Bill Text: MN HF262 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Community paramedic certification created, commissioner required to determine medical assistance-covered services performed by community paramedics, and to evaluate the effect of coverage of services by a community paramedic.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 14-5)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-21 - HF indefinitely postponed [HF262 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-HF262-Engrossed.html
1.2relating to human services; creating a certification for community paramedics;
1.3requiring the commissioner to determine medical assistance-covered services
1.4performed by community paramedics; requiring the commissioner to evaluate the
1.5effect of coverage of services by a community paramedic;amending Minnesota
1.6Statutes 2010, sections 144E.001, by adding a subdivision; 144E.28, by adding a
1.7subdivision.
1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 144E.001, is amended by adding a
1.10subdivision to read:
1.11 Subd. 5f. Emergency medical technician-community paramedic. "Emergency
1.12medical technician-community paramedic," "EMT-CP," or "community paramedic" means
1.13a person who is certified as an EMT-P and who meets the requirements for additional
1.14certification as an EMT-CP as specified in section 144E.28, subdivision 9.
1.15EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2011.
1.16 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 144E.28, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.17to read:
1.18 Subd. 9. Community paramedics. (a) To be eligible for certification by the board
1.19as an EMT-CP, an individual shall:
1.20(1) be currently certified as an EMT-P, and have two years of full-time service
1.21as an EMT-P, or the part-time equivalent;
1.22(2) successfully complete a community paramedic training program from a college
1.23or university that has been approved by the board or accredited by a board-approved
1.24national accreditation organization. The training program must include clinical experience
2.1that is provided under the supervision of an ambulance medical director, advanced practice
2.2registered nurse, physician assistant, or public health nurse operating under the direct
2.3authority of a local unit of government; and
2.4(3) complete a board-approved application form.
2.5(b) A community paramedic must practice in accordance with protocols and
2.6supervisory standards established by an ambulance service medical director in accordance
2.7with section 144E.265. A community paramedic may provide services as directed by
2.8a patient care plan if the plan has been developed by the patient's primary physician,
2.9an advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant, in conjunction with
2.10the ambulance service medical director and relevant local health care providers. The
2.11patient care plan must ensure that the services provided by the community paramedic are
2.12consistent with the services offered by the patient's health care home, if one exists, that
2.13the patient receives the necessary services, and that there is no duplication of services
2.14to the patient.
2.15(c) A community paramedic is subject to all certification, disciplinary, complaint,
2.16and other regulatory requirements that apply to EMT-Ps under this chapter.
2.17EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2011.
2.18 Sec. 3. COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC SERVICES COVERED UNDER THE
2.19MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
2.20(a) The commissioner of human services, in consultation with representatives
2.21of emergency medical service providers, physicians, public health nurses, and local
2.22public health agencies, shall determine specified services and payment rates for these
2.23services to be performed by community paramedics certified under Minnesota Statutes,
2.24section 144E.28, subdivision 9, to be covered by medical assistance under Minnesota
2.25Statutes, section 256B.0625. Services may include interventions intended to prevent
2.26avoidable ambulance transportation or hospital emergency department use, including the
2.27performance of minor medical procedures, initial assessments within the paramedic scope
2.28of practice, care coordination, diagnosis related to patient education, and the monitoring of
2.29chronic disease management directives in accordance with educational preparation.
2.30(b) Payment for services provided by a community paramedic must be ordered by an
2.31ambulance medical director, must be part of a patient care plan that has been developed in
2.32coordination with the patient's primary physician and relevant local health care providers,
2.33and must be billed by an eligible medical assistance enrolled provider that employs or
2.34contracts with the community paramedic. In determining the community paramedic
2.35services to include under medical assistance coverage, the commissioner shall consider
3.1the potential of hospital admittance and emergency room utilization reductions as well
3.2as increased access to quality care in rural communities.
3.3(c) The commissioner shall submit the list of services to be covered by medical
3.4assistance to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate Health and Human
3.5Services Budget and Policy Committee and the house of representatives Health and
3.6Human Services Finance Committee by January 15, 2012. These services shall not be
3.7covered by medical assistance until further legislative action is taken.
3.8 Sec. 4. EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC SERVICES.
3.9The commissioner of human services shall evaluate the effect of medical assistance
3.10and MinnesotaCare coverage of community paramedic services on the cost and quality of
3.11care under those programs and the coordination of these services with health care home
3.12services. The commissioner shall present findings to the chairs and ranking minority
3.13members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services by
3.14December 1, 2014. The commissioner shall require medical assistance and MinnesotaCare
3.15enrolled providers that employ or contract with community paramedics to provide to the
3.16commissioner, in the form and manner specified by the commissioner, the utilization, cost,
3.17and quality data necessary to conduct this evaluation.
1.3requiring the commissioner to determine medical assistance-covered services
1.4performed by community paramedics; requiring the commissioner to evaluate the
1.5effect of coverage of services by a community paramedic;amending Minnesota
1.6Statutes 2010, sections 144E.001, by adding a subdivision; 144E.28, by adding a
1.7subdivision.
1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 144E.001, is amended by adding a
1.10subdivision to read:
1.11 Subd. 5f. Emergency medical technician-community paramedic. "Emergency
1.12medical technician-community paramedic," "EMT-CP," or "community paramedic" means
1.13a person who is certified as an EMT-P and who meets the requirements for additional
1.14certification as an EMT-CP as specified in section 144E.28, subdivision 9.
1.15EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2011.
1.16 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 144E.28, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.17to read:
1.18 Subd. 9. Community paramedics. (a) To be eligible for certification by the board
1.19as an EMT-CP, an individual shall:
1.20(1) be currently certified as an EMT-P, and have two years of full-time service
1.21as an EMT-P, or the part-time equivalent;
1.22(2) successfully complete a community paramedic training program from a college
1.23or university that has been approved by the board or accredited by a board-approved
1.24national accreditation organization. The training program must include clinical experience
2.1that is provided under the supervision of an ambulance medical director, advanced practice
2.2registered nurse, physician assistant, or public health nurse operating under the direct
2.3authority of a local unit of government; and
2.4(3) complete a board-approved application form.
2.5(b) A community paramedic must practice in accordance with protocols and
2.6supervisory standards established by an ambulance service medical director in accordance
2.7with section 144E.265. A community paramedic may provide services as directed by
2.8a patient care plan if the plan has been developed by the patient's primary physician,
2.9an advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant, in conjunction with
2.10the ambulance service medical director and relevant local health care providers. The
2.11patient care plan must ensure that the services provided by the community paramedic are
2.12consistent with the services offered by the patient's health care home, if one exists, that
2.13the patient receives the necessary services, and that there is no duplication of services
2.14to the patient.
2.15(c) A community paramedic is subject to all certification, disciplinary, complaint,
2.16and other regulatory requirements that apply to EMT-Ps under this chapter.
2.17EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2011.
2.18 Sec. 3. COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC SERVICES COVERED UNDER THE
2.19MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
2.20(a) The commissioner of human services, in consultation with representatives
2.21of emergency medical service providers, physicians, public health nurses, and local
2.22public health agencies, shall determine specified services and payment rates for these
2.23services to be performed by community paramedics certified under Minnesota Statutes,
2.24section 144E.28, subdivision 9, to be covered by medical assistance under Minnesota
2.25Statutes, section 256B.0625. Services may include interventions intended to prevent
2.26avoidable ambulance transportation or hospital emergency department use, including the
2.27performance of minor medical procedures, initial assessments within the paramedic scope
2.28of practice, care coordination, diagnosis related to patient education, and the monitoring of
2.29chronic disease management directives in accordance with educational preparation.
2.30(b) Payment for services provided by a community paramedic must be ordered by an
2.31ambulance medical director, must be part of a patient care plan that has been developed in
2.32coordination with the patient's primary physician and relevant local health care providers,
2.33and must be billed by an eligible medical assistance enrolled provider that employs or
2.34contracts with the community paramedic. In determining the community paramedic
2.35services to include under medical assistance coverage, the commissioner shall consider
3.1the potential of hospital admittance and emergency room utilization reductions as well
3.2as increased access to quality care in rural communities.
3.3(c) The commissioner shall submit the list of services to be covered by medical
3.4assistance to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate Health and Human
3.5Services Budget and Policy Committee and the house of representatives Health and
3.6Human Services Finance Committee by January 15, 2012. These services shall not be
3.7covered by medical assistance until further legislative action is taken.
3.8 Sec. 4. EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC SERVICES.
3.9The commissioner of human services shall evaluate the effect of medical assistance
3.10and MinnesotaCare coverage of community paramedic services on the cost and quality of
3.11care under those programs and the coordination of these services with health care home
3.12services. The commissioner shall present findings to the chairs and ranking minority
3.13members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services by
3.14December 1, 2014. The commissioner shall require medical assistance and MinnesotaCare
3.15enrolled providers that employ or contract with community paramedics to provide to the
3.16commissioner, in the form and manner specified by the commissioner, the utilization, cost,
3.17and quality data necessary to conduct this evaluation.
