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Chapter 256B

Section 256B.0625

Recent History

256B.0625 COVERED SERVICES.

Subdivision 1.Inpatient hospital services.

Medical assistance covers inpatient hospital services. A second medical opinion is required prior to reimbursement for elective surgeries requiring a second opinion. The commissioner shall publish in the State Register a list of elective surgeries that require a second medical opinion prior to reimbursement, and the criteria and standards for deciding whether an elective surgery should require a second medical opinion. The list and the criteria and standards are not subject to the requirements of sections 14.001 to 14.69. The commissioner's decision whether a second medical opinion is required, made in accordance with rules governing that decision, is not subject to administrative appeal.

Subd. 1a.Services provided in a hospital emergency room.

Medical assistance does not cover visits to a hospital emergency room that are not for emergency and emergency poststabilization care or urgent care, and does not pay for any services provided in a hospital emergency room that are not for emergency and emergency poststabilization care or urgent care.

Subd. 2.Skilled and intermediate nursing care.

(a) Medical assistance covers skilled nursing home services and services of intermediate care facilities, including training and habilitation services, as defined in section 252.41, subdivision 3, for persons with developmental disabilities who are residing in intermediate care facilities for persons with developmental disabilities. Medical assistance must not be used to pay the costs of nursing care provided to a patient in a swing bed as defined in section 144.562, unless (1) the facility in which the swing bed is located is eligible as a sole community provider, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 412.92, or the facility is a public hospital owned by a governmental entity with 15 or fewer licensed acute care beds; (2) the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approves the necessary state plan amendments; (3) the patient was screened as provided by law; (4) the patient no longer requires acute care services; and (5) no nursing home beds are available within 25 miles of the facility. The commissioner shall exempt a facility from compliance with the sole community provider requirement in clause (1) if, as of January 1, 2004, the facility had an agreement with the commissioner to provide medical assistance swing bed services.

(b) Medical assistance also covers up to ten days of nursing care provided to a patient in a swing bed if: (1) the patient's physician certifies that the patient has a terminal illness or condition that is likely to result in death within 30 days and that moving the patient would not be in the best interests of the patient and patient's family; (2) no open nursing home beds are available within 25 miles of the facility; and (3) no open beds are available in any Medicare hospice program within 50 miles of the facility. The daily medical assistance payment for nursing care for the patient in the swing bed is the statewide average medical assistance skilled nursing care per diem as computed annually by the commissioner on July 1 of each year.

Subd. 2a.Skilled nursing facility and hospice services for dual eligibles.

Medical assistance covers skilled nursing facility services for individuals eligible for both medical assistance and Medicare who have waived the Medicare skilled nursing facility room and board benefit and have enrolled in the Medicare hospice program. Medical assistance covers skilled nursing facility services regardless of whether an individual enrolled in the Medicare hospice program prior to, on, or after the date of the hospitalization that qualified the individual for Medicare skilled nursing facility services.

Subd. 3.Physicians' services.

(a) Medical assistance covers physicians' services.

(b) Rates paid for anesthesiology services provided by physicians shall be according to the formula utilized in the Medicare program and shall use a conversion factor "at percentile of calendar year set by legislature, "except that rates paid to physicians for the medical direction of a certified registered nurse anesthetist shall be the same as the rate paid to the certified registered nurse anesthetist under medical direction.

(c) Medical assistance does not cover physicians' services related to the provision of care related to a treatment reportable under section 144.7065, subdivision 2, clauses (1), (2), (3), and (5), and subdivision 7, clause (1).

(d) Medical assistance does not cover physicians' services related to the provision of care (1) for which hospital reimbursement is prohibited under section 256.969, subdivision 3b, paragraph (c), or (2) reportable under section 144.7065, subdivisions 2 to 7, if the physicians' services are billed by a physician who delivered care that contributed to or caused the adverse health care event or hospital-acquired condition.

(e) The payment limitations in this subdivision shall also apply to MinnesotaCare and general assistance medical care.

(f) A physician shall not bill a recipient of services for any payment disallowed under this subdivision.

Subd. 3a.Sex reassignment surgery.

Sex reassignment surgery is not covered.

Subd. 3b.Telemedicine consultations.

Medical assistance covers telemedicine consultations. Telemedicine consultations must be made via two-way, interactive video or store-and-forward technology. Store-and-forward technology includes telemedicine consultations that do not occur in real time via synchronous transmissions, and that do not require a face-to-face encounter with the patient for all or any part of any such telemedicine consultation. The patient record must include a written opinion from the consulting physician providing the telemedicine consultation. A communication between two physicians that consists solely of a telephone conversation is not a telemedicine consultation. Coverage is limited to three telemedicine consultations per recipient per calendar week. Telemedicine consultations shall be paid at the full allowable rate.

Subd. 3c.Health Services Policy Committee.

(a) The commissioner, after receiving recommendations from professional physician associations, professional associations representing licensed nonphysician health care professionals, and consumer groups, shall establish a 13-member Health Services Policy Committee, which consists of 12 voting members and one nonvoting member. The Health Services Policy Committee shall advise the commissioner regarding health services pertaining to the administration of health care benefits covered under the medical assistance, general assistance medical care, and MinnesotaCare programs. The Health Services Policy Committee shall meet at least quarterly. The Health Services Policy Committee shall annually elect a physician chair from among its members, who shall work directly with the commissioner's medical director, to establish the agenda for each meeting. The Health Services Policy Committee shall also recommend criteria for verifying centers of excellence for specific aspects of medical care where a specific set of combined services, a volume of patients necessary to maintain a high level of competency, or a specific level of technical capacity is associated with improved health outcomes.

(b) The commissioner shall establish a dental subcommittee to operate under the Health Services Policy Committee. The dental subcommittee consists of general dentists, dental specialists, safety net providers, dental hygienists, health plan company and county and public health representatives, health researchers, consumers, and a designee of the commissioner of health. The dental subcommittee shall advise the commissioner regarding:

(1) the critical access dental program under section 256B.76, subdivision 4, including but not limited to criteria for designating and terminating critical access dental providers;

(2) any changes to the critical access dental provider program necessary to comply with program expenditure limits;

(3) dental coverage policy based on evidence, quality, continuity of care, and best practices;

(4) the development of dental delivery models; and

(5) dental services to be added or eliminated from subdivision 9, paragraph (b).

(c) The Health Services Policy Committee shall study approaches to making provider reimbursement under the medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, and general assistance medical care programs contingent on patient participation in a patient-centered decision-making process, and shall evaluate the impact of these approaches on health care quality, patient satisfaction, and health care costs. The committee shall present findings and recommendations to the commissioner and the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health care by January 15, 2010.

(d) The Health Services Policy Committee shall monitor and track the practice patterns of physicians providing services to medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, and general assistance medical care enrollees under fee-for-service, managed care, and county-based purchasing. The committee shall focus on services or specialties for which there is a high variation in utilization across physicians, or which are associated with high medical costs. The commissioner, based upon the findings of the committee, shall regularly notify physicians whose practice patterns indicate higher than average utilization or costs. Managed care and county-based purchasing plans shall provide the commissioner with utilization and cost data necessary to implement this paragraph, and the commissioner shall make this data available to the committee.

(e) The Health Services Policy Committee shall review caesarean section rates for the fee-for-service medical assistance population. The committee may develop best practices policies related to the minimization of caesarean sections, including but not limited to standards and guidelines for health care providers and health care facilities.

Subd. 3d.Health Services Policy Committee members.

The Health Services Policy Committee consists of:

(1) seven voting members who are licensed physicians actively engaged in the practice of medicine in Minnesota, one of whom must be actively engaged in the treatment of persons with mental illness, and three of whom must represent health plans currently under contract to serve medical assistance recipients;

(2) two voting members who are physician specialists actively practicing their specialty in Minnesota;

(3) two voting members who are nonphysician health care professionals licensed or registered in their profession and actively engaged in their practice of their profession in Minnesota;

(4) one consumer who shall serve as a voting member; and

(5) the commissioner's medical director who shall serve as a nonvoting member.

Members of the Health Services Policy Committee shall not be employed by the Department of Human Services, except for the medical director.

Subd. 3e.Health Services Policy Committee terms and compensation.

Committee members shall serve staggered three-year terms, with one-third of the voting members' terms expiring annually. Members may be reappointed by the commissioner. The commissioner may require more frequent Health Services Policy Committee meetings as needed. An honorarium of $200 per meeting and reimbursement for mileage and parking shall be paid to each committee member in attendance except the medical director. The Health Services Policy Committee does not expire as provided in section 15.059, subdivision 6.

Subd. 3f.Circumcision.

Circumcision is not covered, unless the procedure is medically necessary.

Subd. 3g.Evidence-based childbirth program.

(a) The commissioner shall implement a program to reduce the number of elective inductions of labor prior to 39 weeks' gestation. In this subdivision, the term "elective induction of labor" means the use of artificial means to stimulate labor in a woman without the presence of a medical condition affecting the woman or the child that makes the onset of labor a medical necessity. The program must promote the implementation of policies within hospitals providing services to recipients of medical assistance or MinnesotaCare that prohibit the use of elective inductions prior to 39 weeks' gestation, and adherence to such policies by the attending providers.

(b) For all births covered by medical assistance or MinnesotaCare on or after January 1, 2012, a payment for professional services associated with the delivery of a child in a hospital must not be made unless the provider has submitted information about the nature of the labor and delivery including any induction of labor that was performed in conjunction with that specific birth. The information must be on a form prescribed by the commissioner.

(c) The requirements in paragraph (b) must not apply to deliveries performed at a hospital that has policies and processes in place that have been approved by the commissioner which prohibit elective inductions prior to 39 weeks' gestation. A process for review of hospital induction policies must be established by the commissioner and review of policies must occur at the discretion of the commissioner. The commissioner's decision to approve or rescind approval must include verification and review of items including, but not limited to:

(1) policies that prohibit use of elective inductions for gestation less than 39 weeks;

(2) policies that encourage providers to document and communicate with patients a final expected date of delivery by 20 weeks' gestation that includes data from ultrasound measurements as applicable;

(3) policies that encourage patient education regarding elective inductions, and requires documentation of the processes used to educate patients;

(4) ongoing quality improvement review as determined by the commissioner; and

(5) any data that has been collected by the commissioner.

(d) All hospitals must report annually to the commissioner induction information for all births that were covered by medical assistance or MinnesotaCare in a format and manner to be established by the commissioner.

(e) The commissioner at any time may choose not to implement or may discontinue any or all aspects of the program if the commissioner is able to determine that hospitals representing at least 90 percent of births covered by medical assistance or MinnesotaCare have approved policies in place.

(f) The commissioner of human services may discontinue the evidence-based childbirth program and shall discontinue all affiliated reporting requirements established under this subdivision once the commissioner determines that hospitals representing at least 90 percent of births covered by medical assistance or MinnesotaCare have approved policies and processes in place that prohibit elective inductions prior to 39 weeks' gestation.

Subd. 4.Outpatient and physician-directed clinic services.

Medical assistance covers outpatient hospital or physician-directed clinic services. The physician-directed clinic staff shall include at least two physicians and all services shall be provided under the direct supervision of a physician. Hospital outpatient departments are subject to the same limitations and reimbursements as other enrolled vendors for all services, except initial triage, emergency services, and services not provided or immediately available in clinics, physicians' offices, or by other enrolled providers. "Emergency services" means those medical services required for the immediate diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions that, if not immediately diagnosed and treated, could lead to serious physical or mental disability or death or are necessary to alleviate severe pain. Neither the hospital, its employees, nor any physician or dentist, shall be liable in any action arising out of a determination not to render emergency services or care if reasonable care is exercised in determining the condition of the person, or in determining the appropriateness of the facilities, or the qualifications and availability of personnel to render these services consistent with this section.

Subd. 4a.Second medical opinion for surgery.

Certain surgeries require a second medical opinion to confirm the necessity of the procedure, in order for reimbursement to be made. The commissioner shall publish in the State Register a list of surgeries that require a second medical opinion and the criteria and standards for deciding whether a surgery should require a second medical opinion. The list and the criteria and standards are not subject to the requirements of sections 14.01 to 14.69. The commissioner's decision about whether a second medical opinion is required, made according to rules governing that decision, is not subject to administrative appeal.

Subd. 5.Community mental health center services.

Medical assistance covers community mental health center services provided by a community mental health center that meets the requirements in paragraphs (a) to (j).

(a) The provider is licensed under Minnesota Rules, parts 9520.0750 to 9520.0870.

(b) The provider provides mental health services under the clinical supervision of a mental health professional who is licensed for independent practice at the doctoral level or by a board-certified psychiatrist or a psychiatrist who is eligible for board certification. Clinical supervision has the meaning given in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0323, subpart 1, item F.

(c) The provider must be a private nonprofit corporation or a governmental agency and have a community board of directors as specified by section 245.66.

(d) The provider must have a sliding fee scale that meets the requirements in section 245.481, and agree to serve within the limits of its capacity all individuals residing in its service delivery area.

(e) At a minimum, the provider must provide the following outpatient mental health services: diagnostic assessment; explanation of findings; family, group, and individual psychotherapy, including crisis intervention psychotherapy services, multiple family group psychotherapy, psychological testing, and medication management. In addition, the provider must provide or be capable of providing upon request of the local mental health authority day treatment services and professional home-based mental health services. The provider must have the capacity to provide such services to specialized populations such as the elderly, families with children, persons who are seriously and persistently mentally ill, and children who are seriously emotionally disturbed.

(f) The provider must be capable of providing the services specified in paragraph (e) to individuals who are diagnosed with both mental illness or emotional disturbance, and chemical dependency, and to individuals dually diagnosed with a mental illness or emotional disturbance and developmental disability.

(g) The provider must provide 24-hour emergency care services or demonstrate the capacity to assist recipients in need of such services to access such services on a 24-hour basis.

(h) The provider must have a contract with the local mental health authority to provide one or more of the services specified in paragraph (e).

(i) The provider must agree, upon request of the local mental health authority, to enter into a contract with the county to provide mental health services not reimbursable under the medical assistance program.

(j) The provider may not be enrolled with the medical assistance program as both a hospital and a community mental health center. The community mental health center's administrative, organizational, and financial structure must be separate and distinct from that of the hospital.

Subd. 5a.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5b.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5c.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5d.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5e.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5f.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5g.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5h.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5i.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5j.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5k.

[Repealed, 2007 c 147 art 5 s 41]

Subd. 5l.Intensive mental health outpatient treatment.

Medical assistance covers intensive mental health outpatient treatment for dialectical behavioral therapy for adults. The commissioner shall establish:

(1) certification procedures to ensure that providers of these services are qualified; and

(2) treatment protocols including required service components and criteria for admission, continued treatment, and discharge.

Subd. 6.

[Repealed, 1991 c 292 art 7 s 26]

Subd. 6a.Home health services.

Home health services are those services specified in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0295 and sections 256B.0651 and 256B.0653. Medical assistance covers home health services at a recipient's home residence. Medical assistance does not cover home health services for residents of a hospital, nursing facility, or intermediate care facility, unless the commissioner of human services has authorized skilled nurse visits for less than 90 days for a resident at an intermediate care facility for persons with developmental disabilities, to prevent an admission to a hospital or nursing facility or unless a resident who is otherwise eligible is on leave from the facility and the facility either pays for the home health services or forgoes the facility per diem for the leave days that home health services are used. Home health services must be provided by a Medicare certified home health agency. All nursing and home health aide services must be provided according to sections 256B.0651 to 256B.0653.

Subd. 7.Home care nursing.

Medical assistance covers home care nursing services in a recipient's home. Recipients who are authorized to receive home care nursing services in their home may use approved hours outside of the home during hours when normal life activities take them outside of their home. To use home care nursing services at school, the recipient or responsible party must provide written authorization in the care plan identifying the chosen provider and the daily amount of services to be used at school. Medical assistance does not cover home care nursing services for residents of a hospital, nursing facility, intermediate care facility, or a health care facility licensed by the commissioner of health, except as authorized in section 256B.64 for ventilator-dependent recipients in hospitals or unless a resident who is otherwise eligible is on leave from the facility and the facility either pays for the home care nursing services or forgoes the facility per diem for the leave days that home care nursing services are used. Total hours of service and payment allowed for services outside the home cannot exceed that which is otherwise allowed in an in-home setting according to sections 256B.0651 and 256B.0654 . All home care nursing services must be provided according to the limits established under sections 256B.0651, 256B.0653, and 256B.0654. Home care nursing services may not be reimbursed if the nurse is the family foster care provider of a recipient who is under age 18, unless allowed under section 256B.0654, subdivision 4.

Subd. 8.Physical therapy.

(a) Medical assistance covers physical therapy and related services. Specialized maintenance therapy is covered for recipients age 20 and under.

(b) 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.

Subd. 8a.Occupational therapy.

(a) Medical assistance covers occupational therapy and related services. Specialized maintenance therapy is covered for recipients age 20 and under.

(b) 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 that are provided under the direction of an occupational therapist who is not on the premises shall be reimbursed at 65 percent of the occupational therapist rate.

Subd. 8b.Speech-language pathology and audiology services.

(a) Medical assistance covers speech-language pathology and related services. Specialized maintenance therapy is covered for recipients age 20 and under.

(b) Medical assistance covers audiology services and related services. Services provided by a person who has been issued a temporary registration under section 148.5161 shall be reimbursed at the same rate as services performed by a speech-language pathologist or audiologist as long as the requirements of section 148.5161, subdivision 3, are met.

Subd. 8c.Care management; rehabilitation services.

(a) A care management approach for authorization of rehabilitation services described in subdivisions 8, 8a, and 8b shall be instituted. The care management approach shall require the provider and the department rehabilitation reviewer to work together directly through written communication, or telephone communication when appropriate, to establish a medically necessary care management plan. Authorization for rehabilitation services shall include approval for up to six months of services at a time without additional documentation from the provider during the extended period, when the rehabilitation services are medically necessary due to an ongoing health condition.

(b) The commissioner shall implement an expedited five-day turnaround time to review authorization requests for recipients who need emergency rehabilitation services.

Subd. 8d.Home infusion therapy services.

Home infusion therapy services provided by home infusion therapy pharmacies must be paid the lower of the submitted charge or the combined payment rates for component services typically provided.

Subd. 8e.Chiropractic services.

Payment for chiropractic services is limited to one annual evaluation and 24 visits per year unless prior authorization of a greater number of visits is obtained.

Subd. 8f.Acupuncture services.

Medical assistance covers acupuncture, as defined in section 147B.01, subdivision 3, only when provided by a licensed acupuncturist or by another Minnesota licensed practitioner for whom acupuncture is within the practitioner's scope of practice and who has specific acupuncture training or credentialing.

Subd. 9.Dental services.

(a) Medical assistance covers dental services.

(b) Medical assistance dental coverage for nonpregnant adults is limited to the following services:

(1) comprehensive exams, limited to once every five years;

(2) periodic exams, limited to one per year;

(3) limited exams;

(4) bitewing x-rays, limited to one per year;

(5) periapical x-rays;

(6) panoramic x-rays, limited to one every five years except (1) when medically necessary for the diagnosis and follow-up of oral and maxillofacial pathology and trauma or (2) once every two years for patients who cannot cooperate for intraoral film due to a developmental disability or medical condition that does not allow for intraoral film placement;

(7) prophylaxis, limited to one per year;

(8) application of fluoride varnish, limited to one per year;

(9) posterior fillings, all at the amalgam rate;

(10) anterior fillings;

(11) endodontics, limited to root canals on the anterior and premolars only;

(12) removable prostheses, each dental arch limited to one every six years;

(13) oral surgery, limited to extractions, biopsies, and incision and drainage of abscesses;

(14) palliative treatment and sedative fillings for relief of pain; and

(15) full-mouth debridement, limited to one every five years.

(c) In addition to the services specified in paragraph (b), medical assistance covers the following services for adults, if provided in an outpatient hospital setting or freestanding ambulatory surgical center as part of outpatient dental surgery:

(1) periodontics, limited to periodontal scaling and root planing once every two years;

(2) general anesthesia; and

(3) full-mouth survey once every five years.

(d) Medical assistance covers medically necessary dental services for children and pregnant women. The following guidelines apply:

(1) posterior fillings are paid at the amalgam rate;

(2) application of sealants are covered once every five years per permanent molar for children only;

(3) application of fluoride varnish is covered once every six months; and

(4) orthodontia is eligible for coverage for children only.

(e) In addition to the services specified in paragraphs (b) and (c), medical assistance covers the following services for adults:

(1) house calls or extended care facility calls for on-site delivery of covered services;

(2) behavioral management when additional staff time is required to accommodate behavioral challenges and sedation is not used;

(3) oral or IV sedation, if the covered dental service cannot be performed safely without it or would otherwise require the service to be performed under general anesthesia in a hospital or surgical center; and

(4) prophylaxis, in accordance with an appropriate individualized treatment plan, but no more than four times per year.

(f) The commissioner shall not require prior authorization for the services included in paragraph (e), clauses (1) to (3), and shall prohibit managed care and county-based purchasing plans from requiring prior authorization for the services included in paragraph (e), clauses (1) to (3), when provided under sections 256B.69, 256B.692, and 256L.12.

Subd. 9a.Volunteer dental services.

(a) A dentist not already enrolled as a medical assistance provider who is providing volunteer dental services for an enrolled medical assistance dental provider that is a nonprofit entity or government owned and not receiving payment for the services provided shall complete and submit a volunteer agreement form developed by the commissioner. The volunteer agreement shall be used to enroll the dentist in medical assistance only for the purpose of providing volunteer dental services. The volunteer agreement must specify that a volunteer dentist:

(1) will not be listed in the Minnesota health care programs provider directory;

(2) will not receive payment for the services the volunteer dentist provides to Minnesota health care program clients; and

(3) is not required to serve Minnesota health care program clients when providing nonvolunteer services in a private practice.

(b) A volunteer dentist enrolled under this subdivision as a fee-for-service provider shall not otherwise be enrolled in or receive payments from Minnesota health care programs as a fee-for-service provider.

(c) The volunteer dentist shall be notified by the dental provider for which they are providing services that medical assistance is being billed for the volunteer services provided.

Subd. 10.Laboratory and x-ray services.

Medical assistance covers laboratory and x-ray services.

Subd. 11.Nurse anesthetist services.

Medical assistance covers nurse anesthetist services. Rates paid for anesthesiology services provided by a certified registered nurse anesthetist under the direction of a physician shall be according to the formula utilized in the Medicare program and shall use the conversion factor that is used by the Medicare program. Rates paid for anesthesiology services provided by a certified registered nurse anesthetist who is not directed by a physician shall be the same rate as paid under subdivision 3, paragraph (b).

Subd. 12.Eyeglasses, dentures, and prosthetic devices.

Medical assistance covers eyeglasses, dentures, and prosthetic devices if prescribed by a licensed practitioner.

Subd. 13.Drugs.

(a) Medical assistance covers drugs, except for fertility drugs when specifically used to enhance fertility, if prescribed by a licensed practitioner and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist, by a physician enrolled in the medical assistance program as a dispensing physician, or by a physician, physician assistant, or a nurse practitioner employed by or under contract with a community health board as defined in section 145A.02, subdivision 5, for the purposes of communicable disease control.

(b) The dispensed quantity of a prescription drug must not exceed a 34-day supply, unless authorized by the commissioner.

(c) For the purpose of this subdivision and subdivision 13d, an "active pharmaceutical ingredient" is defined as a substance that is represented for use in a drug and when used in the manufacturing, processing, or packaging of a drug becomes an active ingredient of the drug product. An "excipient" is defined as an inert substance used as a diluent or vehicle for a drug. The commissioner shall establish a list of active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients which are included in the medical assistance formulary. Medical assistance covers selected active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients used in compounded prescriptions when the compounded combination is specifically approved by the commissioner or when a commercially available product:

(1) is not a therapeutic option for the patient;

(2) does not exist in the same combination of active ingredients in the same strengths as the compounded prescription; and

(3) cannot be used in place of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the compounded prescription.

(d) Medical assistance covers the following over-the-counter drugs when prescribed by a licensed practitioner or by a licensed pharmacist who meets standards established by the commissioner, in consultation with the board of pharmacy: antacids, acetaminophen, family planning products, aspirin, insulin, products for the treatment of lice, vitamins for adults with documented vitamin deficiencies, vitamins for children under the age of seven and pregnant or nursing women, and any other over-the-counter drug identified by the commissioner, in consultation with the formulary committee, as necessary, appropriate, and cost-effective for the treatment of certain specified chronic diseases, conditions, or disorders, and this determination shall not be subject to the requirements of chapter 14. A pharmacist may prescribe over-the-counter medications as provided under this paragraph for purposes of receiving reimbursement under Medicaid. When prescribing over-the-counter drugs under this paragraph, licensed pharmacists must consult with the recipient to determine necessity, provide drug counseling, review drug therapy for potential adverse interactions, and make referrals as needed to other health care professionals. Over-the-counter medications must be dispensed in a quantity that is the lower of: (1) the number of dosage units contained in the manufacturer's original package; and (2) the number of dosage units required to complete the patient's course of therapy.

(e) Effective January 1, 2006, medical assistance shall not cover drugs that are coverable under Medicare Part D as defined in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, Public Law 108-173, section 1860D-2(e), for individuals eligible for drug coverage as defined in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, Public Law 108-173, section 1860D-1(a)(3)(A). For these individuals, medical assistance may cover drugs from the drug classes listed in United States Code, title 42, section 1396r-8(d)(2), subject to this subdivision and subdivisions 13a to 13g, except that drugs listed in United States Code, title 42, section 1396r-8(d)(2)(E), shall not be covered.

(f) Medical assistance covers drugs acquired through the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program and dispensed by 340B covered entities and ambulatory pharmacies under common ownership of the 340B covered entity. Medical assistance does not cover drugs acquired through the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program and dispensed by 340B contract pharmacies.

Subd. 13a.

[Repealed, 2007 c 133 art 2 s 13]

Subd. 13b.

[Repealed, 1997 c 203 art 4 s 73]

Subd. 13c.Formulary Committee.

The commissioner, after receiving recommendations from professional medical associations and professional pharmacy associations, and consumer groups shall designate a Formulary Committee to carry out duties as described in subdivisions 13 to 13g. The Formulary Committee shall be comprised of four licensed physicians actively engaged in the practice of medicine in Minnesota one of whom must be actively engaged in the treatment of persons with mental illness; at least three licensed pharmacists actively engaged in the practice of pharmacy in Minnesota; and one consumer representative; the remainder to be made up of health care professionals who are licensed in their field and have recognized knowledge in the clinically appropriate prescribing, dispensing, and monitoring of covered outpatient drugs. Members of the Formulary Committee shall not be employed by the Department of Human Services, but the committee shall be staffed by an employee of the department who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the committee. The department's medical director shall also serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member for the committee. Committee members shall serve three-year terms and may be reappointed by the commissioner. The Formulary Committee shall meet at least twice per year. The commissioner may require more frequent Formulary Committee meetings as needed. An honorarium of $100 per meeting and reimbursement for mileage shall be paid to each committee member in attendance. The Formulary Committee expires June 30, 2018.

Subd. 13d.Drug formulary.

(a) The commissioner shall establish a drug formulary. Its establishment and publication shall not be subject to the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act, but the Formulary Committee shall review and comment on the formulary contents.

(b) The formulary shall not include:

(1) drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients, or products for which there is no federal funding;

(2) over-the-counter drugs, except as provided in subdivision 13;

(3) drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients used for weight loss, except that medically necessary lipase inhibitors may be covered for a recipient with type II diabetes;

(4) drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients when used for the treatment of impotence or erectile dysfunction;

(5) drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients for which medical value has not been established;

(6) drugs from manufacturers who have not signed a rebate agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to section 1927 of title XIX of the Social Security Act; and

(7) medical cannabis as defined in section 152.22, subdivision 6.

(c) If a single-source drug used by at least two percent of the fee-for-service medical assistance recipients is removed from the formulary due to the failure of the manufacturer to sign a rebate agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services, the commissioner shall notify prescribing practitioners within 30 days of receiving notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that a rebate agreement was not signed.

Subd. 13e.Payment rates.

(a) The basis for determining the amount of payment shall be the lower of the actual acquisition costs of the drugs or the maximum allowable cost by the commissioner plus the fixed dispensing fee; or the usual and customary price charged to the public. The amount of payment basis must be reduced to reflect all discount amounts applied to the charge by any provider/insurer agreement or contract for submitted charges to medical assistance programs. The net submitted charge may not be greater than the patient liability for the service. The pharmacy dispensing fee shall be $3.65, except that the dispensing fee for intravenous solutions which must be compounded by the pharmacist shall be $8 per bag, $14 per bag for cancer chemotherapy products, and $30 per bag for total parenteral nutritional products dispensed in one liter quantities, or $44 per bag for total parenteral nutritional products dispensed in quantities greater than one liter. Actual acquisition cost includes quantity and other special discounts except time and cash discounts. The actual acquisition cost of a drug shall be estimated by the commissioner at wholesale acquisition cost plus four percent for independently owned pharmacies located in a designated rural area within Minnesota, and at wholesale acquisition cost plus two percent for all other pharmacies. A pharmacy is "independently owned" if it is one of four or fewer pharmacies under the same ownership nationally. A "designated rural area" means an area defined as a small rural area or isolated rural area according to the four-category classification of the Rural Urban Commuting Area system developed for the United States Health Resources and Services Administration. Effective January 1, 2014, the actual acquisition cost of a drug acquired through the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program shall be estimated by the commissioner at wholesale acquisition cost minus 40 percent. Wholesale acquisition cost is defined as the manufacturer's list price for a drug or biological to wholesalers or direct purchasers in the United States, not including prompt pay or other discounts, rebates, or reductions in price, for the most recent month for which information is available, as reported in wholesale price guides or other publications of drug or biological pricing data. The maximum allowable cost of a multisource drug may be set by the commissioner and it shall be comparable to, but no higher than, the maximum amount paid by other third-party payors in this state who have maximum allowable cost programs. Establishment of the amount of payment for drugs shall not be subject to the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act.

(b) An additional dispensing fee of $.30 may be added to the dispensing fee paid to pharmacists for legend drug prescriptions dispensed to residents of long-term care facilities when a unit dose blister card system, approved by the department, is used. Under this type of dispensing system, the pharmacist must dispense a 30-day supply of drug. The National Drug Code (NDC) from the drug container used to fill the blister card must be identified on the claim to the department. The unit dose blister card containing the drug must meet the packaging standards set forth in Minnesota Rules, part 6800.2700, that govern the return of unused drugs to the pharmacy for reuse. The pharmacy provider will be required to credit the department for the actual acquisition cost of all unused drugs that are eligible for reuse. The commissioner may permit the drug clozapine to be dispensed in a quantity that is less than a 30-day supply.

(c) Whenever a maximum allowable cost has been set for a multisource drug, payment shall be the lower of the usual and customary price charged to the public or the maximum allowable cost established by the commissioner unless prior authorization for the brand name product has been granted according to the criteria established by the Drug Formulary Committee as required by subdivision 13f, paragraph (a), and the prescriber has indicated "dispense as written" on the prescription in a manner consistent with section 151.21, subdivision 2.

(d) The basis for determining the amount of payment for drugs administered in an outpatient setting shall be the lower of the usual and customary cost submitted by the provider, 106 percent of the average sales price as determined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to title XVIII, section 1847a of the federal Social Security Act, the specialty pharmacy rate, or the maximum allowable cost set by the commissioner. If average sales price is unavailable, the amount of payment must be lower of the usual and customary cost submitted by the provider, the wholesale acquisition cost, the specialty pharmacy rate, or the maximum allowable cost set by the commissioner. Effective January 1, 2014, the commissioner shall discount the payment rate for drugs obtained through the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program by 20 percent. The payment for drugs administered in an outpatient setting shall be made to the administering facility or practitioner. A retail or specialty pharmacy dispensing a drug for administration in an outpatient setting is not eligible for direct reimbursement.

(e) The commissioner may negotiate lower reimbursement rates for specialty pharmacy products than the rates specified in paragraph (a). The commissioner may require individuals enrolled in the health care programs administered by the department to obtain specialty pharmacy products from providers with whom the commissioner has negotiated lower reimbursement rates. Specialty pharmacy products are defined as those used by a small number of recipients or recipients with complex and chronic diseases that require expensive and challenging drug regimens. Examples of these conditions include, but are not limited to: multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, transplantation, hepatitis C, growth hormone deficiency, Crohn's Disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain forms of cancer. Specialty pharmaceutical products include injectable and infusion therapies, biotechnology drugs, antihemophilic factor products, high-cost therapies, and therapies that require complex care. The commissioner shall consult with the formulary committee to develop a list of specialty pharmacy products subject to this paragraph. In consulting with the formulary committee in developing this list, the commissioner shall take into consideration the population served by specialty pharmacy products, the current delivery system and standard of care in the state, and access to care issues. The commissioner shall have the discretion to adjust the reimbursement rate to prevent access to care issues.

(f) Home infusion therapy services provided by home infusion therapy pharmacies must be paid at rates according to subdivision 8d.

Subd. 13f.Prior authorization.

(a) The Formulary Committee shall review and recommend drugs which require prior authorization. The Formulary Committee shall establish general criteria to be used for the prior authorization of brand-name drugs for which generically equivalent drugs are available, but the committee is not required to review each brand-name drug for which a generically equivalent drug is available.

(b) Prior authorization may be required by the commissioner before certain formulary drugs are eligible for payment. The Formulary Committee may recommend drugs for prior authorization directly to the commissioner. The commissioner may also request that the Formulary Committee review a drug for prior authorization. Before the commissioner may require prior authorization for a drug:

(1) the commissioner must provide information to the Formulary Committee on the impact that placing the drug on prior authorization may have on the quality of patient care and on program costs, information regarding whether the drug is subject to clinical abuse or misuse, and relevant data from the state Medicaid program if such data is available;

(2) the Formulary Committee must review the drug, taking into account medical and clinical data and the information provided by the commissioner; and

(3) the Formulary Committee must hold a public forum and receive public comment for an additional 15 days.

The commissioner must provide a 15-day notice period before implementing the prior authorization.

(c) Except as provided in subdivision 13j, prior authorization shall not be required or utilized for any atypical antipsychotic drug prescribed for the treatment of mental illness if:

(1) there is no generically equivalent drug available; and

(2) the drug was initially prescribed for the recipient prior to July 1, 2003; or

(3) the drug is part of the recipient's current course of treatment.

This paragraph applies to any multistate preferred drug list or supplemental drug rebate program established or administered by the commissioner. Prior authorization shall automatically be granted for 60 days for brand name drugs prescribed for treatment of mental illness within 60 days of when a generically equivalent drug becomes available, provided that the brand name drug was part of the recipient's course of treatment at the time the generically equivalent drug became available.

(d) Prior authorization shall not be required or utilized for any antihemophilic factor drug prescribed for the treatment of hemophilia and blood disorders where there is no generically equivalent drug available if the prior authorization is used in conjunction with any supplemental drug rebate program or multistate preferred drug list established or administered by the commissioner.

(e) The commissioner may require prior authorization for brand name drugs whenever a generically equivalent product is available, even if the prescriber specifically indicates "dispense as written-brand necessary" on the prescription as required by section 151.21, subdivision 2.

(f) Notwithstanding this subdivision, the commissioner may automatically require prior authorization, for a period not to exceed 180 days, for any drug that is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration on or after July 1, 2005. The 180-day period begins no later than the first day that a drug is available for shipment to pharmacies within the state. The Formulary Committee shall recommend to the commissioner general criteria to be used for the prior authorization of the drugs, but the committee is not required to review each individual drug. In order to continue prior authorizations for a drug after the 180-day period has expired, the commissioner must follow the provisions of this subdivision.

Subd. 13g.Preferred drug list.

(a) The commissioner shall adopt and implement a preferred drug list by January 1, 2004. The commissioner may enter into a contract with a vendor for the purpose of participating in a preferred drug list and supplemental rebate program. The commissioner shall ensure that any contract meets all federal requirements and maximizes federal financial participation. The commissioner shall publish the preferred drug list annually in the State Register and shall maintain an accurate and up-to-date list on the agency Web site.

(b) The commissioner may add to, delete from, and otherwise modify the preferred drug list, after consulting with the Formulary Committee and appropriate medical specialists and providing public notice and the opportunity for public comment.

(c) The commissioner shall adopt and administer the preferred drug list as part of the administration of the supplemental drug rebate program. Reimbursement for prescription drugs not on the preferred drug list may be subject to prior authorization.

(d) For purposes of this subdivision, "preferred drug list" means a list of prescription drugs within designated therapeutic classes selected by the commissioner, for which prior authorization based on the identity of the drug or class is not required.

(e) The commissioner shall seek any federal waivers or approvals necessary to implement this subdivision.

Subd. 13h.Medication therapy management services.

(a) Medical assistance and general assistance medical care cover medication therapy management services for a recipient taking three or more prescriptions to treat or prevent one or more chronic medical conditions; a recipient with a drug therapy problem that is identified by the commissioner or identified by a pharmacist and approved by the commissioner; or prior authorized by the commissioner that has resulted or is likely to result in significant nondrug program costs. The commissioner may cover medical therapy management services under MinnesotaCare if the commissioner determines this is cost-effective. For purposes of this subdivision, "medication therapy management" means the provision of the following pharmaceutical care services by a licensed pharmacist to optimize the therapeutic outcomes of the patient's medications:

(1) performing or obtaining necessary assessments of the patient's health status;

(2) formulating a medication treatment plan;

(3) monitoring and evaluating the patient's response to therapy, including safety and effectiveness;

(4) performing a comprehensive medication review to identify, resolve, and prevent medication-related problems, including adverse drug events;

(5) documenting the care delivered and communicating essential information to the patient's other primary care providers;

(6) providing verbal education and training designed to enhance patient understanding and appropriate use of the patient's medications;

(7) providing information, support services, and resources designed to enhance patient adherence with the patient's therapeutic regimens; and

(8) coordinating and integrating medication therapy management services within the broader health care management services being provided to the patient.

Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to expand or modify the scope of practice of the pharmacist as defined in section 151.01, subdivision 27.

(b) To be eligible for reimbursement for services under this subdivision, a pharmacist must meet the following requirements:

(1) have a valid license issued by the Board of Pharmacy of the state in which the medication therapy management service is being performed;

(2) have graduated from an accredited college of pharmacy on or after May 1996, or completed a structured and comprehensive education program approved by the Board of Pharmacy and the American Council of Pharmaceutical Education for the provision and documentation of pharmaceutical care management services that has both clinical and didactic elements;

(3) be practicing in an ambulatory care setting as part of a multidisciplinary team or have developed a structured patient care process that is offered in a private or semiprivate patient care area that is separate from the commercial business that also occurs in the setting, or in home settings, including long-term care settings, group homes, and facilities providing assisted living services, but excluding skilled nursing facilities; and

(4) make use of an electronic patient record system that meets state standards.

(c) For purposes of reimbursement for medication therapy management services, the commissioner may enroll individual pharmacists as medical assistance and general assistance medical care providers. The commissioner may also establish contact requirements between the pharmacist and recipient, including limiting the number of reimbursable consultations per recipient.

(d) If there are no pharmacists who meet the requirements of paragraph (b) practicing within a reasonable geographic distance of the patient, a pharmacist who meets the requirements may provide the services via two-way interactive video. Reimbursement shall be at the same rates and under the same conditions that would otherwise apply to the services provided. To qualify for reimbursement under this paragraph, the pharmacist providing the services must meet the requirements of paragraph (b), and must be located within an ambulatory care setting approved by the commissioner. The patient must also be located within an ambulatory care setting approved by the commissioner. Services provided under this paragraph may not be transmitted into the patient's residence.

(e) The commissioner shall establish a pilot project for an intensive medication therapy management program for patients identified by the commissioner with multiple chronic conditions and a high number of medications who are at high risk of preventable hospitalizations, emergency room use, medication complications, and suboptimal treatment outcomes due to medication-related problems. For purposes of the pilot project, medication therapy management services may be provided in a patient's home or community setting, in addition to other authorized settings. The commissioner may waive existing payment policies and establish special payment rates for the pilot project. The pilot project must be designed to produce a net savings to the state compared to the estimated costs that would otherwise be incurred for similar patients without the program. The pilot project must begin by January 1, 2010, and end June 30, 2012.

Subd. 13i.Drug Utilization Review Board; report.

(a) A nine-member Drug Utilization Review Board is established. The board must be comprised of at least three but no more than four licensed physicians actively engaged in the practice of medicine in Minnesota; at least three licensed pharmacists actively engaged in the practice of pharmacy in Minnesota; and one consumer representative. The remainder must be made up of health care professionals who are licensed in their field and have recognized knowledge in the clinically appropriate prescribing, dispensing, and monitoring of covered outpatient drugs. Members of the board must be appointed by the commissioner, shall serve three-year terms, and may be reappointed by the commissioner. The board shall annually elect a chair from among its members.

(b) The board must be staffed by an employee of the department who shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member of the board.

(c) The commissioner shall, with the advice of the board:

(1) implement a medical assistance retrospective and prospective drug utilization review program as required by United States Code, title 42, section 1396r-8, subsection (g), paragraph (3);

(2) develop and implement the predetermined criteria and practice parameters for appropriate prescribing to be used in retrospective and prospective drug utilization review;

(3) develop, select, implement, and assess interventions for physicians, pharmacists, and patients that are educational and not punitive in nature;

(4) establish a grievance and appeals process for physicians and pharmacists under this section;

(5) publish and disseminate educational information to physicians and pharmacists regarding the board and the review program;

(6) adopt and implement procedures designed to ensure the confidentiality of any information collected, stored, retrieved, assessed, or analyzed by the board, staff to the board, or contractors to the review program that identifies individual physicians, pharmacists, or recipients;

(7) establish and implement an ongoing process to:

(i) receive public comment regarding drug utilization review criteria and standards; and

(ii) consider the comments along with other scientific and clinical information in order to revise criteria and standards on a timely basis; and

(8) adopt any rules necessary to carry out this section.

(d) The board may establish advisory committees. The commissioner may contract with appropriate organizations to assist the board in carrying out the board's duties. The commissioner may enter into contracts for services to develop and implement a retrospective and prospective review program.

(e) The board shall report to the commissioner annually on the date the drug utilization review annual report is due to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This report must cover the preceding federal fiscal year. The commissioner shall make the report available to the public upon request. The report must include information on the activities of the board and the program; the effectiveness of implemented interventions; administrative costs; and any fiscal impact resulting from the program. An honorarium of $100 per meeting and reimbursement for mileage must be paid to each board member in attendance.

(f) This subdivision is exempt from the provisions of section 15.059.

Subd. 13j.Antipsychotic and attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications.

(a) The commissioner, in consultation with the Drug Utilization Review Board established in subdivision 13i and actively practicing pediatric mental health professionals, must:

(1) identify recommended pediatric dose ranges for atypical antipsychotic drugs and drugs used for attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder based on available medical, clinical, and safety data and research. The commissioner shall periodically review the list of medications and pediatric dose ranges and update the medications and doses listed as needed after consultation with the Drug Utilization Review Board;

(2) identify situations where a collaborative psychiatric consultation and prior authorization should be required before the initiation or continuation of drug therapy in pediatric patients including, but not limited to, high-dose regimens, off-label use of prescription medication, a patient's young age, and lack of coordination among multiple prescribing providers; and

(3) track prescriptive practices and the use of psychotropic medications in children with the goal of reducing the use of medication, where appropriate.

(b) Effective July 1, 2011, the commissioner shall require prior authorization and a collaborative psychiatric consultation before an atypical antipsychotic and attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medication meeting the criteria identified in paragraph (a), clause (2), is eligible for payment. A collaborative psychiatric consultation must be completed before the identified medications are eligible for payment unless:

(1) the patient has already been stabilized on the medication regimen; or

(2) the prescriber indicates that the child is in crisis.

If clause (1) or (2) applies, the collaborative psychiatric consultation must be completed within 90 days for payment to continue.

(c) For purposes of this subdivision, a collaborative psychiatric consultation must meet the criteria described in section 245.4862, subdivision 4.

Subd. 14.Diagnostic, screening, and preventive services.

(a) Medical assistance covers diagnostic, screening, and preventive services.

(b) "Preventive services" include services related to pregnancy, including:

(1) services for those conditions which may complicate a pregnancy and which may be available to a pregnant woman determined to be at risk of poor pregnancy outcome;

(2) prenatal HIV risk assessment, education, counseling, and testing; and

(3) alcohol abuse assessment, education, and counseling on the effects of alcohol usage while pregnant. Preventive services available to a woman at risk of poor pregnancy outcome may differ in an amount, duration, or scope from those available to other individuals eligible for medical assistance.

(c) "Screening services" include, but are not limited to, blood lead tests.

(d) The commissioner shall encourage, at the time of the child and teen checkup or at an episodic care visit, the primary care health care provider to perform primary caries preventive services. Primary caries preventive services include, at a minimum:

(1) a general visual examination of the child's mouth without using probes or other dental equipment or taking radiographs;

(2) a risk assessment using the factors established by the American Academies of Pediatrics and Pediatric Dentistry; and

(3) the application of a fluoride varnish beginning at age one to those children assessed by the provider as being high risk in accordance with best practices as defined by the Department of Human Services. The provider must obtain parental or legal guardian consent before a fluoride varnish is applied to a minor child's teeth.

At each checkup, if primary caries preventive services are provided, the provider must provide to the child's parent or legal guardian: information on caries etiology and prevention; and information on the importance of finding a dental home for their child by the age of one. The provider must also advise the parent or legal guardian to contact the child's managed care plan or the Department of Human Services in order to secure a dental appointment with a dentist. The provider must indicate in the child's medical record that the parent or legal guardian was provided with this information and document any primary caries prevention services provided to the child.

Subd. 15.Health plan premiums and co-payments.

(a) Medical assistance covers health care prepayment plan premiums, insurance premiums, and co-payments if determined to be cost-effective by the commissioner. For purposes of obtaining Medicare Part A and Part B, and co-payments, expenditures may be made even if federal funding is not available.

(b) Effective for all premiums due on or after June 30, 1997, medical assistance does not cover premiums that a recipient is required to pay under a qualified or Medicare supplement plan issued by the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association. Medical assistance shall continue to cover premiums for recipients who are covered under a plan issued by the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association on June 30, 1997, for a period of six months following receipt of the notice of termination or until December 31, 1997, whichever is later.

Subd. 16.Abortion services.

Medical assistance covers abortion services, but only if one of the following conditions is met:

(a) The abortion is a medical necessity. "Medical necessity" means (1) the signed written statement of two physicians indicating the abortion is medically necessary to prevent the death of the mother, and (2) the patient has given her consent to the abortion in writing unless the patient is physically or legally incapable of providing informed consent to the procedure, in which case consent will be given as otherwise provided by law;

(b) The pregnancy is the result of criminal sexual conduct as defined in section 609.342, clauses (c), (d), (e)(i), and (f), and the incident is reported within 48 hours after the incident occurs to a valid law enforcement agency for investigation, unless the victim is physically unable to report the criminal sexual conduct, in which case the report shall be made within 48 hours after the victim becomes physically able to report the criminal sexual conduct; or

(c) The pregnancy is the result of incest, but only if the incident and relative are reported to a valid law enforcement agency for investigation prior to the abortion.

[See Note.]

Subd. 17.Transportation costs.

(a) "Nonemergency medical transportation service" means motor vehicle transportation provided by a public or private person that serves Minnesota health care program beneficiaries who do not require emergency ambulance service, as defined in section 144E.001, subdivision 3, to obtain covered medical services. Nonemergency medical transportation service includes, but is not limited to, special transportation service, defined in section 174.29, subdivision 1.

(b) Medical assistance covers medical transportation costs incurred solely for obtaining emergency medical care or transportation costs incurred by eligible persons in obtaining emergency or nonemergency medical care when paid directly to an ambulance company, common carrier, or other recognized providers of transportation services. Medical transportation must be provided by:

(1) nonemergency medical transportation providers who meet the requirements of this subdivision;

(2) ambulances, as defined in section 144E.001, subdivision 2;

(3) taxicabs and public transit, as defined in section 174.22, subdivision 7; or

(4) not-for-hire vehicles, including volunteer drivers.

(c) Medical assistance covers nonemergency medical transportation provided by nonemergency medical transportation providers enrolled in the Minnesota health care programs. All nonemergency medical transportation providers must comply with the operating standards for special transportation service as defined in sections 174.29 to 174.30 and Minnesota Rules, chapter 8840, and in consultation with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. All nonemergency medical transportation providers shall bill for nonemergency medical transportation services in accordance with Minnesota health care programs criteria. Publicly operated transit systems, volunteers, and not-for-hire vehicles are exempt from the requirements outlined in this paragraph.

(d) The administrative agency of nonemergency medical transportation must:

(1) adhere to the policies defined by the commissioner in consultation with the Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee;

(2) pay nonemergency medical transportation providers for services provided to Minnesota health care programs beneficiaries to obtain covered medical services;

(3) provide data monthly to the commissioner on appeals, complaints, no-shows, canceled trips, and number of trips by mode; and

(4) by July 1, 2016, in accordance with subdivision 18e, utilize a Web-based single administrative structure assessment tool that meets the technical requirements established by the commissioner, reconciles trip information with claims being submitted by providers, and ensures prompt payment for nonemergency medical transportation services.

(e) Until the commissioner implements the single administrative structure and delivery system under subdivision 18e, clients shall obtain their level-of-service certificate from the commissioner or an entity approved by the commissioner that does not dispatch rides for clients using modes under paragraph (h), clauses (4), (5), (6), and (7).

(f) The commissioner may use an order by the recipient's attending physician or a medical or mental health professional to certify that the recipient requires nonemergency medical transportation services. Nonemergency medical transportation providers shall perform driver-assisted services for eligible individuals, when appropriate. Driver-assisted service includes passenger pickup at and return to the individual's residence or place of business, assistance with admittance of the individual to the medical facility, and assistance in passenger securement or in securing of wheelchairs or stretchers in the vehicle. Nonemergency medical transportation providers must have trip logs, which include pickup and drop-off times, signed by the medical provider or client attesting mileage traveled to obtain covered medical services, whichever is deemed most appropriate. Nonemergency medical transportation providers may not bill for separate base rates for the continuation of a trip beyond the original destination. Nonemergency medical transportation providers must take clients to the health care provider, using the most direct route, and must not exceed 30 miles for a trip to a primary care provider or 60 miles for a trip to a specialty care provider, unless the client receives authorization from the local agency. The minimum medical assistance reimbursement rates for special transportation services are:

(1)(i) $17 for the base rate and $1.35 per mile for special transportation services to eligible persons who need a wheelchair-accessible van;

(ii) $11.50 for the base rate and $1.30 per mile for special transportation services to eligible persons who do not need a wheelchair-accessible van; and

(iii) $60 for the base rate and $2.40 per mile, and an attendant rate of $9 per trip, for special transportation services to eligible persons who need a stretcher-accessible vehicle; and

(2) clients requesting client mileage reimbursement must sign the trip log attesting mileage traveled to obtain covered medical services.

(g) The covered modes of nonemergency medical transportation include transportation provided directly by clients or family members of clients with their own transportation, volunteers using their own vehicles, taxicabs, and public transit, or provided to a client who needs a stretcher-accessible vehicle, a lift/ramp equipped vehicle, or a vehicle that is not stretcher-accessible or lift/ramp equipped designed to transport ten or fewer persons. Upon implementation of a new rate structure, a new covered mode of nonemergency medical transportation shall include transportation provided to a client who needs a protected vehicle that is not an ambulance or police car and has safety locks, a video recorder, and a transparent thermoplastic partition between the passenger and the vehicle driver.

(h) The administrative agency shall use the level of service process established by the commissioner in consultation with the Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee to determine the client's most appropriate mode of transportation. If public transit or a certified transportation provider is not available to provide the appropriate service mode for the client, the client may receive a onetime service upgrade. The new modes of transportation, which may not be implemented without a new rate structure, are:

(1) client reimbursement, which includes client mileage reimbursement provided to clients who have their own transportation or family who provides transportation to the client;

(2) volunteer transport, which includes transportation by volunteers using their own vehicle;

(3) unassisted transport, which includes transportation provided to a client by a taxicab or public transit. If a taxicab or publicly operated transit system is not available, the client can receive transportation from another nonemergency medical transportation provider;

(4) assisted transport, which includes transport provided to clients who require assistance by a nonemergency medical transportation provider;

(5) lift-equipped/ramp transport, which includes transport provided to a client who is dependent on a device and requires a nonemergency medical transportation provider with a vehicle containing a lift or ramp;

(6) protected transport, which includes transport to a client who has received a prescreening that has deemed other forms of transportation inappropriate and who requires a provider certified as a protected transport provider; and

(7) stretcher transport, which includes transport for a client in a prone or supine position and requires a nonemergency medical transportation provider with a vehicle that can transport a client in a prone or supine position.

(i) In accordance with subdivision 18e, by July 1, 2016, the local agency shall be the single administrative agency and shall administer and reimburse for modes defined in paragraph (h) according to a new rate structure, once this is adopted.

(j) The commissioner shall:

(1) in consultation with the Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee, verify that the mode and use of nonemergency medical transportation is appropriate;

(2) verify that the client is going to an approved medical appointment; and

(3) investigate all complaints and appeals.

(k) The administrative agency shall pay for the services provided in this subdivision and seek reimbursement from the commissioner, if appropriate. As vendors of medical care, local agencies are subject to the provisions in section 256B.041, the sanctions and monetary recovery actions in section 256B.064, and Minnesota Rules, parts 9505.2160 to 9505.2245.

(l) The base rates for special transportation services in areas defined under RUCA to be super rural shall be equal to the reimbursement rate established in paragraph (f), clause (1), plus 11.3 percent, and for special transportation services in areas defined under RUCA to be rural or super rural areas:

(1) for a trip equal to 17 miles or less, mileage reimbursement shall be equal to 125 percent of the respective mileage rate in paragraph (f), clause (1); and

(2) for a trip between 18 and 50 miles, mileage reimbursement shall be equal to 112.5 percent of the respective mileage rate in paragraph (f), clause (1).

(m) For purposes of reimbursement rates for special transportation services under paragraph (c), the zip code of the recipient's place of residence shall determine whether the urban, rural, or super rural reimbursement rate applies.

(n) For purposes of this subdivision, "rural urban commuting area" or "RUCA" means a census-tract based classification system under which a geographical area is determined to be urban, rural, or super rural.

(o) Effective for services provided on or after September 1, 2011, nonemergency transportation rates, including special transportation, taxi, and other commercial carriers, are reduced 4.5 percent. Payments made to managed care plans and county-based purchasing plans must be reduced for services provided on or after January 1, 2012, to reflect this reduction.

Subd. 17a.Payment for ambulance services.

(a) Medical assistance covers ambulance services. Providers shall bill ambulance services according to Medicare criteria. Nonemergency ambulance services shall not be paid as emergencies. Effective for services rendered on or after July 1, 2001, medical assistance payments for ambulance services shall be paid at the Medicare reimbursement rate or at the medical assistance payment rate in effect on July 1, 2000, whichever is greater.

(b) Effective for services provided on or after September 1, 2011, ambulance services payment rates are reduced 4.5 percent. Payments made to managed care plans and county-based purchasing plans must be reduced for services provided on or after January 1, 2012, to reflect this reduction.

Subd. 18.Bus or taxicab transportation.

To the extent authorized by rule of the state agency, medical assistance covers the most appropriate and cost-effective form of transportation incurred by any ambulatory eligible person for obtaining nonemergency medical care.

Subd. 18a.Access to medical services.

(a) Medical assistance reimbursement for meals for persons traveling to receive medical care may not exceed $5.50 for breakfast, $6.50 for lunch, or $8 for dinner.

(b) Medical assistance reimbursement for lodging for persons traveling to receive medical care may not exceed $50 per day unless prior authorized by the local agency.

(c) Medical assistance direct mileage reimbursement to the eligible person or the eligible person's driver may not exceed 20 cents per mile.

(d) Regardless of the number of employees that an enrolled health care provider may have, medical assistance covers sign and oral language interpreter services when provided by an enrolled health care provider during the course of providing a direct, person-to-person covered health care service to an enrolled recipient with limited English proficiency or who has a hearing loss and uses interpreting services. Coverage for face-to-face oral language interpreter services shall be provided only if the oral language interpreter used by the enrolled health care provider is listed in the registry or roster established under section 144.058.

Subd. 18b.Broker dispatching prohibition.

Except for establishing level of service process, the commissioner shall not use a broker or coordinator for any purpose related to nonemergency medical transportation services under subdivision 18.

Subd. 18c.Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee.

(a) The Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee shall advise the commissioner on the administration of nonemergency medical transportation covered under medical assistance. The advisory committee shall meet at least quarterly the first year following January 1, 2015, and at least biannually thereafter and may meet more frequently as required by the commissioner. The advisory committee shall annually elect a chair from among its members, who shall work with the commissioner or the commissioner's designee to establish the agenda for each meeting. The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, shall attend all advisory committee meetings.

(b) The Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee shall advise and make recommendations to the commissioner on:

(1) updates to the nonemergency medical transportation policy manual;

(2) other aspects of the nonemergency medical transportation system, as requested by the commissioner; and

(3) other aspects of the nonemergency medical transportation system, as requested by:

(i) a committee member, who may request an item to be placed on the agenda for a future meeting. The request may be considered by the committee and voted upon. If the motion carries, the meeting agenda item may be developed for presentation to the committee; and

(ii) a member of the public, who may approach the committee by letter or e-mail requesting that an item be placed on a future meeting agenda. The request may be considered by the committee and voted upon. If the motion carries, the agenda item may be developed for presentation to the committee.

(c) The Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee shall coordinate its activities with the Minnesota Council on Transportation Access established under section 174.285. The chair of the advisory committee, or the chair's designee, shall attend all meetings of the Minnesota Council on Transportation Access.

(d) The Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee shall expire December 1, 2019.

Subd. 18d.Advisory committee members.

(a) The Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee consists of:

(1) four voting members who represent counties, utilizing the rural urban commuting area classification system. As defined in subdivision 17, these members shall be designated as follows:

(i) two counties within the 11-county metropolitan area;

(ii) one county representing the rural area of the state; and

(iii) one county representing the super rural area of the state.

The Association of Minnesota Counties shall appoint one county within the 11-county metropolitan area and one county representing the super rural area of the state. The Minnesota Inter-County Association shall appoint one county within the 11-county metropolitan area and one county representing the rural area of the state;

(2) three voting members who represent medical assistance recipients, including persons with physical and developmental disabilities, persons with mental illness, seniors, children, and low-income individuals;

(3) four voting members who represent providers that deliver nonemergency medical transportation services to medical assistance enrollees;

(4) two voting members of the house of representatives, one from the majority party and one from the minority party, appointed by the speaker of the house, and two voting members from the senate, one from the majority party and one from the minority party, appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on Rules and Administration;

(5) one voting member who represents demonstration providers as defined in section 256B.69, subdivision 2;

(6) one voting member who represents an organization that contracts with state or local governments to coordinate transportation services for medical assistance enrollees;

(7) one voting member who represents the Minnesota State Council on Disability;

(8) the commissioner of transportation or the commissioner's designee, who shall serve as a voting member;

(9) one voting member appointed by the Minnesota Ambulance Association; and

(10) one voting member appointed by the Minnesota Hospital Association.

(b) Members of the advisory committee shall not be employed by the Department of Human Services. Members of the advisory committee shall receive no compensation.

Subd. 18e.Single administrative structure and delivery system.

The commissioner shall implement a single administrative structure and delivery system for nonemergency medical transportation, beginning the latter of the date the single administrative assessment tool required in this subdivision is available for use, as determined by the commissioner or by July 1, 2016.

In coordination with the Department of Transportation, the commissioner shall develop and authorize a Web-based single administrative structure and assessment tool, which must operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to facilitate the enrollee assessment process for nonemergency medical transportation services. The Web-based tool shall facilitate the transportation eligibility determination process initiated by clients and client advocates; shall include an accessible automated intake and assessment process and real-time identification of level of service eligibility; and shall authorize an appropriate and auditable mode of transportation authorization. The tool shall provide a single framework for reconciling trip information with claiming and collecting complaints regarding inappropriate level of need determinations, inappropriate transportation modes utilized, and interference with accessing nonemergency medical transportation. The Web-based single administrative structure shall operate on a trial basis for one year from implementation and, if approved by the commissioner, shall be permanent thereafter. The commissioner shall seek input from the Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee to ensure the software is effective and user-friendly and make recommendations regarding funding of the single administrative system.

Subd. 18f.

[Repealed, 2014 c 312 art 24 s 48]

Subd. 18g.Use of standardized measures.

Beginning in calendar year 2015, the commissioner shall collect, audit, and analyze performance data on nonemergency medical transportation annually and report this information on the agency's Web site. The commissioner shall periodically supplement this information with the results of consumer surveys of the quality of services, and shall make these survey findings available to the public on the agency Web site.

Subd. 18h.Managed care.

The following subdivisions do not apply to managed care plans and county-based purchasing plans:

(1) subdivision 17, paragraphs (d) to (k);

(2) subdivision 18e; and

(3) subdivision 18g.

Subd. 19.

[Repealed, 1991 c 292 art 7 s 26]

Subd. 19a.Personal care assistance services.

Medical assistance covers personal care assistance services in a recipient's home. Effective January 1, 2010, to qualify for personal care assistance services, a recipient must require assistance and be determined dependent in one activity of daily living as defined in section 256B.0659, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), or in a Level I behavior as defined in section 256B.0659, subdivision 1, paragraph (c). Recipients or responsible parties must be able to identify the recipient's needs, direct and evaluate task accomplishment, and provide for health and safety. Approved hours may be used outside the home when normal life activities take them outside the home. To use personal care assistance services at school, the recipient or responsible party must provide written authorization in the care plan identifying the chosen provider and the daily amount of services to be used at school. Total hours for services, whether actually performed inside or outside the recipient's home, cannot exceed that which is otherwise allowed for personal care assistance services in an in-home setting according to sections 256B.0651 to 256B.0654. Medical assistance does not cover personal care assistance services for residents of a hospital, nursing facility, intermediate care facility, health care facility licensed by the commissioner of health, or unless a resident who is otherwise eligible is on leave from the facility and the facility either pays for the personal care assistance services or forgoes the facility per diem for the leave days that personal care assistance services are used. All personal care assistance services must be provided according to sections 256B.0651 to 256B.0654. Personal care assistance services may not be reimbursed if the personal care assistant is the spouse or paid guardian of the recipient or the parent of a recipient under age 18, or the responsible party or the family foster care provider of a recipient who cannot direct the recipient's own care unless, in the case of a foster care provider, a county or state case manager visits the recipient as needed, but not less than every six months, to monitor the health and safety of the recipient and to ensure the goals of the care plan are met. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 256B.0659, the unpaid guardian or conservator of an adult, who is not the responsible party and not the personal care provider organization, may be reimbursed to provide personal care assistance services to the recipient if the guardian or conservator meets all criteria for a personal care assistant according to section 256B.0659, and shall not be considered to have a service provider interest for purposes of participation on the screening team under section 256B.092, subdivision 7.

Subd. 19b.No automatic adjustment.

For fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 1993, the commissioner of human services shall not provide automatic annual inflation adjustments for home care services. The commissioner of management and budget shall include as a budget change request in each biennial detailed expenditure budget submitted to the legislature under section 16A.11 annual adjustments in reimbursement rates for home care services.

Subd. 19c.Personal care.

Medical assistance covers personal care assistance services provided by an individual who is qualified to provide the services according to subdivision 19a and sections 256B.0651 to 256B.0654, provided in accordance with a plan, and supervised by a qualified professional.

"Qualified professional" means a mental health professional as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 18, clauses (1) to (6), or 245.4871, subdivision 27, clauses (1) to (6); a registered nurse as defined in sections 148.171 to 148.285, a licensed social worker as defined in sections 148E.010 and 148E.055, or a qualified designated coordinator under section 245D.081, subdivision 2. The qualified professional shall perform the duties required in section 256B.0659.

Subd. 20.Mental health case management.

(a) To the extent authorized by rule of the state agency, medical assistance covers case management services to persons with serious and persistent mental illness and children with severe emotional disturbance. Services provided under this section must meet the relevant standards in sections 245.461 to 245.4887, the Comprehensive Adult and Children's Mental Health Acts, Minnesota Rules, parts 9520.0900 to 9520.0926, and 9505.0322, excluding subpart 10.

(b) Entities meeting program standards set out in rules governing family community support services as defined in section 245.4871, subdivision 17, are eligible for medical assistance reimbursement for case management services for children with severe emotional disturbance when these services meet the program standards in Minnesota Rules, parts 9520.0900 to 9520.0926 and 9505.0322, excluding subparts 6 and 10.

(c) Medical assistance and MinnesotaCare payment for mental health case management shall be made on a monthly basis. In order to receive payment for an eligible child, the provider must document at least a face-to-face contact with the child, the child's parents, or the child's legal representative. To receive payment for an eligible adult, the provider must document:

(1) at least a face-to-face contact with the adult or the adult's legal representative; or

(2) at least a telephone contact with the adult or the adult's legal representative and document a face-to-face contact with the adult or the adult's legal representative within the preceding two months.

(d) Payment for mental health case management provided by county or state staff shall be based on the monthly rate methodology under section 256B.094, subdivision 6, paragraph (b), with separate rates calculated for child welfare and mental health, and within mental health, separate rates for children and adults.

(e) Payment for mental health case management provided by Indian health services or by agencies operated by Indian tribes may be made according to this section or other relevant federally approved rate setting methodology.

(f) Payment for mental health case management provided by vendors who contract with a county or Indian tribe shall be based on a monthly rate negotiated by the host county or tribe. The negotiated rate must not exceed the rate charged by the vendor for the same service to other payers. If the service is provided by a team of contracted vendors, the county or tribe may negotiate a team rate with a vendor who is a member of the team. The team shall determine how to distribute the rate among its members. No reimbursement received by contracted vendors shall be returned to the county or tribe, except to reimburse the county or tribe for advance funding provided by the county or tribe to the vendor.

(g) If the service is provided by a team which includes contracted vendors, tribal staff, and county or state staff, the costs for county or state staff participation in the team shall be included in the rate for county-provided services. In this case, the contracted vendor, the tribal agency, and the county may each receive separate payment for services provided by each entity in the same month. In order to prevent duplication of services, each entity must document, in the recipient's file, the need for team case management and a description of the roles of the team members.

(h) Notwithstanding section 256B.19, subdivision 1, the nonfederal share of costs for mental health case management shall be provided by the recipient's county of responsibility, as defined in sections 256G.01 to 256G.12, from sources other than federal funds or funds used to match other federal funds. If the service is provided by a tribal agency, the nonfederal share, if any, shall be provided by the recipient's tribe. When this service is paid by the state without a federal share through fee-for-service, 50 percent of the cost shall be provided by the recipient's county of responsibility.

(i) Notwithstanding any administrative rule to the contrary, prepaid medical assistance, general assistance medical care, and MinnesotaCare include mental health case management. When the service is provided through prepaid capitation, the nonfederal share is paid by the state and the county pays no share.

(j) The commissioner may suspend, reduce, or terminate the reimbursement to a provider that does not meet the reporting or other requirements of this section. The county of responsibility, as defined in sections 256G.01 to 256G.12, or, if applicable, the tribal agency, is responsible for any federal disallowances. The county or tribe may share this responsibility with its contracted vendors.

(k) The commissioner shall set aside a portion of the federal funds earned for county expenditures under this section to repay the special revenue maximization account under section 256.01, subdivision 2, clause (15). The repayment is limited to:

(1) the costs of developing and implementing this section; and

(2) programming the information systems.

(l) Payments to counties and tribal agencies for case management expenditures under this section shall only be made from federal earnings from services provided under this section. When this service is paid by the state without a federal share through fee-for-service, 50 percent of the cost shall be provided by the state. Payments to county-contracted vendors shall include the federal earnings, the state share, and the county share.

(m) Case management services under this subdivision do not include therapy, treatment, legal, or outreach services.

(n) If the recipient is a resident of a nursing facility, intermediate care facility, or hospital, and the recipient's institutional care is paid by medical assistance, payment for case management services under this subdivision is limited to the lesser of:

(1) the last 180 days of the recipient's residency in that facility and may not exceed more than six months in a calendar year; or

(2) the limits and conditions which apply to federal Medicaid funding for this service.

(o) Payment for case management services under this subdivision shall not duplicate payments made under other program authorities for the same purpose.

Subd. 20a.Case management; developmental disabilities.

To the extent defined in the state Medicaid plan, case management service activities for persons with developmental disabilities as defined in section 256B.092, and rules promulgated thereunder, are covered services under medical assistance.

Subd. 21.

[Repealed, 1989 c 282 art 3 s 98]

Subd. 22.Hospice care.

Medical assistance covers hospice care services under Public Law 99-272, section 9505, to the extent authorized by rule, except that a recipient age 21 or under who elects to receive hospice services does not waive coverage for services that are related to the treatment of the condition for which a diagnosis of terminal illness has been made.

Subd. 23.Day treatment services.

Medical assistance covers day treatment services as specified in sections 245.462, subdivision 8, and 245.4871, subdivision 10, that are provided under contract with the county board. The commissioner may set authorization thresholds for day treatment for adults according to subdivision 25. Medical assistance covers day treatment services for children as specified under section 256B.0943.

Subd. 24.Other medical or remedial care.

Medical assistance covers any other medical or remedial care licensed and recognized under state law unless otherwise prohibited by law, except licensed chemical dependency treatment programs or primary treatment or extended care treatment units in hospitals that are covered under chapter 254B. The commissioner shall include chemical dependency services in the state medical assistance plan for federal reporting purposes, but payment must be made under chapter 254B. The commissioner shall publish in the State Register a list of elective surgeries that require a second medical opinion before medical assistance reimbursement, and the criteria and standards for deciding whether an elective surgery should require a second medical opinion. The list and criteria and standards are not subject to the requirements of sections 14.01 to 14.69.

Subd. 25.Prior authorization required.

(a) The commissioner shall publish in the Minnesota health care programs provider manual and on the department's Web site a list of health services that require prior authorization, the criteria and standards used to select health services on the list, and the criteria and standards used to determine whether certain providers must obtain prior authorization for their services. The list of services requiring prior authorization and the criteria and standards used to formulate the list of services or the selection of providers for whom prior authorization is required are not subject to the requirements of sections 14.001 to 14.69. The commissioner's decision whether prior authorization is required for a health service or is required for a provider is not subject to administrative appeal. Use of criteria or standards to select providers for whom prior authorization is required shall not impede access to the service involved for any group of individuals with unique or special needs due to disability or functional condition.

(b) The commissioner shall implement a modernized electronic system for providers to request prior authorization. The modernized electronic system must include at least the following functionalities:

(1) authorizations are recipient-centric, not provider-centric;

(2) adequate flexibility to support authorizations for an episode of care, continuous drug therapy, or for individual onetime services and allows an ordering and a rendering provider to both submit information into one request;

(3) allows providers to review previous authorization requests and determine where a submitted request is within the authorization process;

(4) supports automated workflows that allow providers to securely submit medical information that can be accessed by medical and pharmacy review vendors as well as department staff; and

(5) supports development of automated clinical algorithms that can verify information and provide responses in real time.

(c) The system described in paragraph (b) shall be completed by March 1, 2012. All authorization requests submitted on and after March 1, 2012, or upon completion of the modernized authorization system, whichever is later, must be submitted electronically by providers, except requests for drugs dispensed by an outpatient pharmacy, services that are provided outside of the state and surrounding local trade area, and services included on a service agreement.

Subd. 25a.Prior authorization of diagnostic imaging services.

(a) Effective January 1, 2010, the commissioner shall require prior authorization or decision support for the ordering providers at the time the service is ordered for the following outpatient diagnostic imaging services: computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), positive emission tomography (PET), cardiac imaging, and ultrasound diagnostic imaging.

(b) Prior authorization under this subdivision is not required for diagnostic imaging services performed as part of a hospital emergency room visit, inpatient hospitalization, or if concurrent with or on the same day as an urgent care facility visit.

(c) This subdivision does not apply to services provided to recipients who are enrolled in Medicare, the prepaid medical assistance program, the prepaid general assistance medical care program, or the MinnesotaCare program.

(d) The commissioner may contract with a private entity to provide the prior authorization or decision support required under this subdivision. The contracting entity must incorporate clinical guidelines that are based on evidence-based medical literature, if available. By January 1, 2012, the contracting entity shall report to the commissioner the results of prior authorization or decision support.

Subd. 25b.Authorization with third-party liability.

(a) Except as otherwise allowed under this subdivision or required under federal or state regulations, the commissioner must not consider a request for authorization of a service when the recipient has coverage from a third-party payer unless the provider requesting authorization has made a good faith effort to receive payment or authorization from the third-party payer. A good faith effort is established by supplying with the authorization request to the commissioner the following:

(1) a determination of payment for the service from the third-party payer, a determination of authorization for the service from the third-party payer, or a verification of noncoverage of the service by the third-party payer; and

(2) the information or records required by the department to document the reason for the determination or to validate noncoverage from the third-party payer.

(b) A provider requesting authorization for services covered by Medicare is not required to bill Medicare before requesting authorization from the commissioner if the provider has reason to believe that a service covered by Medicare is not eligible for payment. The provider must document that, because of recent claim experiences with Medicare or because of written communication from Medicare, coverage is not available for the service.

(c) Authorization is not required if a third-party payer has made payment that is equal to or greater than 60 percent of the maximum payment amount for the service allowed under medical assistance.

Subd. 26.Special education services.

(a) Medical assistance covers medical services identified in a recipient's individualized education program and covered under the medical assistance state plan. Covered services include occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language therapy, clinical psychological services, nursing services, school psychological services, school social work services, personal care assistants serving as management aides, assistive technology devices, transportation services, health assessments, and other services covered under the medical assistance state plan. Mental health services eligible for medical assistance reimbursement must be provided or coordinated through a children's mental health collaborative where a collaborative exists if the child is included in the collaborative operational target population. The provision or coordination of services does not require that the individualized education program be developed by the collaborative.

The services may be provided by a Minnesota school district that is enrolled as a medical assistance provider or its subcontractor, and only if the services meet all the requirements otherwise applicable if the service had been provided by a provider other than a school district, in the following areas: medical necessity, physician's orders, documentation, personnel qualifications, and prior authorization requirements. The nonfederal share of costs for services provided under this subdivision is the responsibility of the local school district as provided in section 125A.74. Services listed in a child's individualized education program are eligible for medical assistance reimbursement only if those services meet criteria for federal financial participation under the Medicaid program.

(b) Approval of health-related services for inclusion in the individualized education program does not require prior authorization for purposes of reimbursement under this chapter. The commissioner may require physician review and approval of the plan not more than once annually or upon any modification of the individualized education program that reflects a change in health-related services.

(c) Services of a speech-language pathologist provided under this section are covered notwithstanding Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0390, subpart 1, item L, if the person:

(1) holds a masters degree in speech-language pathology;

(2) is licensed by the Minnesota Board of Teaching as an educational speech-language pathologist; and

(3) either has a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech and Hearing Association, has completed the equivalent educational requirements and work experience necessary for the certificate or has completed the academic program and is acquiring supervised work experience to qualify for the certificate.

(d) Medical assistance coverage for medically necessary services provided under other subdivisions in this section may not be denied solely on the basis that the same or similar services are covered under this subdivision.

(e) The commissioner shall develop and implement package rates, bundled rates, or per diem rates for special education services under which separately covered services are grouped together and billed as a unit in order to reduce administrative complexity.

(f) The commissioner shall develop a cost-based payment structure for payment of these services. Only costs reported through the designated Minnesota Department of Education data systems in distinct service categories qualify for inclusion in the cost-based payment structure. The commissioner shall reimburse claims submitted based on an interim rate, and shall settle at a final rate once the department has determined it. The commissioner shall notify the school district of the final rate. The school district has 60 days to appeal the final rate. To appeal the final rate, the school district shall file a written appeal request to the commissioner within 60 days of the date the final rate determination was mailed. The appeal request shall specify (1) the disputed items and (2) the name and address of the person to contact regarding the appeal.

(g) Effective July 1, 2000, medical assistance services provided under an individualized education program or an individual family service plan by local school districts shall not count against medical assistance authorization thresholds for that child.

(h) Nursing services as defined in section 148.171, subdivision 15, and provided as an individualized education program health-related service, are eligible for medical assistance payment if they are otherwise a covered service under the medical assistance program. Medical assistance covers the administration of prescription medications by a licensed nurse who is employed by or under contract with a school district when the administration of medications is identified in the child's individualized education program. The simple administration of medications alone is not covered under medical assistance when administered by a provider other than a school district or when it is not identified in the child's individualized education program.

Subd. 27.Organ and tissue transplants.

All organ transplants must be performed at transplant centers meeting united network for organ sharing criteria or at Medicare-approved organ transplant centers. Stem cell or bone marrow transplant centers must meet the standards established by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Hematopoietic Cell Therapy.

Subd. 28.Certified nurse practitioner services.

Medical assistance covers services performed by a certified pediatric nurse practitioner, a certified family nurse practitioner, a certified adult nurse practitioner, a certified obstetric/gynecological nurse practitioner, a certified neonatal nurse practitioner, or a certified geriatric nurse practitioner in independent practice, if:

(1) the service provided on an inpatient basis is not included as part of the cost for inpatient services included in the operating payment rate;

(2) the service is otherwise covered under this chapter as a physician service; and

(3) the service is within the scope of practice of the nurse practitioner's license as a registered nurse, as defined in section 148.171.

Subd. 28a.Licensed physician assistant services.

(a) Medical assistance covers services performed by a licensed physician assistant if the service is otherwise covered under this chapter as a physician service and if the service is within the scope of practice of a licensed physician assistant as defined in section 147A.09.

(b) Licensed physician assistants, who are supervised by a physician certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology or eligible for board certification in psychiatry, may bill for medication management and evaluation and management services provided to medical assistance enrollees in inpatient hospital settings, consistent with their authorized scope of practice, as defined in section 147A.09, with the exception of performing psychotherapy or diagnostic assessments or providing clinical supervision.

Subd. 28b.Doula services.

Medical assistance covers doula services provided by a certified doula as defined in section 148.995, subdivision 2, of the mother's choice. For purposes of this section, "doula services" means childbirth education and support services, including emotional and physical support provided during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum.

[See Note.]

Subd. 29.Public health nursing clinic services.

Medical assistance covers the services of a certified public health nurse or a registered nurse practicing in a public health nursing clinic that is a department of, or that operates under the direct authority of, a unit of government, if the service is within the scope of practice of the public health or registered nurse's license as a registered nurse, as defined in section 148.171.

Subd. 30.Other clinic services.

(a) Medical assistance covers rural health clinic services, federally qualified health center services, nonprofit community health clinic services, and public health clinic services. Rural health clinic services and federally qualified health center services mean services defined in United States Code, title 42, section 1396d(a)(2)(B) and (C). Payment for rural health clinic and federally qualified health center services shall be made according to applicable federal law and regulation.

(b) A federally qualified health center that is beginning initial operation shall submit an estimate of budgeted costs and visits for the initial reporting period in the form and detail required by the commissioner. A federally qualified health center that is already in operation shall submit an initial report using actual costs and visits for the initial reporting period. Within 90 days of the end of its reporting period, a federally qualified health center shall submit, in the form and detail required by the commissioner, a report of its operations, including allowable costs actually incurred for the period and the actual number of visits for services furnished during the period, and other information required by the commissioner. Federally qualified health centers that file Medicare cost reports shall provide the commissioner with a copy of the most recent Medicare cost report filed with the Medicare program intermediary for the reporting year which support the costs claimed on their cost report to the state.

(c) In order to continue cost-based payment under the medical assistance program according to paragraphs (a) and (b), a federally qualified health center or rural health clinic must apply for designation as an essential community provider within six months of final adoption of rules by the Department of Health according to section 62Q.19, subdivision 7. For those federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics that have applied for essential community provider status within the six-month time prescribed, medical assistance payments will continue to be made according to paragraphs (a) and (b) for the first three years after application. For federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics that either do not apply within the time specified above or who have had essential community provider status for three years, medical assistance payments for health services provided by these entities shall be according to the same rates and conditions applicable to the same service provided by health care providers that are not federally qualified health centers or rural health clinics.

(d) Effective July 1, 1999, the provisions of paragraph (c) requiring a federally qualified health center or a rural health clinic to make application for an essential community provider designation in order to have cost-based payments made according to paragraphs (a) and (b) no longer apply.

(e) Effective January 1, 2000, payments made according to paragraphs (a) and (b) shall be limited to the cost phase-out schedule of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

(f) Effective January 1, 2001, each federally qualified health center and rural health clinic may elect to be paid either under the prospective payment system established in United States Code, title 42, section 1396a(aa), or under an alternative payment methodology consistent with the requirements of United States Code, title 42, section 1396a(aa), and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The alternative payment methodology shall be 100 percent of cost as determined according to Medicare cost principles.

(g) For purposes of this section, "nonprofit community clinic" is a clinic that:

(1) has nonprofit status as specified in chapter 317A;

(2) has tax exempt status as provided in Internal Revenue Code, section 501(c)(3);

(3) is established to provide health services to low-income population groups, uninsured, high-risk and special needs populations, underserved and other special needs populations;

(4) employs professional staff at least one-half of which are familiar with the cultural background of their clients;

(5) charges for services on a sliding fee scale designed to provide assistance to low-income clients based on current poverty income guidelines and family size; and

(6) does not restrict access or services because of a client's financial limitations or public assistance status and provides no-cost care as needed.

(h) Effective for services provided on or after January 1, 2015, all claims for payment of clinic services provided by federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics shall be paid by the commissioner. The commissioner shall determine the most feasible method for paying claims from the following options:

(1) federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics submit claims directly to the commissioner for payment, and the commissioner provides claims information for recipients enrolled in a managed care or county-based purchasing plan to the plan, on a regular basis; or

(2) federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics submit claims for recipients enrolled in a managed care or county-based purchasing plan to the plan, and those claims are submitted by the plan to the commissioner for payment to the clinic.

(i) For clinic services provided prior to January 1, 2015, the commissioner shall calculate and pay monthly the proposed managed care supplemental payments to clinics, and clinics shall conduct a timely review of the payment calculation data in order to finalize all supplemental payments in accordance with federal law. Any issues arising from a clinic's review must be reported to the commissioner by January 1, 2017. Upon final agreement between the commissioner and a clinic on issues identified under this subdivision, and in accordance with United States Code, title 42, section 1396a(bb), no supplemental payments for managed care plan or county-based purchasing plan claims for services provided prior to January 1, 2015, shall be made after June 30, 2017. If the commissioner and clinics are unable to resolve issues under this subdivision, the parties shall submit the dispute to the arbitration process under section 14.57.

Subd. 31.Medical supplies and equipment.

(a) Medical assistance covers medical supplies and equipment. Separate payment outside of the facility's payment rate shall be made for wheelchairs and wheelchair accessories for recipients who are residents of intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled. Reimbursement for wheelchairs and wheelchair accessories for ICF/DD recipients shall be subject to the same conditions and limitations as coverage for recipients who do not reside in institutions. A wheelchair purchased outside of the facility's payment rate is the property of the recipient. The commissioner may set reimbursement rates for specified categories of medical supplies at levels below the Medicare payment rate.

(b) Vendors of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, or medical supplies must enroll as a Medicare provider.

(c) When necessary to ensure access to durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, or medical supplies, the commissioner may exempt a vendor from the Medicare enrollment requirement if:

(1) the vendor supplies only one type of durable medical equipment, prosthetic, orthotic, or medical supply;

(2) the vendor serves ten or fewer medical assistance recipients per year;

(3) the commissioner finds that other vendors are not available to provide same or similar durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, or medical supplies; and

(4) the vendor complies with all screening requirements in this chapter and Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, part 455. The commissioner may also exempt a vendor from the Medicare enrollment requirement if the vendor is accredited by a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved national accreditation organization as complying with the Medicare program's supplier and quality standards and the vendor serves primarily pediatric patients.

(d) Durable medical equipment means a device or equipment that:

(1) can withstand repeated use;

(2) is generally not useful in the absence of an illness, injury, or disability; and

(3) is provided to correct or accommodate a physiological disorder or physical condition or is generally used primarily for a medical purpose.

(e) Electronic tablets may be considered durable medical equipment if the electronic tablet will be used as an augmentative and alternative communication system as defined under subdivision 31a, paragraph (a). To be covered by medical assistance, the device must be locked in order to prevent use not related to communication.

Subd. 31a.Augmentative and alternative communication systems.

(a) Medical assistance covers augmentative and alternative communication systems consisting of electronic or nonelectronic devices and the related components necessary to enable a person with severe expressive communication limitations to produce or transmit messages or symbols in a manner that compensates for that disability.

(b) Augmentative and alternative communication systems must be paid the lower of the:

(1) submitted charge; or

(2)(i) manufacturer's suggested retail price minus 20 percent for providers that are manufacturers of augmentative and alternative communication systems; or

(ii) manufacturer's invoice charge plus 20 percent for providers that are not manufacturers of augmentative and alternative communication systems.

(c) Reimbursement rates established by this purchasing program are not subject to Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0445, item S or T.

Subd. 31b.Preferred diabetic testing supply program.

(a) The commissioner shall implement a point-of-sale preferred diabetic testing supply program by January 1, 2014. Medical assistance coverage for diabetic testing supplies shall conform to the limitations established under the program. The commissioner may enter into a contract with a vendor for the purpose of participating in a preferred diabetic testing supply list and supplemental rebate program. The commissioner shall ensure that any contract meets all federal requirements and maximizes federal financial participation. The commissioner shall maintain an accurate and up-to-date list on the department's Web site.

(b) The commissioner may add to, delete from, and otherwise modify the preferred diabetic testing supply program drug list after consulting with the Drug Formulary Committee and appropriate medical specialists and providing public notice and the opportunity for public comment.

(c) The commissioner shall adopt and administer the preferred diabetic testing supply program as part of the administration of the diabetic testing supply rebate program. Reimbursement for diabetic testing supplies not on the preferred diabetic testing supply list may be subject to prior authorization.

(d) All claims for diabetic testing supplies in categories on the preferred diabetic testing supply list must be submitted by enrolled pharmacy providers using the most current National Council of Prescription Drug Plans electronic claims standard.

(e) For purposes of this subdivision, "preferred diabetic testing supply list" means a list of diabetic testing supplies selected by the commissioner, for which prior authorization is not required.

(f) The commissioner shall seek any federal waivers or approvals necessary to implement this subdivision.

Subd. 32.Nutritional products.

Medical assistance covers nutritional products needed for nutritional supplementation because solid food or nutrients thereof cannot be properly absorbed by the body or needed for treatment of phenylketonuria, hyperlysinemia, maple syrup urine disease, a combined allergy to human milk, cow's milk, and soy formula, or any other childhood or adult diseases, conditions, or disorders identified by the commissioner as requiring a similarly necessary nutritional product. Nutritional products needed for the treatment of a combined allergy to human milk, cow's milk, and soy formula require prior authorization. Separate payment shall not be made for nutritional products for residents of long-term care facilities. Payment for dietary requirements is a component of the per diem rate paid to these facilities.

Subd. 33.Child welfare targeted case management.

Medical assistance, subject to federal approval, covers child welfare targeted case management services as defined in section 256B.094 to children under age 21 who have been assessed and determined in accordance with section 256F.10 to be:

(1) at risk of placement or in placement as defined in section 260C.212, subdivision 1;

(2) at risk of maltreatment or experiencing maltreatment as defined in section 626.556, subdivision 10e; or

(3) in need of protection or services as defined in section 260C.007, subdivision 6.

Subd. 34.Indian health services facilities.

Medical assistance payments and MinnesotaCare payments to facilities of the Indian health service and facilities operated by a tribe or tribal organization under funding authorized by United States Code, title 25, sections 450f to 450n, or title III of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Public Law 93-638, for enrollees who are eligible for federal financial participation, shall be at the option of the facility in accordance with the rate published by the United States Assistant Secretary for Health under the authority of United States Code, title 42, sections 248(a) and 249(b). General assistance medical care payments to facilities of the Indian health services and facilities operated by a tribe or tribal organization for the provision of outpatient medical care services billed after June 30, 1990, must be in accordance with the general assistance medical care rates paid for the same services when provided in a facility other than a facility of the Indian health service or a facility operated by a tribe or tribal organization. MinnesotaCare payments for enrollees who are not eligible for federal financial participation at facilities of the Indian health service and facilities operated by a tribe or tribal organization for the provision of outpatient medical services must be in accordance with the medical assistance rates paid for the same services when provided in a facility other than a facility of the Indian health service or a facility operated by a tribe or tribal organization.

Subd. 35.

[Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 14 art 4 s 24]

Subd. 35a.Children's mental health crisis response services.

Medical assistance covers children's mental health crisis response services according to section 256B.0944.

Subd. 35b.Children's therapeutic services and supports.

Medical assistance covers children's therapeutic services and supports according to section 256B.0943.

Subd. 36.

[Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 14 art 4 s 24]

Subd. 37.Individualized rehabilitation services.

Medical assistance covers individualized rehabilitation services as defined in section 245.492, subdivision 23, that are provided by a collaborative, county, or an entity under contract with a county through an integrated service system, as described in section 245.4931, that is approved by the state coordinating council, subject to federal approval.

Subd. 38. Payments for mental health services.

Payments for mental health services covered under the medical assistance program that are provided by masters-prepared mental health professionals shall be 80 percent of the rate paid to doctoral-prepared professionals. Payments for mental health services covered under the medical assistance program that are provided by masters-prepared mental health professionals employed by community mental health centers shall be 100 percent of the rate paid to doctoral-prepared professionals. Payments for mental health services covered under the medical assistance program that are provided by physician assistants shall be 80.4 percent of the base rate paid to psychiatrists.

Subd. 39.Childhood immunizations.

Providers who administer pediatric vaccines within the scope of their licensure, and who are enrolled as a medical assistance provider, must enroll in the pediatric vaccine administration program established by section 13631 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. Medical assistance shall pay for administration of the vaccine to children eligible for medical assistance. Medical assistance does not pay for vaccines that are available at no cost from the pediatric vaccine administration program.

Subd. 40.Tuberculosis related services.

(a) For persons infected with tuberculosis, medical assistance covers case management services and direct observation of the intake of drugs prescribed to treat tuberculosis.

(b) "Case management services" means services furnished to assist persons infected with tuberculosis in gaining access to needed medical services. Case management services include at a minimum:

(1) assessing a person's need for medical services to treat tuberculosis;

(2) developing a care plan that addresses the needs identified in clause (1);

(3) assisting the person in accessing medical services identified in the care plan; and

(4) monitoring the person's compliance with the care plan to ensure completion of tuberculosis therapy. Medical assistance covers case management services under this subdivision only if the services are provided by a certified public health nurse who is employed by a community health board as defined in section 145A.02, subdivision 5.

(c) To be covered by medical assistance, direct observation of the intake of drugs prescribed to treat tuberculosis must be provided by a community outreach worker, licensed practical nurse, registered nurse who is trained and supervised by a public health nurse employed by a community health board as defined in section 145A.02, subdivision 5, or a public health nurse employed by a community health board.

Subd. 41.Residential services for children with severe emotional disturbance.

Medical assistance covers rehabilitative services in accordance with section 256B.0945 that are provided by a county or an American Indian tribe through a residential facility, for children who have been diagnosed with severe emotional disturbance and have been determined to require the level of care provided in a residential facility.

Subd. 42.Mental health professional.

Notwithstanding Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0175, subpart 28, the definition of a mental health professional shall include a person who is qualified as specified in section 245.462, subdivision 18, clauses (1) to (6); or 245.4871, subdivision 27, clauses (1) to (6), for the purpose of this section and Minnesota Rules, parts 9505.0170 to 9505.0475.

Subd. 43.Mental health provider travel time.

Medical assistance covers provider travel time if a recipient's individual treatment plan requires the provision of mental health services outside of the provider's normal place of business. This does not include any travel time which is included in other billable services, and is only covered when the mental health service being provided to a recipient is covered under medical assistance.

Subd. 44.Targeted case management services.

Medical assistance covers case management services for vulnerable adults and adults with developmental disabilities, as provided under section 256B.0924.

Subd. 45.Subacute psychiatric care for persons under 21 years of age.

Medical assistance covers subacute psychiatric care for person under 21 years of age when:

(1) the services meet the requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 440.160;

(2) the facility is accredited as a psychiatric treatment facility by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, or the Council on Accreditation; and

(3) the facility is licensed by the commissioner of health under section 144.50.

Subd. 46.Mental health telemedicine.

Effective January 1, 2006, and subject to federal approval, mental health services that are otherwise covered by medical assistance as direct face-to-face services may be provided via two-way interactive video. Use of two-way interactive video must be medically appropriate to the condition and needs of the person being served. Reimbursement is at the same rates and under the same conditions that would otherwise apply to the service. The interactive video equipment and connection must comply with Medicare standards in effect at the time the service is provided.

Subd. 47.Treatment foster care services.

Effective July 1, 2011, and subject to federal approval, medical assistance covers treatment foster care services according to section 256B.0946.

Subd. 48.Psychiatric consultation to primary care practitioners.

Medical assistance covers consultation provided by a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or an advanced practice registered nurse certified in psychiatric mental health via telephone, e-mail, facsimile, or other means of communication to primary care practitioners, including pediatricians. The need for consultation and the receipt of the consultation must be documented in the patient record maintained by the primary care practitioner. If the patient consents, and subject to federal limitations and data privacy provisions, the consultation may be provided without the patient present.

Subd. 49.Community health worker.

(a) Medical assistance covers the care coordination and patient education services provided by a community health worker if the community health worker has:

(1) received a certificate from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System approved community health worker curriculum; or

(2) at least five years of supervised experience with an enrolled physician, registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, mental health professional as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 18, clauses (1) to (6), and section 245.4871, subdivision 27, clauses (1) to (5), or dentist, or at least five years of supervised experience by a certified public health nurse operating under the direct authority of an enrolled unit of government.

Community health workers eligible for payment under clause (2) must complete the certification program by January 1, 2010, to continue to be eligible for payment.

(b) Community health workers must work under the supervision of a medical assistance enrolled physician, registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, mental health professional as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 18, clauses (1) to (6), and section 245.4871, subdivision 27, clauses (1) to (5), or dentist, or work under the supervision of a certified public health nurse operating under the direct authority of an enrolled unit of government.

(c) Care coordination and patient education services covered under this subdivision include, but are not limited to, services relating to oral health and dental care.

Subd. 50.Self-directed supports option.

Upon federal approval, medical assistance covers the self-directed supports option as defined under section 256B.0657 and section 6087 of the Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, Public Law 109-171.

[See Note.]

Subd. 51.Provider-directed care coordination services.

The commissioner shall develop and implement a provider-directed care coordination program for medical assistance recipients who are not enrolled in the prepaid medical assistance program and who are receiving services on a fee-for-service basis. This program provides payment to primary care clinics for care coordination for people who have complex and chronic medical conditions. Clinics must meet certain criteria such as the capacity to develop care plans; have a dedicated care coordinator; and have an adequate number of fee-for-service clients, evaluation mechanisms, and quality improvement processes to qualify for reimbursement. For purposes of this subdivision, a primary care clinic is a medical clinic designated as the patient's first point of contact for medical care, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, that provides or arranges for the patient's comprehensive health care needs, and provides overall integration, coordination and continuity over time and referrals for specialty care.

Subd. 52.Lead risk assessments.

(a) Effective October 1, 2007, or six months after federal approval, whichever is later, medical assistance covers lead risk assessments provided by a lead risk assessor who is licensed by the commissioner of health under section 144.9505 and employed by an assessing agency as defined in section 144.9501. Medical assistance covers a onetime on-site investigation of a recipient's home or primary residence to determine the existence of lead so long as the recipient is under the age of 21 and has a venous blood lead level specified in section 144.9504, subdivision 2, paragraph (a).

(b) Medical assistance reimbursement covers the lead risk assessor's time to complete the following activities:

(1) gathering samples;

(2) interviewing family members;

(3) gathering data, including meter readings; and

(4) providing a report with the results of the investigation and options for reducing lead-based paint hazards.

Medical assistance coverage of lead risk assessment does not include testing of environmental substances such as water, paint, or soil or any other laboratory services. Medical assistance coverage of lead risk assessments is not included in the capitated services for children enrolled in health plans through the prepaid medical assistance program and the MinnesotaCare program.

(c) Payment for lead risk assessment must be cost-based and must meet the criteria for federal financial participation under the Medicaid program. The rate must be based on allowable expenditures from cost information gathered. Under section 144.9507, subdivision 5, federal medical assistance funds may not replace existing funding for lead-related activities. The nonfederal share of costs for services provided under this subdivision must be from state or local funds and is the responsibility of the agency providing the risk assessment. When the risk assessment is conducted by the commissioner of health, the state share must be from appropriations to the commissioner of health for this purpose. Eligible expenditures for the nonfederal share of costs may not be made from federal funds or funds used to match other federal funds. Any federal disallowances are the responsibility of the agency providing risk assessment services.

Subd. 53.Centers of excellence.

For complex medical procedures with a high degree of variation in outcomes, for which the Medicare program requires facilities providing the services to meet certain criteria as a condition of coverage, the commissioner may develop centers of excellence facility criteria in consultation with the Health Services Policy Committee under subdivision 3c. The criteria must reflect facility traits that have been linked to superior patient safety and outcomes for the procedures in question, and must be based on the best available empirical evidence. For medical assistance recipients enrolled on a fee-for-service basis, the commissioner may make coverage for these procedures conditional upon the facility providing the services meeting the specified criteria. Only facilities meeting the criteria may be reimbursed for the procedures in question.

[See Note.]

Subd. 54.Services provided in birth centers.

(a) Medical assistance covers services provided in a licensed birth center by a licensed health professional if the service would otherwise be covered if provided in a hospital.

(b) Facility services provided by a birth center shall be paid at the lower of billed charges or 70 percent of the statewide average for a facility payment rate made to a hospital for an uncomplicated vaginal birth as determined using the most recent calendar year for which complete claims data is available. If a recipient is transported from a birth center to a hospital prior to the delivery, the payment for facility services to the birth center shall be the lower of billed charges or 15 percent of the average facility payment made to a hospital for the services provided for an uncomplicated vaginal delivery as determined using the most recent calendar year for which complete claims data is available.

(c) Nursery care services provided by a birth center shall be paid the lower of billed charges or 70 percent of the statewide average for a payment rate paid to a hospital for nursery care as determined by using the most recent calendar year for which complete claims data is available.

(d) Professional services provided by traditional midwives licensed under chapter 147D shall be paid at the lower of billed charges or 100 percent of the rate paid to a physician performing the same services. If a recipient is transported from a birth center to a hospital prior to the delivery, a licensed traditional midwife who does not perform the delivery may not bill for any delivery services. Services are not covered if provided by an unlicensed traditional midwife.

(e) The commissioner shall apply for any necessary waivers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to allow birth centers and birth center providers to be reimbursed.

Subd. 55.Payment for noncovered services.

(a) Except when specifically prohibited by the commissioner or federal law, a provider may seek payment from the recipient for services not eligible for payment under the medical assistance program when the provider, prior to delivering the service, reviews and considers all other available covered alternatives with the recipient and obtains a signed acknowledgment from the recipient of the potential of the recipient's liability. The signed acknowledgment must be in a form approved by the commissioner.

(b) Conditions under which a provider must not request payment from the recipient include, but are not limited to:

(1) a service that requires prior authorization, unless authorization has been denied as not medically necessary and all other therapeutic alternatives have been reviewed;

(2) a service for which payment has been denied for reasons relating to billing requirements;

(3) standard shipping or delivery and setup of medical equipment or medical supplies;

(4) services that are included in the recipient's long term care per diem;

(5) the recipient is enrolled in the Restricted Recipient Program and the provider is one of a provider type designated for the recipient's health care services; and

(6) the noncovered service is a prescription drug identified by the commissioner as having the potential for abuse and overuse, except where payment by the recipient is specifically approved by the commissioner on the date of service based upon compelling evidence supplied by the prescribing provider that establishes medical necessity for that particular drug.

(c) The payment requested from recipients for noncovered services under this subdivision must not exceed the provider's usual and customary charge for the actual service received by the recipient. A recipient must not be billed for the difference between what medical assistance paid for the service or would pay for a less costly alternative service.

Subd. 56.Medical service coordination.

(a)(1) Medical assistance covers in-reach community-based service coordination that is performed through a hospital emergency department as an eligible procedure under a state healthcare program for a frequent user. A frequent user is defined as an individual who has frequented the hospital emergency department for services three or more times in the previous four consecutive months. In-reach community-based service coordination includes navigating services to address a client's mental health, chemical health, social, economic, and housing needs, or any other activity targeted at reducing the incidence of emergency room and other nonmedically necessary health care utilization.

(2) Medical assistance covers in-reach community-based service coordination that is performed through a hospital emergency department or inpatient psychiatric unit for a child or young adult up to age 21 with a serious emotional disturbance who has frequented the hospital emergency room two or more times in the previous consecutive three months or been admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit two or more times in the previous consecutive four months, or is being discharged to a shelter.

(b) Reimbursement must be made in 15-minute increments and allowed for up to 60 days posthospital discharge based upon the specific identified emergency department visit or inpatient admitting event. In-reach community-based service coordination shall seek to connect frequent users with existing covered services available to them, including, but not limited to, targeted case management, waiver case management, or care coordination in a health care home. For children and young adults with a serious emotional disturbance, in-reach community-based service coordination includes navigating and arranging for community-based services prior to discharge to address a client's mental health, chemical health, social, educational, family support and housing needs, or any other activity targeted at reducing multiple incidents of emergency room use, inpatient readmissions, and other nonmedically necessary health care utilization. In-reach services shall seek to connect them with existing covered services, including targeted case management, waiver case management, care coordination in a health care home, children's therapeutic services and supports, crisis services, and respite care. Eligible in-reach service coordinators must hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree in social work, public health, corrections, or a related field. The commissioner shall submit any necessary application for waivers to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement this subdivision.

(c) (1) For the purposes of this subdivision, "in-reach community-based service coordination" means the practice of a community-based worker with training, knowledge, skills, and ability to access a continuum of services, including housing, transportation, chemical and mental health treatment, employment, education, and peer support services, by working with an organization's staff to transition an individual back into the individual's living environment. In-reach community-based service coordination includes working with the individual during their discharge and for up to a defined amount of time in the individual's living environment, reducing the individual's need for readmittance.

(2) Hospitals utilizing in-reach service coordinators shall report annually to the commissioner on the number of adults, children, and adolescents served; the postdischarge services which they accessed; and emergency department/psychiatric hospitalization readmissions. The commissioner shall ensure that services and payments provided under in-reach care coordination do not duplicate services or payments provided under section 256B.0753, 256B.0755, or 256B.0625, subdivision 20.

Subd. 57.Payment for Part B Medicare crossover claims.

Effective for services provided on or after January 1, 2012, medical assistance payment for an enrollee's cost-sharing associated with Medicare Part B is limited to an amount up to the medical assistance total allowed, when the medical assistance rate exceeds the amount paid by Medicare. Excluded from this limitation are payments for mental health services and payments for dialysis services provided to end-stage renal disease patients. The exclusion for mental health services does not apply to payments for physician services provided by psychiatrists and advanced practice nurses with a specialty in mental health.

Subd. 58.Early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment services.

Medical assistance covers early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment services (EPSDT). The payment amount for a complete EPSDT screening shall not include charges for vaccines that are available at no cost to the provider and shall not exceed the rate established per Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0445, item M, effective October 1, 2010.

Subd. 59.Services provided by advanced dental therapists and dental therapists.

Medical assistance covers services provided by advanced dental therapists and dental therapists when provided within the scope of practice identified in sections 150A.105 and 150A.106.

Subd. 60.Community paramedic services.

(a) Medical assistance covers services provided by community paramedics who are certified under section 144E.28, subdivision 9, when the services are provided in accordance with this subdivision to an eligible recipient as defined in paragraph (b).

(b) For purposes of this subdivision, an eligible recipient is defined as an individual who has received hospital emergency department services three or more times in a period of four consecutive months in the past 12 months or an individual who has been identified by the individual's primary health care provider for whom community paramedic services identified in paragraph (c) would likely prevent admission to or would allow discharge from a nursing facility; or would likely prevent readmission to a hospital or nursing facility.

(c) Payment for services provided by a community paramedic under this subdivision must be a part of a care plan ordered by a primary health care provider in consultation with the medical director of an ambulance service and must be billed by an eligible provider enrolled in medical assistance that employs or contracts with the community paramedic. The care plan must ensure that the services provided by a community paramedic are coordinated with other community health providers and local public health agencies and that community paramedic services do not duplicate services already provided to the patient, including home health and waiver services. Community paramedic services shall include health assessment, chronic disease monitoring and education, medication compliance, immunizations and vaccinations, laboratory specimen collection, hospital discharge follow-up care, and minor medical procedures approved by the ambulance medical director.

(d) Services provided by a community paramedic to an eligible recipient who is also receiving care coordination services must be in consultation with the providers of the recipient's care coordination services.

(e) The commissioner shall seek the necessary federal approval to implement this subdivision.

Subd. 61.Family psychoeducation services.

Effective July 1, 2013, or upon federal approval, whichever is later, medical assistance covers family psychoeducation services provided to a child up to age 21 with a diagnosed mental health condition when identified in the child's individual treatment plan and provided by a licensed mental health professional, as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0371, subpart 5, item A, or a clinical trainee, as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0371, subpart 5, item C, who has determined it medically necessary to involve family members in the child's care. For the purposes of this subdivision, "family psychoeducation services" means information or demonstration provided to an individual or family as part of an individual, family, multifamily group, or peer group session to explain, educate, and support the child and family in understanding a child's symptoms of mental illness, the impact on the child's development, and needed components of treatment and skill development so that the individual, family, or group can help the child to prevent relapse, prevent the acquisition of comorbid disorders, and achieve optimal mental health and long-term resilience.

Subd. 62.Mental health clinical care consultation.

Effective July 1, 2013, or upon federal approval, whichever is later, medical assistance covers clinical care consultation for a person up to age 21 who is diagnosed with a complex mental health condition or a mental health condition that co-occurs with other complex and chronic conditions, when described in the person's individual treatment plan and provided by a licensed mental health professional, as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0371, subpart 5, item A, or a clinical trainee, as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0371, subpart 5, item C. For the purposes of this subdivision, "clinical care consultation" means communication from a treating mental health professional to other providers or educators not under the clinical supervision of the treating mental health professional who are working with the same client to inform, inquire, and instruct regarding the client's symptoms; strategies for effective engagement, care, and intervention needs; and treatment expectations across service settings; and to direct and coordinate clinical service components provided to the client and family.

Subd. 63.Payment for multiple services provided on the same day.

The commissioner shall not prohibit payment, including supplemental payments, for mental health services or dental services provided to a patient by a clinic or health care professional solely because the mental health or dental services were provided on the same day as other covered health services furnished by the same provider.

History:

Ex1967 c 16 s 2; 1969 c 395 s 1; 1973 c 717 s 17; 1975 c 247 s 9; 1975 c 384 s 1; 1975 c 437 art 2 s 3; 1976 c 173 s 56; 1976 c 236 s 1; 1976 c 312 s 1; 1978 c 508 s 2; 1978 c 560 s 10; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 26,54; 1Sp1981 c 2 s 12; 1Sp1981 c 4 art 4 s 22; 3Sp1981 c 2 art 1 s 31; 1982 c 562 s 2; 1983 c 151 s 1,2; 1983 c 312 art 1 s 27; art 5 s 10; art 9 s 4; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1985 c 21 s 52-54; 1985 c 49 s 41; 1985 c 252 s 19,20; 1Sp1985 c 3 s 19; 1986 c 394 s 17; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 309 s 24; 1987 c 370 art 1 s 3; art 2 s 4; 1987 c 374 s 1; 1987 c 403 art 2 s 73,74; art 5 s 16; 1988 c 689 art 2 s 141,268; 1989 c 282 art 3 s 54-58; 1990 c 422 s 10; 1990 c 568 art 3 s 43-50,104; 1991 c 199 art 2 s 1; 1991 c 292 art 4 s 41-49; art 6 s 45; art 7 s 5,9-11; 1992 c 391 s 1,2; 1992 c 513 art 7 s 43-49; art 9 s 25; 1993 c 246 s 1,2; 1993 c 247 art 4 s 11; 1993 c 345 art 13 s 1; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 3 s 23; art 5 s 36-49; art 7 s 41-44; art 9 s 71; 1Sp1993 c 6 s 10; 1994 c 465 art 3 s 52; 1994 c 625 art 8 s 72; 1995 c 178 art 2 s 26; 1995 c 207 art 6 s 38-51; art 8 s 33; 1995 c 234 art 6 s 38; 1995 c 263 s 10; 1996 c 451 art 2 s 20; art 5 s 15,16; 1997 c 203 art 2 s 25; art 4 s 25,26; 1997 c 225 art 4 s 3; art 6 s 5,8; 1998 c 398 art 2 s 46; 1998 c 407 art 4 s 20-28; 1999 c 86 art 2 s 4; 1999 c 139 art 4 s 2; 1999 c 245 art 4 s 37-49,121; art 5 s 20; art 8 s 5,87; art 10 s 10; 2000 c 298 s 3; 2000 c 347 s 1; 2000 c 474 s 6,7; 2000 c 488 art 9 s 16; 2001 c 178 art 1 s 44; 2001 c 203 s 9; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 2 s 30-38; art 3 s 16-19; art 9 s 41,42; 2002 c 220 art 15 s 13; 2002 c 277 s 12-14,32; 2002 c 294 s 6; 2002 c 375 art 2 s 13-16; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 2003 c 112 art 2 s 50; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 3 s 25; art 4 s 4-7; art 11 s 11; art 12 s 33-36; 2004 c 288 art 5 s 3; art 6 s 22; 2005 c 10 art 1 s 48; 2005 c 56 s 1; 2005 c 98 art 2 s 3,4; 2005 c 147 art 1 s 67; 2005 c 155 art 3 s 2-6; 1Sp2005 c 4 art 2 s 8-10; art 7 s 13,14; art 8 s 29-40; 2006 c 282 art 16 s 6; 2007 c 147 art 4 s 5-7; art 5 s 9; art 6 s 18; art 7 s 6,7; art 8 s 19-21; art 11 s 17; art 15 s 16; art 16 s 16; 2008 c 326 art 1 s 29-32; 2008 c 363 art 15 s 4; art 17 s 9; 2009 c 79 art 5 s 25-36; art 7 s 18,20; art 8 s 18-21; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 109; 2009 c 159 s 89; 2009 c 167 s 13; 2009 c 173 art 1 s 20,21,41; art 3 s 9,10; 2010 c 200 art 1 s 4,5; 2010 c 303 s 4; 2010 c 307 s 1; 2010 c 310 art 1 s 1; art 6 s 2; art 7 s 1; art 8 s 1; art 9 s 1; art 10 s 1; art 11 s 1; art 12 s 1,2; 2010 c 352 art 1 s 7; 1Sp2010 c 1 art 16 s 8-15; art 24 s 4; 2011 c 76 art 1 s 37; 2011 c 86 s 17,18; 1Sp2011 c 9 art 6 s 28-48; art 7 s 8; art 8 s 6; 1Sp2011 c 11 art 3 s 12; 2012 c 169 s 1; 2012 c 181 s 1; 2012 c 187 art 3 s 12; 2012 c 216 art 9 s 11; art 11 s 1; art 12 s 8; art 13 s 7-11; 2012 c 247 art 1 s 3-9,27; 2013 c 81 s 4-10; 2013 c 108 art 4 s 17-20; art 6 s 8-16; art 9 s 10; 2013 c 125 art 1 s 107; 2014 c 262 art 5 s 6; 2014 c 275 art 1 s 58; 2014 c 286 art 7 s 8,13; art 8 s 31; 2014 c 291 art 9 s 1,5; 2014 c 311 s 18; 2014 c 312 art 24 s 28-35

NOTE: Subdivision 16 was found unconstitutional with regard to public funding for medical services related to therapeutic abortions. Women of State of Minn. by Doe v. Gomez, 542 N.W.2d 17 (Minn. 1995).

NOTE: Subdivision 28b, as added by Laws 2013, chapter 108, article 6, section 11, is effective July 1, 2014, or upon federal approval, whichever is later, and applies to services provided on or after the effective date. Laws 2013, chapter 108, article 6, section 11, the effective date.

NOTE: Subdivision 50 as added by Laws 2007, chapter 147, article 7, section 7, is effective upon federal approval of the state Medicaid plan amendment. Laws 2007, chapter 147, article 7, section 7, the effective date.

NOTE: Subdivision 53, as added by Laws 2009, chapter 173, article 3, section 10, is effective August 1, 2009, or upon federal approval, whichever is later. Laws 2009, chapter 173, article 3, section 10, the effective date.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes