Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a state public health option in the omnibus health and human services appropriations bill.

Highlights:

• Establishes new provisions for governing childcare, child safety, child support, economic assistance, deep poverty, housing​, homelessness, behavioral health, the medical education and research cost​ account, MinnesotaCare, medical assistance, background studies, and human​ services licensing and other services (Sec.1a). 

• Establishes the Department of Youth, Children, and Families (Sec.1a).

• Requires hospitals and medical facilities to provide scientifically accurate educational materials concerning contraception (Sec.1). 

• Requires a medical commissioner to pay in a timely manner claims under medical assistance and if they do not then they must pay interest on the claim for the period (Sec.3). 

• Specifies that hospital costs effective July 1, 2023 will reflect the changes set forth regarding cost differences between the existing base year and one year prior (sec.4).

• Specifies that critical access hospitals located in Minnesota must use inpatient payment rates that are 100 percent of their base year costs inflated to the year prior (Sec.4).

• Specifies that the Minnesota department of health will calculate the difference between outpatient pharmacy claims from those on the prepaid health plans (Sec.5). 

• Specifies that the prior section will go into effect on January 1, 2026 (Sec.5).

• Specifies that for admissions that occur post-January 1st 2023 that long-term hospitals must be paid a higher per diem (Sec.6).

• Requires the medical commissioner to provide reimbursements for long-term reversible contraceptives (Sec.7).

• Authorizes those who are under the age of 26 who have been through the foster care system to receive medical assistance (Sec.7).

• Requires that medical assistance coverage for prescription contraceptives must include a 12 month supply and this will go into effect on January 1, 2024. (Sec.7).

• Requires the formulary committee for determining medical assistance be made up of 5 licensed physicians with one of them being a practicing psychiatrist, another being a specialist in rare diseases, a pediatrician, a disabilities specialist, a practicing local pharmacist, and others whom shall vote on a chairperson and meet 4 times a year ( Sec.11).

• Requires that the commissioner enlist professional doula services and provide direct reimbursement for their services (Sec.14). 

• Requires the commissioner to establish a payment rate that is equivalent to the AIR payment established by Indian health services for federally qualified health centers and rural clinics (Sec. 15). 

Full Bill Text