2002 Minnesota Statutes

     119B.13 Child care rates. 

    Subdivision 1.    Subsidy restrictions.  The maximum 
 rate paid for child care assistance under the child care fund 
 may not exceed the 75th percentile rate for like-care 
 arrangements in the county as surveyed by the commissioner.  A 
 rate which includes a provider bonus paid under subdivision 2 or 
 a special needs rate paid under subdivision 3 may be in excess 
 of the maximum rate allowed under this subdivision.  The 
 department shall monitor the effect of this paragraph on 
 provider rates.  The county shall pay the provider's full 
 charges for every child in care up to the maximum established.  
 The commissioner shall determine the maximum rate for each type 
 of care, including special needs and handicapped care.  Not less 
 than once every two years, the commissioner shall evaluate 
 market practices for payment of absences and shall establish 
 policies for payment of absent days that reflect current market 
 practice. 

    When the provider charge is greater than the maximum 
 provider rate allowed, the parent is responsible for payment of 
 the difference in the rates in addition to any family copayment 
 fee. 

    Subd. 2.    Provider rate bonus for accreditation.  A 
 family child care provider or child care center shall be paid a 
 ten percent bonus above the maximum rate established in 
 subdivision 1, if the provider or center holds a current early 
 childhood development credential approved by the commissioner, 
 up to the actual provider rate.  

    Subd. 3.    Provider rate for care of children with 
 handicaps or special needs.  Counties shall reimburse 
 providers for the care of children with handicaps or special 
 needs, at a special rate to be approved by the county for care 
 of these children, subject to the approval of the commissioner. 

    Subd. 4.    Rates charged to publicly subsidized families. 
  Child care providers receiving reimbursement under this 
 chapter may not charge a rate to clients receiving assistance 
 under this chapter that is higher than the private, full-paying 
 client rate. 

    Subd. 5.    Provider notice.  The county shall inform 
 both the family receiving assistance under this chapter and the 
 child care provider of the payment amount and how and when 
 payment will be received.  If the county sends a family a notice 
 that child care assistance will be terminated, the county shall 
 inform the provider that unless the family requests to continue 
 to receive assistance pending an appeal, child care payments 
 will no longer be made.  The notice to the provider must not 
 contain any private data on the family or information on why 
 payment will no longer be made. 

    Subd. 6.    Provider payments.  Counties or the state 
 shall make vendor payments to the child care provider or pay the 
 parent directly for eligible child care expenses.  If payments 
 for child care assistance are made to providers, the provider 
 shall bill the county for services provided within ten days of 
 the end of the month of service.  If bills are submitted in 
 accordance with the provisions of this subdivision, a county or 
 the state shall issue payment to the provider of child care 
 under the child care fund within 30 days of receiving an invoice 
 from the provider.  Counties or the state may establish policies 
 that make payments on a more frequent basis.  A county's payment 
 policies must be included in the county's child care plan under 
 section 119B.08, subdivision 3.  If payments are made by the 
 state, in addition to being in compliance with this subdivision, 
 the payments must be made in compliance with section 16A.124. 

    HIST: 1Sp1985 c 14 art 9 s 72; 1987 c 290 s 1; 1989 c 282 art 
 2 s 151; 1990 c 568 art 4 s 52,53; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 58-60; 
 1995 c 207 art 4 s 36; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1997 c 162 art 4 
 s 38-40; 1Sp1997 c 5 s 48; 1999 c 205 art 1 s 34; 1Sp2001 c 3 
 art 1 s 6