Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Office of the Revisor of Statutes

Chapter 256B

Section 256B.69

Topics

Recent History

256B.69 Prepayment demonstration project.

Subdivision 1. Purpose. The commissioner of human services shall establish a medical assistance demonstration project to determine whether prepayment combined with better management of health care services is an effective mechanism to ensure that all eligible individuals receive necessary health care in a coordinated fashion while containing costs. For the purposes of this project, waiver of certain statutory provisions is necessary in accordance with this section.

Subd. 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given.

(a) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of human services. For the remainder of this section, the commissioner's responsibilities for methods and policies for implementing the project will be proposed by the project advisory committees and approved by the commissioner.

(b) "Demonstration provider" means a health maintenance organization or community integrated service network authorized and operating under chapter 62D or 62N that participates in the demonstration project according to criteria, standards, methods, and other requirements established for the project and approved by the commissioner. Notwithstanding the above, Itasca county may continue to participate as a demonstration provider until July 1, 2000.

(c) "Eligible individuals" means those persons eligible for medical assistance benefits as defined in sections 256B.055, 256B.056, and 256B.06.

(d) "Limitation of choice" means suspending freedom of choice while allowing eligible individuals to choose among the demonstration providers.

(e) This paragraph supersedes paragraph (c) as long as the Minnesota health care reform waiver remains in effect. When the waiver expires, this paragraph expires and the commissioner of human services shall publish a notice in the State Register and notify the revisor of statutes. "Eligible individuals" means those persons eligible for medical assistance benefits as defined in sections 256B.055, 256B.056, and 256B.06. Notwithstanding sections 256B.055, 256B.056, and 256B.06, an individual who becomes ineligible for the program because of failure to submit income reports or recertification forms in a timely manner, shall remain enrolled in the prepaid health plan and shall remain eligible to receive medical assistance coverage through the last day of the month following the month in which the enrollee became ineligible for the medical assistance program.

Subd. 3. Geographic area. The commissioner shall designate the geographic areas in which eligible individuals may be included in the medical assistance prepayment programs.

Subd. 3a. County authority. (a) The commissioner, when implementing the general assistance medical care, or medical assistance prepayment program within a county, must include the county board in the process of development, approval, and issuance of the request for proposals to provide services to eligible individuals within the proposed county. County boards must be given reasonable opportunity to make recommendations regarding the development, issuance, review of responses, and changes needed in the request for proposals. The commissioner must provide county boards the opportunity to review each proposal based on the identification of community needs under chapters 145A and 256E and county advocacy activities. If a county board finds that a proposal does not address certain community needs, the county board and commissioner shall continue efforts for improving the proposal and network prior to the approval of the contract. The county board shall make recommendations regarding the approval of local networks and their operations to ensure adequate availability and access to covered services. The provider or health plan must respond directly to county advocates and the state prepaid medical assistance ombudsperson regarding service delivery and must be accountable to the state regarding contracts with medical assistance and general assistance medical care funds. The county board may recommend a maximum number of participating health plans after considering the size of the enrolling population; ensuring adequate access and capacity; considering the client and county administrative complexity; and considering the need to promote the viability of locally developed health plans. The county board or a single entity representing a group of county boards and the commissioner shall mutually select health plans for participation at the time of initial implementation of the prepaid medical assistance program in that county or group of counties and at the time of contract renewal. The commissioner shall also seek input for contract requirements from the county or single entity representing a group of county boards at each contract renewal and incorporate those recommendations into the contract negotiation process. The commissioner, in conjunction with the county board, shall actively seek to develop a mutually agreeable timetable prior to the development of the request for proposal, but counties must agree to initial enrollment beginning on or before January 1, 1999, in either the prepaid medical assistance and general assistance medical care programs or county-based purchasing under section 256B.692. At least 90 days before enrollment in the medical assistance and general assistance medical care prepaid programs begins in a county in which the prepaid programs have not been established, the commissioner shall provide a report to the chairs of senate and house committees having jurisdiction over state health care programs which verifies that the commissioner complied with the requirements for county involvement that are specified in this subdivision.

(b) The commissioner shall seek a federal waiver to allow a fee-for-service plan option to MinnesotaCare enrollees. The commissioner shall develop an increase of the premium fees required under section 256L.06 up to 20 percent of the premium fees for the enrollees who elect the fee-for-service option. Prior to implementation, the commissioner shall submit this fee schedule to the chair and ranking minority member of the senate health care committee, the senate health care and family services funding division, the house of representatives health and human services committee, and the house of representatives health and human services finance division.

(c) At the option of the county board, the board may develop contract requirements related to the achievement of local public health goals to meet the health needs of medical assistance and general assistance medical care enrollees. These requirements must be reasonably related to the performance of health plan functions and within the scope of the medical assistance and general assistance medical care benefit sets. If the county board and the commissioner mutually agree to such requirements, the department shall include such requirements in all health plan contracts governing the prepaid medical assistance and general assistance medical care programs in that county at initial implementation of the program in that county and at the time of contract renewal. The county board may participate in the enforcement of the contract provisions related to local public health goals.

(d) For counties in which prepaid medical assistance and general assistance medical care programs have not been established, the commissioner shall not implement those programs if a county board submits acceptable and timely preliminary and final proposals under section 256B.692, until county-based purchasing is no longer operational in that county. For counties in which prepaid medical assistance and general assistance medical care programs are in existence on or after September 1, 1997, the commissioner must terminate contracts with health plans according to section 256B.692, subdivision 5, if the county board submits and the commissioner accepts preliminary and final proposals according to that subdivision. The commissioner is not required to terminate contracts that begin on or after September 1, 1997, according to section 256B.692 until two years have elapsed from the date of initial enrollment.

(e) In the event that a county board or a single entity representing a group of county boards and the commissioner cannot reach agreement regarding: (i) the selection of participating health plans in that county; (ii) contract requirements; or (iii) implementation and enforcement of county requirements including provisions regarding local public health goals, the commissioner shall resolve all disputes after taking into account the recommendations of a three-person mediation panel. The panel shall be composed of one designee of the president of the association of Minnesota counties, one designee of the commissioner of human services, and one designee of the commissioner of health.

(f) If a county which elects to implement county-based purchasing ceases to implement county-based purchasing, it is prohibited from assuming the responsibility of county-based purchasing for a period of five years from the date it discontinues purchasing.

Subd. 4. Limitation of choice. The commissioner shall develop criteria to determine when limitation of choice may be implemented in the experimental counties. The criteria shall ensure that all eligible individuals in the county have continuing access to the full range of medical assistance services as specified in subdivision 6. The commissioner shall exempt the following persons from participation in the project, in addition to those who do not meet the criteria for limitation of choice: (1) persons eligible for medical assistance according to section 256B.055, subdivision 1; (2) persons eligible for medical assistance due to blindness or disability as determined by the social security administration or the state medical review team, unless: (i) they are 65 years of age or older, or (ii) they reside in Itasca county or they reside in a county in which the commissioner conducts a pilot project under a waiver granted pursuant to section 1115 of the Social Security Act; (3) recipients who currently have private coverage through a health maintenance organization; (4) recipients who are eligible for medical assistance by spending down excess income for medical expenses other than the nursing facility per diem expense; (5) recipients who receive benefits under the Refugee Assistance Program, established under United States Code, title 8, section 1522(e); (6) children who are both determined to be severely emotionally disturbed and receiving case management services according to section 256B.0625, subdivision 20; and (7) adults who are both determined to be seriously and persistently mentally ill and received case management services according to section 256B.0625, subdivision 20. Children under age 21 who are in foster placement may enroll in the project on an elective basis. Individuals excluded under clauses (6) and (7) may choose to enroll on an elective basis. The commissioner may allow persons with a one-month spenddown who are otherwise eligible to enroll to voluntarily enroll or remain enrolled, if they elect to prepay their monthly spenddown to the state. Beginning on or after July 1, 1997, the commissioner may require those individuals to enroll in the prepaid medical assistance program who otherwise would have been excluded under clauses (1) and (3) and under Minnesota Rules, part 9500.1452, subpart 2, items H, K, and L. Before limitation of choice is implemented, eligible individuals shall be notified and after notification, shall be allowed to choose only among demonstration providers. The commissioner may assign an individual with private coverage through a health maintenance organization, to the same health maintenance organization for medical assistance coverage, if the health maintenance organization is under contract for medical assistance in the individual's county of residence. After initially choosing a provider, the recipient is allowed to change that choice only at specified times as allowed by the commissioner. If a demonstration provider ends participation in the project for any reason, a recipient enrolled with that provider must select a new provider but may change providers without cause once more within the first 60 days after enrollment with the second provider.

Subd. 4a. Repealed, 1996 c 451 art 5 s 39

Subd. 5. Prospective per capita payment. The commissioner shall establish the method and amount of payments for services. The commissioner shall annually contract with demonstration providers to provide services consistent with these established methods and amounts for payment.

If allowed by the commissioner, a demonstration provider may contract with an insurer, health care provider, nonprofit health service plan corporation, or the commissioner, to provide insurance or similar protection against the cost of care provided by the demonstration provider or to provide coverage against the risks incurred by demonstration providers under this section. The recipients enrolled with a demonstration provider are a permissible group under group insurance laws and chapter 62C, the Nonprofit Health Service Plan Corporations Act. Under this type of contract, the insurer or corporation may make benefit payments to a demonstration provider for services rendered or to be rendered to a recipient. Any insurer or nonprofit health service plan corporation licensed to do business in this state is authorized to provide this insurance or similar protection.

Payments to providers participating in the project are exempt from the requirements of sections 256.966 and 256B.03, subdivision 2. The commissioner shall complete development of capitation rates for payments before delivery of services under this section is begun. For payments made during calendar year 1990 and later years, the commissioner shall contract with an independent actuary to establish prepayment rates.

By January 15, 1996, the commissioner shall report to the legislature on the methodology used to allocate to participating counties available administrative reimbursement for advocacy and enrollment costs. The report shall reflect the commissioner's judgment as to the adequacy of the funds made available and of the methodology for equitable distribution of the funds. The commissioner must involve participating counties in the development of the report.

Subd. 5a. Managed care contracts. Managed care contracts under this section, sections 256.9363, and 256D.03, shall be entered into or renewed on a calendar year basis beginning January 1, 1996. Managed care contracts which were in effect on June 30, 1995, and set to renew on July 1, 1995, shall be renewed for the period July 1, 1995 through December 31, 1995 at the same terms that were in effect on June 30, 1995.

Subd. 5b. Prospective reimbursement rates. For prepaid medical assistance and general assistance medical care program contract rates set by the commissioner under subdivision 5 and effective on or after January 1, 1998, capitation rates for nonmetropolitan counties shall on a weighted average be no less than 88 percent of the capitation rates for metropolitan counties, excluding Hennepin county. The commissioner shall make a pro rata adjustment in capitation rates paid to counties other than nonmetropolitan counties in order to make this provision budget neutral.

Subd. 5c. Medical education and research trust fund. (a) Beginning in January 1999 and each year thereafter:

(1) the commissioner of human services shall transfer an amount equal to the reduction in the prepaid medical assistance and prepaid general assistance medical care payments resulting from clause (2), excluding nursing facility and elderly waiver payments, to the medical education and research trust fund established under section 62J.69;

(2) the county medical assistance and general assistance medical care capitation base rate prior to plan specific adjustments shall be reduced 6.3 percent for Hennepin county, two percent for the remaining metropolitan counties, and 1.6 percent for nonmetropolitan Minnesota counties; and

(3) the amount calculated under clause (1) shall not be adjusted for subsequent changes to the capitation payments for periods already paid.

(b) This subdivision shall be effective upon approval of a federal waiver which allows federal financial participation in the medical education and research trust fund.

Subd. 5d. Modification of payment dates effective January 1, 2001. Effective for services rendered on or after January 1, 2001, capitation payments under this section and under section 256D.03 shall be made no earlier than the first day after the month of service.

Subd. 6. Service delivery. (a) Each demonstration provider shall be responsible for the health care coordination for eligible individuals. Demonstration providers:

(1) shall authorize and arrange for the provision of all needed health services including but not limited to the full range of services listed in sections 256B.02, subdivision 8, and 256B.0625 in order to ensure appropriate health care is delivered to enrollees;

(2) shall accept the prospective, per capita payment from the commissioner in return for the provision of comprehensive and coordinated health care services for eligible individuals enrolled in the program;

(3) may contract with other health care and social service practitioners to provide services to enrollees; and

(4) shall institute recipient grievance procedures according to the method established by the project, utilizing applicable requirements of chapter 62D. Disputes not resolved through this process shall be appealable to the commissioner as provided in subdivision 11.

(b) Demonstration providers must comply with the standards for claims settlement under section 72A.201, subdivisions 4, 5, 7, and 8, when contracting with other health care and social service practitioners to provide services to enrollees. A demonstration provider must pay a clean claim, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 447.45(b), within 30 business days of the date of acceptance of the claim.

Subd. 6a. Nursing home services. (a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Rules, part 9500.1457, subpart 1, item B, nursing facility services as defined in section 256B.0625, subdivision 2, which are provided in a nursing facility certified by the Minnesota department of health for services provided and eligible for payment under Medicaid, shall be covered under the prepaid medical assistance program for individuals who are not residing in a nursing facility at the time of enrollment in the prepaid medical assistance program. Liability for coverage of nursing facility services by a participating health plan is limited to 365 days for any person enrolled under the prepaid medical assistance program.

(b) For individuals enrolled in the Minnesota senior health options project authorized under subdivision 23, nursing facility services shall be covered according to the terms and conditions of the federal waiver governing that demonstration project.

Subd. 6b. Elderly waiver services. Notwithstanding Minnesota Rules, part 9500.1457, subpart 1, item C, elderly waiver services shall be covered under the prepaid medical assistance program for all individuals who are eligible according to section 256B.0915. For individuals enrolled in the Minnesota senior health options project authorized under subdivision 23, elderly waiver services shall be covered according to the terms and conditions of the federal waiver governing that demonstration project.

Subd. 7. Enrollee benefits. All eligible individuals enrolled by demonstration providers shall receive all needed health care services as defined in subdivision 6.

All enrolled individuals have the right to appeal if necessary services are not being authorized as defined in subdivision 11.

Subd. 8. Preadmission screening waiver. Except as applicable to the project's operation, the provisions of section 256B.0911 are waived for the purposes of this section for recipients enrolled with demonstration providers.

Subd. 9. Reporting. Each demonstration provider shall submit information as required by the commissioner, including data required for assessing client satisfaction, quality of care, cost, and utilization of services for purposes of project evaluation. The commissioner shall also develop methods of data collection from county advocacy activities in order to provide aggregate enrollee information on encounters and outcomes to determine access and quality assurance. Required information shall be specified before the commissioner contracts with a demonstration provider.

Subd. 10. Information. Notwithstanding any law or rule to the contrary, the commissioner may allow disclosure of the recipient's identity solely for the purposes of (a) allowing demonstration providers to provide the information to the recipient regarding services, access to services, and other provider characteristics, and (b) facilitating monitoring of recipient satisfaction and quality of care. The commissioner shall develop and implement measures to protect recipients from invasions of privacy and from harassment.

Subd. 11. Appeals. A recipient may appeal to the commissioner a demonstration provider's delay or refusal to provide services, according to section 256.045.

Subd. 12. Repealed, 1989 c 282 art 3 s 98

Subd. 13. Repealed, 1989 c 282 art 3 s 98

Subd. 14. Repealed, 1989 c 282 art 3 s 98

Subd. 15. Repealed, 1989 c 282 art 3 s 98

Subd. 16. Project extension. Minnesota Rules, parts 9500.1450; 9500.1451; 9500.1452; 9500.1453; 9500.1454; 9500.1455; 9500.1456; 9500.1457; 9500.1458; 9500.1459; 9500.1460; 9500.1461; 9500.1462; 9500.1463; and 9500.1464 are extended.

Subd. 17. Continuation of prepaid medical assistance. The commissioner may continue the provisions of this section after June 30, 1990, in any or all of the participating counties if necessary federal authority is granted. The commissioner may adopt permanent rules to continue prepaid medical assistance in these areas.

Subd. 18. Services pending appeal. If the recipient appeals in writing to the state agency on or before the tenth day after the decision of the prepaid health plan to reduce, suspend, or terminate services which the recipient had been receiving, and the treating physician or another plan physician orders the services to be continued at the previous level, the prepaid health plan must continue to provide services at a level equal to the level ordered by the plan's physician until the state agency renders its decision.

Subd. 19. Limitation on reimbursement to providers not affiliated with a prepaid health plan. A prepaid health plan may limit any reimbursement it may be required to pay to providers not employed by or under contract with the prepaid health plan to the medical assistance rates for medical assistance enrollees, and the general assistance medical care rates for general assistance medical care enrollees, paid by the commissioner of human services to providers for services to recipients not enrolled in a prepaid health plan.

Subd. 20. Ombudsperson. The commissioner shall designate an ombudsperson to advocate for persons required to enroll in prepaid health plans under this section. The ombudsperson shall advocate for recipients enrolled in prepaid health plans through complaint and appeal procedures and ensure that necessary medical services are provided either by the prepaid health plan directly or by referral to appropriate social services. At the time of enrollment in a prepaid health plan, the local agency shall inform recipients about the ombudsperson program and their right to a resolution of a complaint by the prepaid health plan if they experience a problem with the plan or its providers.

Subd. 21. Prepayment coordinator. The county board shall designate a prepayment coordinator to assist the state agency in implementing this section and section 256D.03, subdivision 4. Assistance must include educating recipients about available health care options, enrolling recipients under subdivision 5, providing necessary eligibility and enrollment information to health plans and the state agency, and coordinating complaints and appeals with the ombudsman established in subdivision 18.

Subd. 22. Impact on public or teaching hospitals and community clinics. (a) Before implementing prepaid programs in counties with a county operated or affiliated public teaching hospital or a hospital or clinic operated by the University of Minnesota, the commissioner shall consider the risks the prepaid program creates for the hospital and allow the county or hospital the opportunity to participate in the program, provided the terms of participation in the program are competitive with the terms of other participants.

(b) Prepaid health plans serving counties with a nonprofit community clinic or community health services agency must contract with the clinic or agency to provide services to clients who choose to receive services from the clinic or agency, if the clinic or agency agrees to payment rates that are competitive with rates paid to other health plan providers for the same or similar services.

Subd. 23. Alternative integrated long-term care services; elderly and disabled persons. (a) The commissioner may implement demonstration projects to create alternative integrated delivery systems for acute and long-term care services to elderly and disabled persons that provide increased coordination, improve access to quality services, and mitigate future cost increases. The commissioner may seek federal authority to combine Medicare and Medicaid capitation payments for the purpose of such demonstrations. Medicare funds and services shall be administered according to the terms and conditions of the federal waiver and demonstration provisions. For the purpose of administering medical assistance funds, demonstrations under this subdivision are subject to subdivisions 1 to 17. The provisions of Minnesota Rules, parts 9500.1450 to 9500.1464, apply to these demonstrations, with the exceptions of parts 9500.1452, subpart 2, item B; and 9500.1457, subpart 1, items B and C, which do not apply to elderly persons enrolling in demonstrations under this section. An initial open enrollment period may be provided. Persons who disenroll from demonstrations under this subdivision remain subject to Minnesota Rules, parts 9500.1450 to 9500.1464. When a person is enrolled in a health plan under these demonstrations and the health plan's participation is subsequently terminated for any reason, the person shall be provided an opportunity to select a new health plan and shall have the right to change health plans within the first 60 days of enrollment in the second health plan. Persons required to participate in health plans under this section who fail to make a choice of health plan shall not be randomly assigned to health plans under these demonstrations. Notwithstanding section 256L.12, subdivision 5, and Minnesota Rules, part 9505.5220, subpart 1, item A, if adopted, for the purpose of demonstrations under this subdivision, the commissioner may contract with managed care organizations to serve only elderly persons eligible for medical assistance, elderly and disabled persons, or disabled persons only.

Before implementation of a demonstration project for disabled persons, the commissioner must provide information to appropriate committees of the house of representatives and senate and must involve representatives of affected disability groups in the design of the demonstration projects.

(b) A nursing facility reimbursed under the alternative reimbursement methodology in section 256B.434 may, in collaboration with a hospital, clinic, or other health care entity provide services under paragraph (a). The commissioner shall amend the state plan and seek any federal waivers necessary to implement this paragraph.

Subd. 24. Enrollment exemption. Persons eligible for services under section 256B.0915 who have income in excess of the level permitted under section 256B.056 without a spenddown but below the MSA equivalent rate as defined in section 256I.03, subdivision 5, plus the medical assistance personal needs allowance as defined in section 256B.35, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), shall be exempt from mandatory enrollment in the prepaid medical assistance program under this section unless otherwise directed by the legislature, except for those persons who were initially enrolled in the prepaid medical assistance program while residing in a nursing home or whose income changed after initial enrollment in the prepaid medical assistance program. Nothing in this subdivision shall require persons who are required to enroll in the prepaid medical assistance program to disenroll from that program or from the Minnesota senior health options project after initial enrollment.

HIST: 1983 c 312 art 5 s 27; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1987 c 403 art 2 s 95-101; 1988 c 689 art 2 s 182,183,268; 1989 c 209 art 1 s 23; 1989 c 282 art 3 s 87-90; 1990 c 426 art 1 s 29; 1990 c 568 art 3 s 83,84; 1991 c 292 art 7 s 25; 1994 c 529 s 11; 1995 c 207 art 6 s 90-102; art 7 s 41; 1995 c 234 art 6 s 40,41; 1996 c 451 art 2 s 33-37; art 5 s 32; 1997 c 203 art 2 s 26; art 4 s 48-55

* NOTE: The amendment to subdivision 4 by Laws 1996, chapter *451, article 2, section 34, is effective the day following final *enactment and upon federal approval. Laws 1996, chapter 451, *article 2, section 62, paragraphs (d) and (f).

* NOTE: Subdivisions 6a and 6b, as added by Laws 1997, *chapter 203, article 4, sections 53 and 54, are effective July *1, 1999. Laws 1997, chapter 203, article 4, section 74.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes