Bill Text: MN HF3288 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Community emergency medical technician (EMT) certification created; human services commissioner required to submit proposed services and payment rates for coverage of community EMT services under medical assistance to the legislature, and evaluate community paramedic services.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-26 - Introduction and first reading, referred to Health and Human Services Policy [HF3288 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-HF3288-Introduced.html
1.2relating to human services; creating a certification for community emergency
1.3medical technicians (EMT); requiring the commissioner of human services to
1.4submit to the legislature proposed services and payment rates for coverage of
1.5community EMT services under medical assistance; requiring the commissioner
1.6of human services to evaluate community paramedic services;amending
1.7Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 144E.001, by adding a subdivision; 144E.28,
1.8by adding a subdivision.
1.9BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.10 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 144E.001, is amended by adding a
1.11subdivision to read:
1.12 Subd. 5h. Emergency medical technician (EMT)-community EMT. "Emergency
1.13medical technician-community EMT," "EMT-CE," or "community EMT" means a person
1.14who is certified as an EMT and who meets the requirements for additional certification as
1.15an EMT-CE as specified in section 144E.28, subdivision 10.
1.16 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 144E.28, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.17to read:
1.18 Subd. 10. Community EMTs. (a) To be eligible for certification by the board as a
1.19community EMT (EMT-CE), an individual shall:
1.20(1) be currently certified as an EMT and have two years of full-time service as an
1.21EMT or the part-time equivalent;
1.22(2) successfully complete an EMT-CE training program from a college or university
1.23that has been approved by the board or accredited by a board-approved national
1.24accreditation organization. The training program must include clinical experience that is
1.25provided under the supervision of an emergency medical services (EMS) medical director,
2.1physician, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, or public health nurse
2.2operating under the direct authority of a local unit of government; and
2.3(3) complete a board-approved application form.
2.4(b) An EMT-CE must practice in accordance with protocols and supervisory
2.5standards established by an EMS medical director in accordance with section 144E.265.
2.6An EMT-CE may provide services as directed by a patient care plan if the plan has been
2.7developed by the patient's primary physician, an advanced practice registered nurse, or
2.8a physician assistant, in conjunction with the EMS medical director and relevant local
2.9health care providers. The patient care plan must ensure that the services provided by the
2.10EMT-CE are consistent with the services offered by the patient's health care home, if one
2.11exists, that the patient receives the necessary services, and that there is no duplication of
2.12services to the patient. The EMT-CE shall work in concert with other social and health
2.13care providers to ensure the best care is provided to the patient.
2.14(c) An EMT-CE's protocol must be limited to caring for patients during the 72-hour
2.15period following discharge from a hospital.
2.16(d) An EMT-CE is subject to all certification, disciplinary, complaint, and other
2.17regulatory requirements that apply to EMTs under this chapter.
2.18 Sec. 3. COMMUNITY EMT SERVICES COVERED UNDER THE MEDICAL
2.19ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
2.20(a) The commissioner of human services, in consultation with representatives of
2.21emergency medical service providers, health care systems, physicians, public health
2.22nurses, and local public health agencies, shall determine specific services and payment
2.23rates for those services performed by community emergency medical technicians (EMTs)
2.24certified under Minnesota Statutes, section 144E.28, subdivision 10, that may be covered
2.25by medical assistance.
2.26(b) Services may include interventions intended to prevent avoidable ambulance
2.27transportation or hospital emergency department use, including the performance of minor
2.28medical procedures, initial assessments within the community EMT scope of practice, care
2.29coordination, diagnosis related to patient education, and the monitoring of chronic disease
2.30management directives in accordance with educational preparation. In determining the
2.31appropriate community EMT services to include under medical assistance coverage,
2.32the commissioner shall consider the potential of reductions in hospital admissions and
2.33emergency room utilization, as well as increased access to quality care in rural communities.
2.34(c) Payment for services provided by a community EMT must be ordered by an
2.35emergency medical services medical director, be part of a patient care plan that has been
3.1developed in coordination with the patient's primary physician and relevant local health
3.2care providers, and be billed by an eligible medical assistance enrolled provider that
3.3employs or contracts with the community EMT.
3.4(d) The commissioner shall submit the list of services to be covered by medical
3.5assistance and proposed payment rates to the chairs and ranking minority members of
3.6the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services policy and
3.7finance by January 15, 2015. These services shall not be covered or paid for under medical
3.8assistance until further legislative action is taken.
3.9 Sec. 4. EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC SERVICES.
3.10The commissioner of human services shall evaluate the effect of medical assistance
3.11and MinnesotaCare coverage of community paramedic services on the cost and quality of
3.12care under those programs, and the coordination of those services with health care home
3.13services. The commissioner shall present findings to the chairs and ranking minority
3.14members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services
3.15policy and finance by December 1, 2014. The commissioner shall require medical
3.16assistance and MinnesotaCare enrolled providers that employ or contract with community
3.17paramedics to provide to the commissioner, in the form and manner specified by the
3.18commissioner, the utilization, cost, and quality data necessary to conduct this evaluation.
1.3medical technicians (EMT); requiring the commissioner of human services to
1.4submit to the legislature proposed services and payment rates for coverage of
1.5community EMT services under medical assistance; requiring the commissioner
1.6of human services to evaluate community paramedic services;amending
1.7Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 144E.001, by adding a subdivision; 144E.28,
1.8by adding a subdivision.
1.9BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.10 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 144E.001, is amended by adding a
1.11subdivision to read:
1.12 Subd. 5h. Emergency medical technician (EMT)-community EMT. "Emergency
1.13medical technician-community EMT," "EMT-CE," or "community EMT" means a person
1.14who is certified as an EMT and who meets the requirements for additional certification as
1.15an EMT-CE as specified in section 144E.28, subdivision 10.
1.16 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 144E.28, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.17to read:
1.18 Subd. 10. Community EMTs. (a) To be eligible for certification by the board as a
1.19community EMT (EMT-CE), an individual shall:
1.20(1) be currently certified as an EMT and have two years of full-time service as an
1.21EMT or the part-time equivalent;
1.22(2) successfully complete an EMT-CE training program from a college or university
1.23that has been approved by the board or accredited by a board-approved national
1.24accreditation organization. The training program must include clinical experience that is
1.25provided under the supervision of an emergency medical services (EMS) medical director,
2.1physician, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, or public health nurse
2.2operating under the direct authority of a local unit of government; and
2.3(3) complete a board-approved application form.
2.4(b) An EMT-CE must practice in accordance with protocols and supervisory
2.5standards established by an EMS medical director in accordance with section 144E.265.
2.6An EMT-CE may provide services as directed by a patient care plan if the plan has been
2.7developed by the patient's primary physician, an advanced practice registered nurse, or
2.8a physician assistant, in conjunction with the EMS medical director and relevant local
2.9health care providers. The patient care plan must ensure that the services provided by the
2.10EMT-CE are consistent with the services offered by the patient's health care home, if one
2.11exists, that the patient receives the necessary services, and that there is no duplication of
2.12services to the patient. The EMT-CE shall work in concert with other social and health
2.13care providers to ensure the best care is provided to the patient.
2.14(c) An EMT-CE's protocol must be limited to caring for patients during the 72-hour
2.15period following discharge from a hospital.
2.16(d) An EMT-CE is subject to all certification, disciplinary, complaint, and other
2.17regulatory requirements that apply to EMTs under this chapter.
2.18 Sec. 3. COMMUNITY EMT SERVICES COVERED UNDER THE MEDICAL
2.19ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
2.20(a) The commissioner of human services, in consultation with representatives of
2.21emergency medical service providers, health care systems, physicians, public health
2.22nurses, and local public health agencies, shall determine specific services and payment
2.23rates for those services performed by community emergency medical technicians (EMTs)
2.24certified under Minnesota Statutes, section 144E.28, subdivision 10, that may be covered
2.25by medical assistance.
2.26(b) Services may include interventions intended to prevent avoidable ambulance
2.27transportation or hospital emergency department use, including the performance of minor
2.28medical procedures, initial assessments within the community EMT scope of practice, care
2.29coordination, diagnosis related to patient education, and the monitoring of chronic disease
2.30management directives in accordance with educational preparation. In determining the
2.31appropriate community EMT services to include under medical assistance coverage,
2.32the commissioner shall consider the potential of reductions in hospital admissions and
2.33emergency room utilization, as well as increased access to quality care in rural communities.
2.34(c) Payment for services provided by a community EMT must be ordered by an
2.35emergency medical services medical director, be part of a patient care plan that has been
3.1developed in coordination with the patient's primary physician and relevant local health
3.2care providers, and be billed by an eligible medical assistance enrolled provider that
3.3employs or contracts with the community EMT.
3.4(d) The commissioner shall submit the list of services to be covered by medical
3.5assistance and proposed payment rates to the chairs and ranking minority members of
3.6the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services policy and
3.7finance by January 15, 2015. These services shall not be covered or paid for under medical
3.8assistance until further legislative action is taken.
3.9 Sec. 4. EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC SERVICES.
3.10The commissioner of human services shall evaluate the effect of medical assistance
3.11and MinnesotaCare coverage of community paramedic services on the cost and quality of
3.12care under those programs, and the coordination of those services with health care home
3.13services. The commissioner shall present findings to the chairs and ranking minority
3.14members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services
3.15policy and finance by December 1, 2014. The commissioner shall require medical
3.16assistance and MinnesotaCare enrolled providers that employ or contract with community
3.17paramedics to provide to the commissioner, in the form and manner specified by the
3.18commissioner, the utilization, cost, and quality data necessary to conduct this evaluation.
