  1.9      The commissioner of human services, in consultation with 
  1.10  providers participating in state health care programs, shall 
  1.11  identify nonfinancial barriers to increased provider enrollment 
  1.12  and provider retention in state health care programs, and shall 
  1.13  implement procedures to address these barriers.  Areas to be 
  1.14  examined by the commissioner shall include, but are not limited 
  1.15  to, regulatory complexity and inconsistencies between state 
  1.16  health care programs, provider requirements, provision of 
  1.17  technical assistance to providers, responsiveness to provider 
  1.18  inquiries and complaints, claims processing turnaround times, 
  1.19  and policies for rejecting provider claims.  The commissioner 
  1.20  shall report to the legislature by February 15, 2002, on any 
  1.21  changes to the administration of state health care programs that 
  1.22  will be implemented as a result of the study, and present 
  1.23  recommendations for any necessary changes in state law.