256B.0627 Covered service; home care services.
Subdivision 1. Definition. (a) "Activities of daily living" includes eating, toileting, grooming, dressing, bathing, transferring, mobility, and positioning.
(b) "Assessment" means a review and evaluation of a recipient's need for home care services conducted in person. Assessments for private duty nursing shall be conducted by a registered private duty nurse. Assessments for home health agency services shall be conducted by a home health agency nurse. Assessments for personal care assistant services shall be conducted by the county public health nurse or a certified public health nurse under contract with the county. A face-to-face assessment must include: documentation of health status, determination of need, evaluation of service effectiveness, identification of appropriate services, service plan development or modification, coordination of services, referrals and follow-up to appropriate payers and community resources, completion of required reports, recommendation of service authorization, and consumer education. Once the need for personal care assistant services is determined under this section, the county public health nurse or certified public health nurse under contract with the county is responsible for communicating this recommendation to the commissioner and the recipient. A face-to-face assessment for personal care assistant services is conducted on those recipients who have never had a county public health nurse assessment. A face-to-face assessment must occur at least annually or when there is a significant change in the recipient's condition or when there is a change in the need for personal care assistant services. A service update may substitute for the annual face-to-face assessment when there is not a significant change in recipient condition or a change in the need for personal care assistant service. A service update or review for temporary increase includes a review of initial baseline data, evaluation of service effectiveness, redetermination of service need, modification of service plan and appropriate referrals, update of initial forms, obtaining service authorization, and on going consumer education. Assessments for medical assistance home care services for mental retardation or related conditions and alternative care services for developmentally disabled home and community-based waivered recipients may be conducted by the county public health nurse to ensure coordination and avoid duplication. Assessments must be completed on forms provided by the commissioner within 30 days of a request for home care services by a recipient or responsible party.
(c) "Care plan" means a written description of personal care assistant services developed by the qualified professional or the recipient's physician with the recipient or responsible party to be used by the personal care assistant with a copy provided to the recipient or responsible party.
(d) "Complex and regular private duty nursing care" means:
(1) complex care is private duty nursing provided to recipients who are ventilator dependent or for whom a physician has certified that were it not for private duty nursing the recipient would meet the criteria for inpatient hospital intensive care unit (ICU) level of care; and
(2) regular care is private duty nursing provided to all other recipients.
(e) "Health-related functions" means functions that can be delegated or assigned by a licensed health care professional under state law to be performed by a personal care attendant.
(f) "Home care services" means a health service, determined by the commissioner as medically necessary, that is ordered by a physician and documented in a service plan that is reviewed by the physician at least once every 60 days for the provision of home health services, or private duty nursing, or at least once every 365 days for personal care. Home care services are provided to the recipient at the recipient's residence that is a place other than a hospital or long-term care facility or as specified in section 256B.0625.
(g) "Instrumental activities of daily living" includes meal planning and preparation, managing finances, shopping for food, clothing, and other essential items, performing essential household chores, communication by telephone and other media, and getting around and participating in the community.
(h) "Medically necessary" has the meaning given in Minnesota Rules, parts 9505.0170 to 9505.0475.
(i) "Personal care assistant" means a person who:
(1) is at least 18 years old, except for persons 16 to 18 years of age who participated in a related school-based job training program or have completed a certified home health aide competency evaluation;
(2) is able to effectively communicate with the recipient and personal care provider organization;
(3) effective July 1, 1996, has completed one of the training requirements as specified in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0335, subpart 3, items A to D;
(4) has the ability to, and provides covered personal care assistant services according to the recipient's care plan, responds appropriately to recipient needs, and reports changes in the recipient's condition to the supervising qualified professional or physician;
(5) is not a consumer of personal care assistant services; and
(6) is subject to criminal background checks and procedures specified in chapter 245C.
(j) "Personal care provider organization" means an organization enrolled to provide personal care assistant services under the medical assistance program that complies with the following: (1) owners who have a five percent interest or more, and managerial officials are subject to a background study as provided in chapter 245C. This applies to currently enrolled personal care provider organizations and those agencies seeking enrollment as a personal care provider organization. An organization will be barred from enrollment if an owner or managerial official of the organization has been convicted of a crime specified in chapter 245C, or a comparable crime in another jurisdiction, unless the owner or managerial official meets the reconsideration criteria specified in chapter 245C; (2) the organization must maintain a surety bond and liability insurance throughout the duration of enrollment and provides proof thereof. The insurer must notify the Department of Human Services of the cancellation or lapse of policy; and (3) the organization must maintain documentation of services as specified in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.2175, subpart 7, as well as evidence of compliance with personal care assistant training requirements.
(k) "Responsible party" means an individual who is capable of providing the support necessary to assist the recipient to live in the community, is at least 18 years old, actively participates in planning and directing of personal care assistant services, and is not the personal care assistant. The responsible party must be accessible to the recipient and the personal care assistant when personal care services are being provided and monitor the services at least weekly according to the plan of care. The responsible party must be identified at the time of assessment and listed on the recipient's service agreement and care plan. Responsible parties may delegate the responsibility to another adult who is not the personal care assistant. The responsible party must assure that the delegate performs the functions of the responsible party, is identified at the time of the assessment, and is listed on the service agreement and the care plan. Foster care license holders may be designated the responsible party for residents of the foster care home if case management is provided as required in section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a. For persons who, as of April 1, 1992, are sharing personal care assistant services in order to obtain the availability of 24-hour coverage, an employee of the personal care provider organization may be designated as the responsible party if case management is provided as required in section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a.
(l) "Service plan" means a written description of the services needed based on the assessment developed by the nurse who conducts the assessment together with the recipient or responsible party. The service plan shall include a description of the covered home care services, frequency and duration of services, and expected outcomes and goals. The recipient and the provider chosen by the recipient or responsible party must be given a copy of the completed service plan within 30 calendar days of the request for home care services by the recipient or responsible party.
(m) "Skilled nurse visits" are provided in a recipient's residence under a plan of care or service plan that specifies a level of care which the nurse is qualified to provide. These services are:
(1) nursing services according to the written plan of care or service plan and accepted standards of medical and nursing practice in accordance with chapter 148;
(2) services which due to the recipient's medical condition may only be safely and effectively provided by a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse;
(3) assessments performed only by a registered nurse; and
(4) teaching and training the recipient, the recipient's family, or other caregivers requiring the skills of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse.
(n) "Telehomecare" means the use of telecommunications technology by a home health care professional to deliver home health care services, within the professional's scope of practice, to a patient located at a site other than the site where the practitioner is located.
Subd. 2. Services covered. Home care services covered under this section include:
(1) nursing services under section 256B.0625, subdivision 6a;
(2) private duty nursing services under section 256B.0625, subdivision 7;
(3) home health services under section 256B.0625, subdivision 6a;
(4) personal care assistant services under section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a;
(5) supervision of personal care assistant services provided by a qualified professional under section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a;
(6) qualified professional of personal care assistant services under the fiscal intermediary option as specified in subdivision 10;
(7) face-to-face assessments by county public health nurses for services under section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a; and
(8) service updates and review of temporary increases for personal care assistant services by the county public health nurse for services under section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a.
Subd. 3. Repealed, 1991 c 292 art 7 s 26
Subd. 4. Personal care assistant services. (a) The personal care assistant services that are eligible for payment are services and supports furnished to an individual, as needed, to assist in accomplishing activities of daily living; instrumental activities of daily living; health-related functions through hands-on assistance, supervision, and cuing; and redirection and intervention for behavior including observation and monitoring.
(b) Payment for services will be made within the limits approved using the prior authorized process established in subdivision 5.
(c) The amount and type of services authorized shall be based on an assessment of the recipient's needs in these areas:
(1) bowel and bladder care;
(2) skin care to maintain the health of the skin;
(3) repetitive maintenance range of motion, muscle strengthening exercises, and other tasks specific to maintaining a recipient's optimal level of function;
(4) respiratory assistance;
(5) transfers and ambulation;
(6) bathing, grooming, and hairwashing necessary for personal hygiene;
(7) turning and positioning;
(8) assistance with furnishing medication that is self-administered;
(9) application and maintenance of prosthetics and orthotics;
(10) cleaning medical equipment;
(11) dressing or undressing;
(12) assistance with eating and meal preparation and necessary grocery shopping;
(13) accompanying a recipient to obtain medical diagnosis or treatment;
(14) assisting, monitoring, or prompting the recipient to complete the services in clauses (1) to (13);
(15) redirection, monitoring, and observation that are medically necessary and an integral part of completing the personal care assistant services described in clauses (1) to (14);
(16) redirection and intervention for behavior, including observation and monitoring;
(17) interventions for seizure disorders, including monitoring and observation if the recipient has had a seizure that requires intervention within the past three months;
(18) tracheostomy suctioning using a clean procedure if the procedure is properly delegated by a registered nurse. Before this procedure can be delegated to a personal care assistant, a registered nurse must determine that the tracheostomy suctioning can be accomplished utilizing a clean rather than a sterile procedure and must ensure that the personal care assistant has been taught the proper procedure; and
(19) incidental household services that are an integral part of a personal care service described in clauses (1) to (18).
For purposes of this subdivision, monitoring and observation means watching for outward visible signs that are likely to occur and for which there is a covered personal care service or an appropriate personal care intervention. For purposes of this subdivision, a clean procedure refers to a procedure that reduces the numbers of microorganisms or prevents or reduces the transmission of microorganisms from one person or place to another. A clean procedure may be used beginning 14 days after insertion.
(d) The personal care assistant services that are not eligible for payment are the following:
(1) services not ordered by the physician;
(2) assessments by personal care assistant provider organizations or by independently enrolled registered nurses;
(3) services that are not in the service plan;
(4) services provided by the recipient's spouse, legal guardian for an adult or child recipient, or parent of a recipient under age 18;
(5) services provided by a foster care provider of a recipient who cannot direct the recipient's own care, unless monitored by a county or state case manager under section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a;
(6) services provided by the residential or program license holder in a residence for more than four persons;
(7) services that are the responsibility of a residential or program license holder under the terms of a service agreement and administrative rules;
(8) sterile procedures;
(9) injections of fluids into veins, muscles, or skin;
(10) homemaker services that are not an integral part of a personal care assistant services;
(11) home maintenance or chore services;
(12) services not specified under paragraph (a); and
(13) services not authorized by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee.
(e) The recipient or responsible party may choose to supervise the personal care assistant or to have a qualified professional, as defined in section 256B.0625, subdivision 19c, provide the supervision. As required under section 256B.0625, subdivision 19c, the county public health nurse, as a part of the assessment, will assist the recipient or responsible party to identify the most appropriate person to provide supervision of the personal care assistant. Health-related delegated tasks performed by the personal care assistant will be under the supervision of a qualified professional or the direction of the recipient's physician. If the recipient has a qualified professional, Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0335, subpart 4, applies.
Subd. 5. Limitation on payments. Medical assistance payments for home care services shall be limited according to this subdivision.
(a) Limits on services without prior authorization. A recipient may receive the following home care services during a calendar year:
(1) up to two face-to-face assessments to determine a recipient's need for personal care assistant services;
(2) one service update done to determine a recipient's need for personal care assistant services; and
(3) up to nine skilled nurse visits.
(b) Prior authorization; exceptions. All home care services above the limits in paragraph (a) must receive the commissioner's prior authorization, except when:
(1) the home care services were required to treat an emergency medical condition that if not immediately treated could cause a recipient serious physical or mental disability, continuation of severe pain, or death. The provider must request retroactive authorization no later than five working days after giving the initial service. The provider must be able to substantiate the emergency by documentation such as reports, notes, and admission or discharge histories;
(2) the home care services were provided on or after the date on which the recipient's eligibility began, but before the date on which the recipient was notified that the case was opened. Authorization will be considered if the request is submitted by the provider within 20 working days of the date the recipient was notified that the case was opened;
(3) a third-party payor for home care services has denied or adjusted a payment. Authorization requests must be submitted by the provider within 20 working days of the notice of denial or adjustment. A copy of the notice must be included with the request;
(4) the commissioner has determined that a county or state human services agency has made an error; or
(5) the professional nurse determines an immediate need for up to 40 skilled nursing or home health aide visits per calendar year and submits a request for authorization within 20 working days of the initial service date, and medical assistance is determined to be the appropriate payer.
(c) Retroactive authorization. A request for retroactive authorization will be evaluated according to the same criteria applied to prior authorization requests.
(d) Assessment and service plan. Assessments under section 256B.0627, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), shall be conducted initially, and at least annually thereafter, in person with the recipient and result in a completed service plan using forms specified by the commissioner. Within 30 days of recipient or responsible party request for home care services, the assessment, the service plan, and other information necessary to determine medical necessity such as diagnostic or testing information, social or medical histories, and hospital or facility discharge summaries shall be submitted to the commissioner. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 256B.0627, subdivision 12, the commissioner shall maximize federal financial participation to pay for public health nurse assessments for personal care services. For personal care assistant services:
(1) The amount and type of service authorized based upon the assessment and service plan will follow the recipient if the recipient chooses to change providers.
(2) If the recipient's medical need changes, the recipient's provider may assess the need for a change in service authorization and request the change from the county public health nurse. Within 30 days of the request, the public health nurse will determine whether to request the change in services based upon the provider assessment, or conduct a home visit to assess the need and determine whether the change is appropriate.
(3) To continue to receive personal care assistant services after the first year, the recipient or the responsible party, in conjunction with the public health nurse, may complete a service update on forms developed by the commissioner according to criteria and procedures in subdivision 1.
(e) Prior authorization. The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, shall review the assessment, service update, request for temporary services, service plan, and any additional information that is submitted. The commissioner shall, within 30 days after receiving a complete request, assessment, and service plan, authorize home care services as follows:
(1) Home health services. All home health services provided by a home health aide must be prior authorized by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee. Prior authorization must be based on medical necessity and cost-effectiveness when compared with other care options. When home health services are used in combination with personal care and private duty nursing, the cost of all home care services shall be considered for cost-effectiveness. The commissioner shall limit home health aide visits to no more than one visit each per day. The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, may authorize up to two skilled nurse visits per day.
(2) Personal care assistant services. (i) All personal care assistant services and supervision by a qualified professional, if requested by the recipient, must be prior authorized by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee except for the assessments established in paragraph (a). The amount of personal care assistant services authorized must be based on the recipient's home care rating. A child may not be found to be dependent in an activity of daily living if because of the child's age an adult would either perform the activity for the child or assist the child with the activity and the amount of assistance needed is similar to the assistance appropriate for a typical child of the same age. Based on medical necessity, the commissioner may authorize:
(A) up to two times the average number of direct care hours provided in nursing facilities for the recipient's comparable case mix level; or
(B) up to three times the average number of direct care hours provided in nursing facilities for recipients who have complex medical needs or are dependent in at least seven activities of daily living and need physical assistance with eating or have a neurological diagnosis; or
(C) up to 60 percent of the average reimbursement rate, as of July 1, 1991, for care provided in a regional treatment center for recipients who have Level I behavior, plus any inflation adjustment as provided by the legislature for personal care service; or
(D) up to the amount the commissioner would pay, as of July 1, 1991, plus any inflation adjustment provided for home care services, for care provided in a regional treatment center for recipients referred to the commissioner by a regional treatment center preadmission evaluation team. For purposes of this clause, home care services means all services provided in the home or community that would be included in the payment to a regional treatment center; or
(E) up to the amount medical assistance would reimburse for facility care for recipients referred to the commissioner by a preadmission screening team established under section 256B.0911 or 256B.092; and
(F) a reasonable amount of time for the provision of supervision by a qualified professional of personal care assistant services, if a qualified professional is requested by the recipient or responsible party.
(ii) The number of direct care hours shall be determined according to the annual cost report submitted to the department by nursing facilities. The average number of direct care hours, as established by May 1, 1992, shall be calculated and incorporated into the home care limits on July 1, 1992. These limits shall be calculated to the nearest quarter hour.
(iii) The home care rating shall be determined by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee based on information submitted to the commissioner by the county public health nurse on forms specified by the commissioner. The home care rating shall be a combination of current assessment tools developed under sections 256B.0911 and 256B.501 with an addition for seizure activity that will assess the frequency and severity of seizure activity and with adjustments, additions, and clarifications that are necessary to reflect the needs and conditions of recipients who need home care including children and adults under 65 years of age. The commissioner shall establish these forms and protocols under this section and shall use an advisory group, including representatives of recipients, providers, and counties, for consultation in establishing and revising the forms and protocols.
(iv) A recipient shall qualify as having complex medical needs if the care required is difficult to perform and because of recipient's medical condition requires more time than community-based standards allow or requires more skill than would ordinarily be required and the recipient needs or has one or more of the following:
(A) daily tube feedings;
(B) daily parenteral therapy;
(C) wound or decubiti care;
(D) postural drainage, percussion, nebulizer treatments, suctioning, tracheotomy care, oxygen, mechanical ventilation;
(E) catheterization;
(F) ostomy care;
(G) quadriplegia; or
(H) other comparable medical conditions or treatments the commissioner determines would otherwise require institutional care.
(v) A recipient shall qualify as having Level I behavior if there is reasonable supporting evidence that the recipient exhibits, or that without supervision, observation, or redirection would exhibit, one or more of the following behaviors that cause, or have the potential to cause:
(A) injury to the recipient's own body;
(B) physical injury to other people; or
(C) destruction of property.
(vi) Time authorized for personal care relating to Level I behavior in subclause (v), items (A) to (C), shall be based on the predictability, frequency, and amount of intervention required.
(vii) A recipient shall qualify as having Level II behavior if the recipient exhibits on a daily basis one or more of the following behaviors that interfere with the completion of personal care assistant services under subdivision 4, paragraph (a):
(A) unusual or repetitive habits;
(B) withdrawn behavior; or
(C) offensive behavior.
(viii) A recipient with a home care rating of Level II behavior in subclause (vii), items (A) to (C), shall be rated as comparable to a recipient with complex medical needs under subclause (iv). If a recipient has both complex medical needs and Level II behavior, the home care rating shall be the next complex category up to the maximum rating under subclause (i), item (B).
(3) Private duty nursing services. All private duty nursing services shall be prior authorized by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee. Prior authorization for private duty nursing services shall be based on medical necessity and cost-effectiveness when compared with alternative care options. The commissioner may authorize medically necessary private duty nursing services in quarter-hour units when:
(i) the recipient requires more individual and continuous care than can be provided during a nurse visit; or
(ii) the cares are outside of the scope of services that can be provided by a home health aide or personal care assistant.
The commissioner may authorize:
(A) up to two times the average amount of direct care hours provided in nursing facilities statewide for case mix classification "K" as established by the annual cost report submitted to the department by nursing facilities in May 1992;
(B) private duty nursing in combination with other home care services up to the total cost allowed under clause (2);
(C) up to 16 hours per day if the recipient requires more nursing than the maximum number of direct care hours as established in item (A) and the recipient meets the hospital admission criteria established under Minnesota Rules, parts 9505.0501 to 9505.0540.
The commissioner may authorize up to 16 hours per day of medically necessary private duty nursing services or up to 24 hours per day of medically necessary private duty nursing services until such time as the commissioner is able to make a determination of eligibility for recipients who are cooperatively applying for home care services under the community alternative care program developed under section 256B.49, or until it is determined by the appropriate regulatory agency that a health benefit plan is or is not required to pay for appropriate medically necessary health care services. Recipients or their representatives must cooperatively assist the commissioner in obtaining this determination. Recipients who are eligible for the community alternative care program may not receive more hours of nursing under this section than would otherwise be authorized under section 256B.49.
(4) Ventilator-dependent recipients. If the recipient is ventilator-dependent, the monthly medical assistance authorization for home care services shall not exceed what the commissioner would pay for care at the highest cost hospital designated as a long-term hospital under the Medicare program. For purposes of this clause, home care services means all services provided in the home that would be included in the payment for care at the long-term hospital. "Ventilator-dependent" means an individual who receives mechanical ventilation for life support at least six hours per day and is expected to be or has been dependent for at least 30 consecutive days.
(f) Prior authorization; time limits. The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall determine the time period for which a prior authorization shall be effective. If the recipient continues to require home care services beyond the duration of the prior authorization, the home care provider must request a new prior authorization. Under no circumstances, other than the exceptions in paragraph (b), shall a prior authorization be valid prior to the date the commissioner receives the request or for more than 12 months. A recipient who appeals a reduction in previously authorized home care services may continue previously authorized services, other than temporary services under paragraph (h), pending an appeal under section 256.045. The commissioner must provide a detailed explanation of why the authorized services are reduced in amount from those requested by the home care provider.
(g) Approval of home care services. The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall determine the medical necessity of home care services, the level of caregiver according to subdivision 2, and the institutional comparison according to this subdivision, the cost-effectiveness of services, and the amount, scope, and duration of home care services reimbursable by medical assistance, based on the assessment, primary payer coverage determination information as required, the service plan, the recipient's age, the cost of services, the recipient's medical condition, and diagnosis or disability. The commissioner may publish additional criteria for determining medical necessity according to section 256B.04.
(h) Prior authorization requests; temporary services. The agency nurse, the independently enrolled private duty nurse, or county public health nurse may request a temporary authorization for home care services by telephone. The commissioner may approve a temporary level of home care services based on the assessment, and service or care plan information, and primary payer coverage determination information as required. Authorization for a temporary level of home care services including nurse supervision is limited to the time specified by the commissioner, but shall not exceed 45 days, unless extended because the county public health nurse has not completed the required assessment and service plan, or the commissioner's determination has not been made. The level of services authorized under this provision shall have no bearing on a future prior authorization.
(i) Prior authorization required in foster care setting. Home care services provided in an adult or child foster care setting must receive prior authorization by the department according to the limits established in paragraph (a).
The commissioner may not authorize:
(1) home care services that are the responsibility of the foster care provider under the terms of the foster care placement agreement and administrative rules;
(2) personal care assistant services when the foster care license holder is also the personal care provider or personal care assistant unless the recipient can direct the recipient's own care, or case management is provided as required in section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a;
(3) personal care assistant services when the responsible party is an employee of, or under contract with, or has any direct or indirect financial relationship with the personal care provider or personal care assistant, unless case management is provided as required in section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a; or
(4) personal care assistant and private duty nursing services when the number of foster care residents is greater than four unless the county responsible for the recipient's foster placement made the placement prior to April 1, 1992, requests that personal care assistant and private duty nursing services be provided, and case management is provided as required in section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a.
Subd. 6. Recovery of excessive payments. The commissioner shall seek monetary recovery from providers of payments made for services which exceed the limits established in this section. This subdivision does not apply to services provided to a recipient at the previously authorized level pending an appeal under section 256.045, subdivision 10.
Subd. 7. Noncovered home care services. The following home care services are not eligible for payment under medical assistance:
(1) skilled nurse visits for the sole purpose of supervision of the home health aide;
(2) a skilled nursing visit:
(i) only for the purpose of monitoring medication compliance with an established medication program for a recipient; or
(ii) to administer or assist with medication administration, including injections, prefilling syringes for injections, or oral medication set-up of an adult recipient, when as determined and documented by the registered nurse, the need can be met by an available pharmacy or the recipient is physically and mentally able to self-administer or prefill a medication;
(3) home care services to a recipient who is eligible for covered services under the Medicare program or any other insurance held by the recipient;
(4) services to other members of the recipient's household;
(5) a visit made by a skilled nurse solely to train other home health agency workers;
(6) any home care service included in the daily rate of the community-based residential facility where the recipient is residing;
(7) nursing and rehabilitation therapy services that are reasonably accessible to a recipient outside the recipient's place of residence, excluding the assessment, counseling and education, and personal assistant care;
(8) any home health agency service, excluding personal care assistant services and private duty nursing services, which are performed in a place other than the recipient's residence; and
(9) Medicare evaluation or administrative nursing visits on dual-eligible recipients that do not qualify for Medicare visit billing.
Subd. 8. Shared personal care assistant services. (a) Medical assistance payments for shared personal care assistance services shall be limited according to this subdivision.
(b) Recipients of personal care assistant services may share staff and the commissioner shall provide a rate system for shared personal care assistant services. For two persons sharing services, the rate paid to a provider shall not exceed 1-1/2 times the rate paid for serving a single individual, and for three persons sharing services, the rate paid to a provider shall not exceed twice the rate paid for serving a single individual. These rates apply only to situations in which all recipients were present and received shared services on the date for which the service is billed. No more than three persons may receive shared services from a personal care assistant in a single setting.
(c) Shared service is the provision of personal care assistant services by a personal care assistant to two or three recipients at the same time and in the same setting. For the purposes of this subdivision, "setting" means:
(1) the home or foster care home of one of the individual recipients; or
(2) a child care program in which all recipients served by one personal care assistant are participating, which is licensed under chapter 245A or operated by a local school district or private school; or
(3) outside the home or foster care home of one of the recipients when normal life activities take the recipients outside the home.
The provisions of this subdivision do not apply when a personal care assistant is caring for multiple recipients in more than one setting.
(d) The recipient or the recipient's responsible party, in conjunction with the county public health nurse, shall determine:
(1) whether shared personal care assistant services is an appropriate option based on the individual needs and preferences of the recipient; and
(2) the amount of shared services allocated as part of the overall authorization of personal care assistant services.
The recipient or the responsible party, in conjunction with the supervising qualified professional, if a qualified professional is requested by any one of the recipients or responsible parties, shall arrange the setting and grouping of shared services based on the individual needs and preferences of the recipients. Decisions on the selection of recipients to share services must be based on the ages of the recipients, compatibility, and coordination of their care needs.
(e) The following items must be considered by the recipient or the responsible party and the supervising qualified professional, if a qualified professional has been requested by any one of the recipients or responsible parties, and documented in the recipient's health service record:
(1) the additional qualifications needed by the personal care assistant to provide care to several recipients in the same setting;
(2) the additional training and supervision needed by the personal care assistant to ensure that the needs of the recipient are met appropriately and safely. The provider must provide on-site supervision by a qualified professional within the first 14 days of shared services, and monthly thereafter, if supervision by a qualified provider has been requested by any one of the recipients or responsible parties;
(3) the setting in which the shared services will be provided;
(4) the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness and appropriateness of the service and process used to make changes in service or setting; and
(5) a contingency plan which accounts for absence of the recipient in a shared services setting due to illness or other circumstances and staffing contingencies.
(f) The provider must offer the recipient or the responsible party the option of shared or one-on-one personal care assistant services. The recipient or the responsible party can withdraw from participating in a shared services arrangement at any time.
(g) In addition to documentation requirements under Minnesota Rules, part 9505.2175, a personal care provider must meet documentation requirements for shared personal care assistant services and must document the following in the health service record for each individual recipient sharing services:
(1) permission by the recipient or the recipient's responsible party, if any, for the maximum number of shared services hours per week chosen by the recipient;
(2) permission by the recipient or the recipient's responsible party, if any, for personal care assistant services provided outside the recipient's residence;
(3) permission by the recipient or the recipient's responsible party, if any, for others to receive shared services in the recipient's residence;
(4) revocation by the recipient or the recipient's responsible party, if any, of the shared service authorization, or the shared service to be provided to others in the recipient's residence, or the shared service to be provided outside the recipient's residence;
(5) supervision of the shared personal care assistant services by the qualified professional, if a qualified professional is requested by one of the recipients or responsible parties, including the date, time of day, number of hours spent supervising the provision of shared services, whether the supervision was face-to-face or another method of supervision, changes in the recipient's condition, shared services scheduling issues and recommendations;
(6) documentation by the qualified professional, if a qualified professional is requested by one of the recipients or responsible parties, of telephone calls or other discussions with the personal care assistant regarding services being provided to the recipient who has requested the supervision; and
(7) daily documentation of the shared services provided by each identified personal care assistant including:
(i) the names of each recipient receiving shared services together;
(ii) the setting for the shared services, including the starting and ending times that the recipient received shared services; and
(iii) notes by the personal care assistant regarding changes in the recipient's condition, problems that may arise from the sharing of services, scheduling issues, care issues, and other notes as required by the qualified professional, if a qualified professional is requested by one of the recipients or responsible parties.
(h) Unless otherwise provided in this subdivision, all other statutory and regulatory provisions relating to personal care assistant services apply to shared services.
(i) In the event that supervision by a qualified professional has been requested by one or more recipients, but not by all of the recipients, the supervision duties of the qualified professional shall be limited to only those recipients who have requested the supervision.
Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to reduce the total number of hours authorized for an individual recipient.
Subd. 9. Flexible use of personal care assistant hours. (a) "Flexible use" means the scheduled use of authorized hours of personal care assistant services, which vary within the length of the service authorization in order to more effectively meet the needs and schedule of the recipient. Recipients may use their approved hours flexibly within the service authorization period for medically necessary covered services specified in the assessment required in subdivision 1. The flexible use of authorized hours does not increase the total amount of authorized hours available to a recipient as determined under subdivision 5. The commissioner shall not authorize additional personal care assistant services to supplement a service authorization that is exhausted before the end date under a flexible service use plan, unless the county public health nurse determines a change in condition and a need for increased services is established.
(b) The recipient or responsible party, together with the provider, must work to monitor and document the use of authorized hours and ensure that a recipient is able to manage services effectively throughout the authorized period. Upon request of the recipient or responsible party, the provider must furnish regular updates to the recipient or responsible party on the amount of personal care assistant services used.
Subd. 10. Fiscal intermediary option available for personal care assistant services. (a) The commissioner may allow a recipient of personal care assistant services to use a fiscal intermediary to assist the recipient in paying and accounting for medically necessary covered personal care assistant services authorized in subdivision 4 and within the payment parameters of subdivision 5. Unless otherwise provided in this subdivision, all other statutory and regulatory provisions relating to personal care assistant services apply to a recipient using the fiscal intermediary option.
(b) The recipient or responsible party shall:
(1) recruit, hire, and terminate a qualified professional, if a qualified professional is requested by the recipient or responsible party;
(2) verify and document the credentials of the qualified professional, if a qualified professional is requested by the recipient or responsible party;
(3) develop a service plan based on physician orders and public health nurse assessment with the assistance of a qualified professional, if a qualified professional is requested by the recipient or responsible party, that addresses the health and safety of the recipient;
(4) recruit, hire, and terminate the personal care assistant;
(5) orient and train the personal care assistant with assistance as needed from the qualified professional;
(6) supervise and evaluate the personal care assistant with assistance as needed from the recipient's physician or the qualified professional;
(7) monitor and verify in writing and report to the fiscal intermediary the number of hours worked by the personal care assistant and the qualified professional; and
(8) enter into a written agreement, as specified in paragraph (f).
(c) The duties of the fiscal intermediary shall be to:
(1) bill the medical assistance program for personal care assistant and qualified professional services;
(2) request and secure background checks on personal care assistants and qualified professionals according to chapter 245C;
(3) pay the personal care assistant and qualified professional based on actual hours of services provided;
(4) withhold and pay all applicable federal and state taxes;
(5) verify and keep records of hours worked by the personal care assistant and qualified professional;
(6) make the arrangements and pay unemployment insurance, taxes, workers' compensation, liability insurance, and other benefits, if any;
(7) enroll in the medical assistance program as a fiscal intermediary; and
(8) enter into a written agreement as specified in paragraph (f) before services are provided.
(d) The fiscal intermediary:
(1) may not be related to the recipient, qualified professional, or the personal care assistant;
(2) must ensure arm's-length transactions with the recipient and personal care assistant; and
(3) shall be considered a joint employer of the personal care assistant and qualified professional to the extent specified in this section.
The fiscal intermediary or owners of the entity that provides fiscal intermediary services under this subdivision must pass a criminal background check as required in section 256B.0627, subdivision 1, paragraph (e).
(e) If the recipient or responsible party requests a qualified professional, the qualified professional providing assistance to the recipient shall meet the qualifications specified in section 256B.0625, subdivision 19c. The qualified professional shall assist the recipient in developing and revising a plan to meet the recipient's needs, as assessed by the public health nurse. In performing this function, the qualified professional must visit the recipient in the recipient's home at least once annually. The qualified professional must report any suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of the recipient to the appropriate authorities.
(f) The fiscal intermediary, recipient or responsible party, personal care assistant, and qualified professional shall enter into a written agreement before services are started. The agreement shall include:
(1) the duties of the recipient, qualified professional, personal care assistant, and fiscal agent based on paragraphs (a) to (e);
(2) the salary and benefits for the personal care assistant and the qualified professional;
(3) the administrative fee of the fiscal intermediary and services paid for with that fee, including background check fees;
(4) procedures to respond to billing or payment complaints; and
(5) procedures for hiring and terminating the personal care assistant and the qualified professional.
(g) The rates paid for personal care assistant services, shared care services, qualified professional services, and fiscal intermediary services under this subdivision shall be the same rates paid for personal care assistant services and qualified professional services under subdivision 2 respectively. Except for the administrative fee of the fiscal intermediary specified in paragraph (f), the remainder of the rates paid to the fiscal intermediary must be used to pay for the salary and benefits for the personal care assistant or the qualified professional.
(h) As part of the assessment defined in subdivision 1, the following conditions must be met to use or continue use of a fiscal intermediary:
(1) the recipient must be able to direct the recipient's own care, or the responsible party for the recipient must be readily available to direct the care of the personal care assistant;
(2) the recipient or responsible party must be knowledgeable of the health care needs of the recipient and be able to effectively communicate those needs;
(3) a face-to-face assessment must be conducted by the local county public health nurse at least annually, or when there is a significant change in the recipient's condition or change in the need for personal care assistant services;
(4) recipients who choose to use the shared care option as specified in subdivision 8 must utilize the same fiscal intermediary; and
(5) parties must be in compliance with the written agreement specified in paragraph (f).
(i) The commissioner shall deny, revoke, or suspend the authorization to use the fiscal intermediary option if:
(1) it has been determined by the qualified professional or local county public health nurse that the use of this option jeopardizes the recipient's health and safety;
(2) the parties have failed to comply with the written agreement specified in paragraph (f); or
(3) the use of the option has led to abusive or fraudulent billing for personal care assistant services.
The recipient or responsible party may appeal the commissioner's action according to section 256.045. The denial, revocation, or suspension to use the fiscal intermediary option shall not affect the recipient's authorized level of personal care assistant services as determined in subdivision 5.
Subd. 11. Shared private duty nursing care option. (a) Medical assistance payments for shared private duty nursing services by a private duty nurse shall be limited according to this subdivision. For the purposes of this section, "private duty nursing agency" means an agency licensed under chapter 144A to provide private duty nursing services.
(b) Recipients of private duty nursing services may share nursing staff and the commissioner shall provide a rate methodology for shared private duty nursing. For two persons sharing nursing care, the rate paid to a provider shall not exceed 1.5 times the regular private duty nursing rates paid for serving a single individual by a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse. These rates apply only to situations in which both recipients are present and receive shared private duty nursing care on the date for which the service is billed. No more than two persons may receive shared private duty nursing services from a private duty nurse in a single setting.
(c) Shared private duty nursing care is the provision of nursing services by a private duty nurse to two recipients at the same time and in the same setting. For the purposes of this subdivision, "setting" means:
(1) the home or foster care home of one of the individual recipients; or
(2) a child care program licensed under chapter 245A or operated by a local school district or private school; or
(3) an adult day care service licensed under chapter 245A; or
(4) outside the home or foster care home of one of the recipients when normal life activities take the recipients outside the home.
This subdivision does not apply when a private duty nurse is caring for multiple recipients in more than one setting.
(d) The recipient or the recipient's legal representative, and the recipient's physician, in conjunction with the home health care agency, shall determine:
(1) whether shared private duty nursing care is an appropriate option based on the individual needs and preferences of the recipient; and
(2) the amount of shared private duty nursing services authorized as part of the overall authorization of nursing services.
(e) The recipient or the recipient's legal representative, in conjunction with the private duty nursing agency, shall approve the setting, grouping, and arrangement of shared private duty nursing care based on the individual needs and preferences of the recipients. Decisions on the selection of recipients to share services must be based on the ages of the recipients, compatibility, and coordination of their care needs.
(f) The following items must be considered by the recipient or the recipient's legal representative and the private duty nursing agency, and documented in the recipient's health service record:
(1) the additional training needed by the private duty nurse to provide care to two recipients in the same setting and to ensure that the needs of the recipients are met appropriately and safely;
(2) the setting in which the shared private duty nursing care will be provided;
(3) the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness and appropriateness of the service and process used to make changes in service or setting;
(4) a contingency plan which accounts for absence of the recipient in a shared private duty nursing setting due to illness or other circumstances;
(5) staffing backup contingencies in the event of employee illness or absence; and
(6) arrangements for additional assistance to respond to urgent or emergency care needs of the recipients.
(g) The provider must offer the recipient or responsible party the option of shared or one-on-one private duty nursing services. The recipient or responsible party can withdraw from participating in a shared service arrangement at any time.
(h) The private duty nursing agency must document the following in the health service record for each individual recipient sharing private duty nursing care:
(1) permission by the recipient or the recipient's legal representative for the maximum number of shared nursing care hours per week chosen by the recipient;
(2) permission by the recipient or the recipient's legal representative for shared private duty nursing services provided outside the recipient's residence;
(3) permission by the recipient or the recipient's legal representative for others to receive shared private duty nursing services in the recipient's residence;
(4) revocation by the recipient or the recipient's legal representative of the shared private duty nursing care authorization, or the shared care to be provided to others in the recipient's residence, or the shared private duty nursing services to be provided outside the recipient's residence; and
(5) daily documentation of the shared private duty nursing services provided by each identified private duty nurse, including:
(i) the names of each recipient receiving shared private duty nursing services together;
(ii) the setting for the shared services, including the starting and ending times that the recipient received shared private duty nursing care; and
(iii) notes by the private duty nurse regarding changes in the recipient's condition, problems that may arise from the sharing of private duty nursing services, and scheduling and care issues.
(i) Unless otherwise provided in this subdivision, all other statutory and regulatory provisions relating to private duty nursing services apply to shared private duty nursing services.
Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to reduce the total number of private duty nursing hours authorized for an individual recipient under subdivision 5.
Subd. 12. Public health nurse assessment rate. (a) The reimbursement rates for public health nurse visits that relate to the provision of personal care services under this section and section 256B.0625, subdivision 19a, are:
(i) $210.50 for a face-to-face assessment visit;
(ii) $105.25 for each service update; and
(iii) $105.25 for each request for a temporary service increase.
(b) The rates specified in paragraph (a) must be adjusted to reflect provider rate increases for personal care assistant services that are approved by the legislature for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, and subsequent fiscal years. Any requirements applied by the legislature to provider rate increases for personal care assistant services also apply to adjustments under this paragraph.
Subd. 13. Consumer-directed home care demonstration project. (a) Upon the receipt of federal waiver authority, the commissioner shall implement a consumer-directed home care demonstration project. The consumer-directed home care demonstration project must demonstrate and evaluate the outcomes of a consumer-directed service delivery alternative to improve access, increase consumer control and accountability over available resources, and enable the use of supports that are more individualized and cost-effective for eligible medical assistance recipients receiving certain medical assistance home care services. The consumer-directed home care demonstration project will be administered locally by county agencies, tribal governments, or administrative entities under contract with the state in regions where counties choose not to provide this service.
(b) Grant awards for persons who have been receiving medical assistance covered personal care, home health aide, or private duty nursing services for a period of 12 consecutive months or more prior to enrollment in the consumer-directed home care demonstration project will be established on a case-by-case basis using historical service expenditure data. An average monthly expenditure for each continuing enrollee will be calculated based on historical expenditures made on behalf of the enrollee for personal care, home health aide, or private duty nursing services during the 12 month period directly prior to enrollment in the project. The grant award will equal 90 percent of the average monthly expenditure.
(c) Grant awards for project enrollees who have been receiving medical assistance covered personal care, home health aide, or private duty nursing services for a period of less than 12 consecutive months prior to project enrollment will be calculated on a case-by-case basis using the service authorization in place at the time of enrollment. The total number of units of personal care, home health aide, or private duty nursing services the enrollee has been authorized to receive will be converted to the total cost of the authorized services in a given month using the statewide average service payment rates. To determine an estimated monthly expenditure, the total authorized monthly personal care, home health aide or private duty nursing service costs will be reduced by a percentage rate equivalent to the difference between the statewide average service authorization and the statewide average utilization rate for each of the services by medical assistance eligibles during the most recent fiscal year for which 12 months of data is available. The grant award will equal 90 percent of the estimated monthly expenditure.
(d) The state of Minnesota, county agencies, tribal governments, or administrative entities under contract with the state that participate in the implementation and administration of the consumer-directed home care demonstration project, shall not be liable for damages, injuries, or liabilities sustained through the purchase of support by the individual, the individual's family, legal representative, or the authorized representative under this section with funds received through the consumer-directed home care demonstration project. Liabilities include but are not limited to: workers' compensation liability, the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), or the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA).
(e) With federal approval, the commissioner may adjust methodologies in paragraphs (b) and (c) to simplify program administration, improve consistency between state and federal programs, and maximize federal financial participation.
Subd. 14. Telehomecare; skilled nurse visits. Medical assistance covers skilled nurse visits according to section 256B.0625, subdivision 6a, provided via telehomecare, for services which do not require hands-on care between the home care nurse and recipient. The provision of telehomecare must be made via live, two-way interactive audiovisual technology and may be augmented by utilizing store-and-forward technologies. Store-and-forward technology includes telehomecare services that do not occur in real time via synchronous transmissions, and that do not require a face-to-face encounter with the recipient for all or any part of any such telehomecare visit. Individually identifiable patient data obtained through real-time or store-and-forward technology must be maintained as health records according to section 144.335. If the video is used for research, training, or other purposes unrelated to the care of the patient, the identity of the patient must be concealed. A communication between the home care nurse and recipient that consists solely of a telephone conversation, facsimile, electronic mail, or a consultation between two health care practitioners, is not to be considered a telehomecare visit. Multiple daily skilled nurse visits provided via telehomecare are allowed. Coverage of telehomecare is limited to two visits per day. All skilled nurse visits provided via telehomecare must be prior authorized by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee and will be covered at the same allowable rate as skilled nurse visits provided in-person.
Subd. 15. Therapies through home health agencies. (a) Physical therapy. Medical assistance covers physical therapy and related services, including specialized maintenance therapy. Services provided by a physical therapy assistant shall be reimbursed at the same rate as services performed by a physical therapist when the services of the physical therapy assistant are provided under the direction of a physical therapist who is on the premises. Services provided by a physical therapy assistant that are provided under the direction of a physical therapist who is not on the premises shall be reimbursed at 65 percent of the physical therapist rate. Direction of the physical therapy assistant must be provided by the physical therapist as described in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0390, subpart 1, item B. The physical therapist and physical therapist assistant may not both bill for services provided to a recipient on the same day.
(b) Occupational therapy. Medical assistance covers occupational therapy and related services, including specialized maintenance therapy. Services provided by an occupational therapy assistant shall be reimbursed at the same rate as services performed by an occupational therapist when the services of the occupational therapy assistant are provided under the direction of the occupational therapist who is on the premises. Services provided by an occupational therapy assistant under the direction of an occupational therapist who is not on the premises shall be reimbursed at 65 percent of the occupational therapist rate. Direction of the occupational therapy assistant must be provided by the occupational therapist as described in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0390, subpart 1, item B. The occupational therapist and occupational therapist assistant may not both bill for services provided to a recipient on the same day.
Subd. 16. Hardship criteria; private duty nursing. (a) Payment is allowed for extraordinary services that require specialized nursing skills and are provided by parents of minor children, spouses, and legal guardians who are providing private duty nursing care under the following conditions:
(1) the provision of these services is not legally required of the parents, spouses, or legal guardians;
(2) the services are necessary to prevent hospitalization of the recipient; and
(3) the recipient is eligible for state plan home care or a home and community-based waiver and one of the following hardship criteria are met:
(i) the parent, spouse, or legal guardian resigns from a part-time or full-time job to provide nursing care for the recipient; or
(ii) the parent, spouse, or legal guardian goes from a full-time to a part-time job with less compensation to provide nursing care for the recipient; or
(iii) the parent, spouse, or legal guardian takes a leave of absence without pay to provide nursing care for the recipient; or
(iv) because of labor conditions, special language needs, or intermittent hours of care needed, the parent, spouse, or legal guardian is needed in order to provide adequate private duty nursing services to meet the medical needs of the recipient.
(b) Private duty nursing may be provided by a parent, spouse, or legal guardian who is a nurse licensed in Minnesota. Private duty nursing services provided by a parent, spouse, or legal guardian cannot be used in lieu of nursing services covered and available under liable third-party payors, including Medicare. The private duty nursing provided by a parent, spouse, or legal guardian must be included in the service plan. Authorized skilled nursing services provided by the parent, spouse, or legal guardian may not exceed 50 percent of the total approved nursing hours, or eight hours per day, whichever is less, up to a maximum of 40 hours per week. Nothing in this subdivision precludes the parent's, spouse's, or legal guardian's obligation of assuming the nonreimbursed family responsibilities of emergency backup caregiver and primary caregiver.
(c) A parent or a spouse may not be paid to provide private duty nursing care if the parent or spouse fails to pass a criminal background check according to chapter 245C, or if it has been determined by the home health agency, the case manager, or the physician that the private duty nursing care provided by the parent, spouse, or legal guardian is unsafe.
Subd. 17. Quality assurance plan for personal care assistant services. The commissioner shall establish a quality assurance plan for personal care assistant services that includes:
(1) performance-based provider agreements;
(2) meaningful consumer input, which may include consumer surveys, that measure the extent to which participants receive the services and supports described in the individual plan and participant satisfaction with such services and supports;
(3) ongoing monitoring of the health and well-being of consumers; and
(4) an ongoing public process for development, implementation, and review of the quality assurance plan.
HIST: 1986 c 444; 1990 c 568 art 3 s 51; 1991 c 292 art 7 s 12,25; 1992 c 391 s 3-6; 1992 c 464 art 2 s 1; 1992 c 513 art 7 s 50; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 5 s 51-53; 1995 c 207 art 6 s 52-55; 1996 c 451 art 5 s 17-20; 1997 c 203 art 4 s 28,29; 3Sp1997 c 3 s 9; 1998 c 407 art 4 s 29-31; 1999 c 245 art 4 s 50-58; 2000 c 474 s 8-11; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 3 s 29-41; 2002 c 375 art 2 s 17; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 2003 c 15 art 1 s 33; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 3 s 26-28
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes