1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to health; modifying fee and reimbursement 
  1.3             provisions for hearing instrument dispensers; 
  1.4             requiring certain rule amendments; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 2000, sections 153A.17; 256B.0625, 
  1.6             subdivision 8b. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 153A.17, is 
  1.9   amended to read: 
  1.10     153A.17 [EXPENSES; FEES.] 
  1.11     The expenses for administering the certification 
  1.12  requirements including the complaint handling system for hearing 
  1.13  aid dispensers in sections 153A.14 and 153A.15 and the consumer 
  1.14  information center under section 153A.18 must be paid from 
  1.15  initial application and examination fees, renewal fees, 
  1.16  penalties, and fines.  All fees are nonrefundable.  The 
  1.17  certificate application fee is $165 for audiologists registered 
  1.18  under section 148.511 and $490 for all others,.  The examination 
  1.19  fee is $200 for the written portion and $200 for the practical 
  1.20  portion each time one or the other is taken, and.  The trainee 
  1.21  application fee is $100.  Notwithstanding the policy set forth 
  1.22  in section 16A.1285, subdivision 2, a surcharge of $165 for 
  1.23  audiologists registered under section 148.511 and $330 for all 
  1.24  others shall be paid at the time of application or renewal until 
  1.25  June 30, 2003, to recover the commissioner's accumulated direct 
  1.26  expenditures for administering the requirements of this 
  2.1   chapter.  The penalty fee for late submission of a renewal 
  2.2   application is $200.  All fees, penalties, and fines received 
  2.3   must be deposited in the state government special revenue fund.  
  2.4   The commissioner may prorate the certification fee for new 
  2.5   applicants based on the number of quarters remaining in the 
  2.6   annual certification period. 
  2.7      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 256B.0625, 
  2.8   subdivision 8b, is amended to read: 
  2.9      Subd. 8b.  [SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY 
  2.10  SERVICES.] Medical assistance covers speech language pathology 
  2.11  and related services, including specialized maintenance 
  2.12  therapy.  Medical assistance covers audiology services and 
  2.13  related services.  Services provided by a person who has been 
  2.14  issued a temporary registration under section 148.5161 shall be 
  2.15  reimbursed at the same rate as services performed by a speech 
  2.16  language pathologist or audiologist as long as the requirements 
  2.17  of section 148.5161, subdivision 3, are met.  Hearing tests for 
  2.18  fitting and dispensing hearing aids that are performed by a 
  2.19  person certified under chapter 153A shall be reimbursed at the 
  2.20  same rate as the same tests performed by an audiologist. 
  2.21     Sec. 3.  [CONFORMING RULES.] 
  2.22     The commissioner of human services shall amend Minnesota 
  2.23  Rules, part 9505.0287, to allow a certified dispenser of hearing 
  2.24  aids to perform an audiologic evaluation in conformance with 
  2.25  Minnesota Statutes, chapter 153A.  The commissioner may use the 
  2.26  rulemaking provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 14.388.  
  2.27  Except as provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 14.388, 
  2.28  Minnesota Statutes, section 14.386, does not apply. 
  2.29     Sec. 4.  [WAIVER.] 
  2.30     The commissioner of human services shall request a waiver 
  2.31  from federal regulations if necessary to implement sections 2 
  2.32  and 3. 
  2.33     Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.34     Sections 1 and 4 are effective the day following final 
  2.35  enactment.  Sections 2 and 3 are effective the day following 
  2.36  final enactment, or, if a federal waiver is required, on the 
  3.1   date the federal waiver is granted.