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256B.435 JULY 1, 2001, NURSING FACILITY REIMBURSEMENT SYSTEM.

Subdivision 1.In general.

Effective July 1, 2001, the commissioner shall implement a performance-based contracting system to replace the current method of setting operating cost payment rates under sections 256B.431 and 256B.434 and Minnesota Rules, parts 9549.0010 to 9549.0080. Operating cost payment rates for newly established facilities under Minnesota Rules, part 9549.0057, shall be established using section 256B.431 and Minnesota Rules, parts 9549.0010 to 9549.0070. A nursing facility in operation on May 1, 1998, with payment rates not established under section 256B.431 or 256B.434 on that date, is ineligible for this performance-based contracting system. In determining prospective payment rates of nursing facility services, the commissioner shall distinguish between operating costs and property-related costs. The commissioner of management and budget shall include an annual inflationary adjustment in operating costs for nursing facilities using the inflation factor specified in subdivision 3 and funding for incentive-based payments as a budget change request in each biennial detailed expenditure budget submitted to the legislature under section 16A.11. Property related payment rates, including real estate taxes and special assessments, shall be determined under section 256B.431 or 256B.434 or under a new property-related reimbursement system, if one is implemented by the commissioner under subdivision 3. The commissioner shall present additional recommendations for performance-based contracting for nursing facilities to the legislature by February 15, 2000, in the following specific areas:

(1) development of an interim default payment mechanism for nursing facilities that do not respond to the state's request for proposal but wish to continue participation in the medical assistance program, and nursing facilities the state does not select in the request for proposal process, and nursing facilities whose contract has been canceled;

(2) development of criteria for facilities to earn performance-based incentive payments based on relevant outcomes negotiated by nursing facilities and the commissioner and that recognize both continuous quality efforts and quality improvement;

(3) development of criteria and a process under which nursing facilities can request rate adjustments for low base rates, geographic disparities, or other reasons;

(4) development of a dispute resolution mechanism for nursing facilities that are denied a contract, denied incentive payments, or denied a rate adjustment;

(5) development of a property payment system to address the capital needs of nursing facilities that will be funded with additional appropriations;

(6) establishment of a transitional plan to move from dual assessment instruments to the federally mandated resident assessment system, whereby the financial impact for each facility would be budget neutral;

(7) identification of net cost implications for facilities and to the department of preparing for and implementing performance-based contracting or any proposed alternative system;

(8) identification of facility financial and statistical reporting requirements; and

(9) identification of exemptions from current regulations and statutes applicable under performance-based contracting.

Subd. 1a.Requests for proposals.

(a) For nursing facilities with rates established under section 256B.434 on January 1, 2001, the commissioner shall renegotiate contracts without requiring a response to a request for proposal, notwithstanding the solicitation process described in chapter 16C.

(b) Prior to July 1, 2001, the commissioner shall publish in the State Register a request for proposals to provide nursing facility services according to this section. The commissioner will consider proposals from all nursing facilities that have payment rates established under section 256B.431. The commissioner must respond to all proposals in a timely manner.

(c) In issuing a request for proposals, the commissioner may develop reasonable requirements which, in the judgment of the commissioner, are necessary to protect residents or ensure that the performance-based contracting system furthers the interests of the state of Minnesota. The request for proposals may include, but need not be limited to:

(1) a requirement that a nursing facility make reasonable efforts to maximize Medicare payments on behalf of eligible residents;

(2) requirements designed to prevent inappropriate or illegal discrimination against residents enrolled in the medical assistance program as compared to private paying residents;

(3) requirements designed to ensure that admissions to a nursing facility are appropriate and that reasonable efforts are made to place residents in home and community-based settings when appropriate;

(4) a requirement to agree to participate in the development of data collection systems and outcome-based standards. Among other requirements specified by the commissioner, each facility entering into a contract may be required to pay an annual fee not to exceed $1,000. The commissioner must use revenue generated from the fees to contract with a qualified consultant or contractor to develop data collection systems and outcome-based contracting standards;

(5) a requirement that Medicare-certified contractors agree to maintain Medicare cost reports and to submit them to the commissioner upon request, or at times specified by the commissioner; and that contractors that are not Medicare-certified agree to maintain a uniform cost report in a format established by the commissioner and to submit the report to the commissioner upon request, or at times specified by the commissioner;

(6) a requirement that demonstrates willingness and ability to develop and maintain data collection and retrieval systems to measure outcomes; and

(7) a requirement to provide all information and assurances required by the terms and conditions of the federal waiver or federal approval.

(d) In addition to the information and assurances contained in the submitted proposals, the commissioner may consider the following criteria in developing the terms of the contract:

(1) the facility's history of compliance with federal and state laws and rules. A facility deemed to be in substantial compliance with federal and state laws and rules is eligible to respond to a request for proposals. A facility's compliance history shall not be the sole determining factor in situations where the facility has been sold and the new owners have submitted a proposal;

(2) whether the facility has a record of excessive licensure fines or sanctions or fraudulent cost reports;

(3) the facility's financial history and solvency; and

(4) other factors identified by the commissioner deemed relevant to developing the terms of the contract, including a determination that a contract with a particular facility is not in the best interests of the residents of the facility or the state of Minnesota.

(e) Notwithstanding the requirements of the solicitation process described in chapter 16C, the commissioner may contract with nursing facilities established according to section 144A.073 without issuing a request for proposals.

(f) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, after July 1, 2001, the commissioner may contract with additional nursing facilities, according to requests for proposals.

Subd. 2.Contract provisions.

(a) The performance-based contract with each nursing facility must include provisions that:

(1) apply the resident case mix assessment provisions of Minnesota Rules, parts 9549.0051, 9549.0058, and 9549.0059, or another assessment system, with the goal of moving to a single assessment system;

(2) monitor resident outcomes through various methods, such as quality indicators based on the minimum data set and other utilization and performance measures;

(3) require the establishment and use of a continuous quality improvement process that integrates information from quality indicators and regular resident and family satisfaction interviews;

(4) require annual reporting of facility statistical information, including resident days by case mix category, productive nursing hours, wages and benefits, and raw food costs for use by the commissioner in the development of facility profiles that include trends in payment and service utilization;

(5) require from each nursing facility an annual certified audited financial statement consisting of a balance sheet, income and expense statements, and an opinion from either a licensed or certified public accountant, if a certified audit was prepared, or unaudited financial statements if no certified audit was prepared;

(6) specify the method for resolving disputes; and

(7) establish additional requirements for nursing facilities not meeting the standards set forth in the performance-based contract.

(b) The commissioner may develop additional incentive-based payments for achieving specified outcomes specified in each contract. The specified facility-specific outcomes must be measurable and approved by the commissioner.

(c) The commissioner may also contract with nursing facilities in other ways through requests for proposals, including contracts on a risk or nonrisk basis, with nursing facilities or consortia of nursing facilities, to provide comprehensive long-term care coverage on a premium or capitated basis.

(d) The commissioner may negotiate different contract terms for different nursing facilities.

Subd. 2a.Duration and termination of contracts.

(a) All contracts entered into under this section are for a term of one year. Either party may terminate this contract at any time without cause by providing 90 calendar days' advance written notice to the other party. Notwithstanding section 16C.05, subdivisions 2, paragraph (b), and 5, if neither party provides written notice of termination, the contract shall be renegotiated for additional one-year terms or the terms of the existing contract will be extended for one year. The provisions of the contract shall be renegotiated annually by the parties prior to the expiration date of the contract. The parties may voluntarily renegotiate the terms of the contract at any time by mutual agreement.

(b) If a nursing facility fails to comply with the terms of a contract, the commissioner shall provide reasonable notice regarding the breach of contract and a reasonable opportunity for the facility to come into compliance. If the facility fails to come into compliance or to remain in compliance, the commissioner may terminate the contract. If a contract is terminated, provisions of section 256B.48, subdivision 1a, shall apply.

Subd. 3.Payment rate provisions.

(a) For rate years beginning on or after July 1, 2001, within the limits of appropriations specifically for this purpose, the commissioner shall determine operating cost payment rates for each licensed and certified nursing facility by indexing its operating cost payment rates in effect on June 30, 2001, for inflation. For rate years beginning on or after July 1, 2001, the inflation factor must be based on the change in the Employment Cost Index for Private Industry Workers - Total Compensation as forecasted by the commissioner of management and budget's national economic consultant, in the fourth quarter preceding the rate year. The forecasted index for operating cost payment rates shall be based on the 12-month period from the midpoint of the nursing facility's prior rate year to the midpoint of the rate year for which the operating payment rate is being determined. The operating cost payment rate to be inflated shall be the total payment rate in effect on June 30, 2001, minus the portion determined to be the property-related payment rate, minus the per diem amount of the preadmission screening cost included in the nursing facility's last payment rate established under section 256B.431.

(b) A per diem amount for preadmission screening will be added onto the contract payment rates according to the method of distribution of county allocation described in section 256B.0911, subdivision 6, paragraph (a).

(c) For rate years beginning on or after July 1, 2001, the commissioner may implement a new method of payment for property-related costs that addresses the capital needs of facilities. The new property payment system or systems, if implemented, shall replace the current methods of setting property payment rates under sections 256B.431 and 256B.434.

Subd. 4.Contract payment rates; appeals.

If an appeal is pending concerning the cost-based payment rates that are the basis for the calculation of the payment rate under this section, the commissioner and the nursing facility may agree on an interim contract rate to be used until the appeal is resolved. When the appeal is resolved, the contract rate must be adjusted retroactively according to the appeal decision.

Subd. 5.Consumer protection.

In addition to complying with all applicable laws regarding consumer protection, as a condition of entering into a contract under this section, a nursing facility must agree to:

(1) establish resident grievance procedures;

(2) establish expedited grievance procedures to resolve complaints made by short-stay residents; and

(3) make available to residents and families a copy of the performance-based contract and outcomes to be achieved.

Subd. 6.Contracts are voluntary.

Participation of nursing facilities in the medical assistance program is voluntary. The terms and procedures governing the performance-based contract are determined under this section and through negotiations between the commissioner and nursing facilities.

Subd. 7.Federal requirements.

The commissioner shall implement the performance-based contracting system subject to any required federal waivers or approval and in a manner that is consistent with federal requirements. If a provision of this section is inconsistent with a federal requirement, the federal requirement supersedes the inconsistent provision. The commissioner shall seek federal approval and request waivers as necessary to implement this section.

Subd. 8.Case-mix adjustments based upon the minimum data set.

The performance-based contracting system must include case-mix adjustments that are based upon the federally mandated minimum data set assessment instrument. These case-mix adjustments must be incorporated into the performance-based contracting system beginning on or after July 1, 2001, but no later than January 1, 2002, and must have a budget neutral financial impact on each facility at the time of implementation, relative to case-mix adjustments based upon the current state case-mix.

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