1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to medical assistance reimbursement for 
  1.3             special transportation services; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 1998, section 256B.0625, subdivision 17. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 256B.0625, 
  1.7   subdivision 17, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 17.  [TRANSPORTATION COSTS.] (a) Medical assistance 
  1.9   covers transportation costs incurred solely for obtaining 
  1.10  emergency medical care or transportation costs incurred by 
  1.11  nonambulatory persons in obtaining emergency or nonemergency 
  1.12  medical care when paid directly to an ambulance company, common 
  1.13  carrier, or other recognized providers of transportation 
  1.14  services.  For the purpose of this subdivision, a person who is 
  1.15  incapable of transport by taxicab or bus shall be considered to 
  1.16  be nonambulatory. 
  1.17     (b) Medical assistance covers special transportation, as 
  1.18  defined in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0315, subpart 1, item F, 
  1.19  if the provider receives and maintains a current physician's 
  1.20  order by the recipient's attending physician certifying that the 
  1.21  recipient has a physical or mental impairment that would 
  1.22  prohibit the recipient from safely accessing and using a bus, 
  1.23  taxi, other commercial transportation, or private automobile.  
  1.24  Special transportation includes driver-assisted service to 
  1.25  eligible individuals.  Driver-assisted service includes 
  2.1   passenger pickup at and return to the individual's residence or 
  2.2   place of business, assistance with admittance of the individual 
  2.3   to the medical facility, and assistance in passenger securement 
  2.4   or in securing of wheelchairs or stretchers in the vehicle.  The 
  2.5   commissioner shall establish maximum medical assistance 
  2.6   reimbursement rates for special transportation services for 
  2.7   persons who need a wheelchair lift van or stretcher-equipped 
  2.8   vehicle and for those who do not need a wheelchair lift van or 
  2.9   stretcher-equipped vehicle.  The average of these two rates per 
  2.10  trip must not exceed $15 for the base rate and $1.20 per mile.  
  2.11  Special transportation provided to nonambulatory persons who do 
  2.12  not need a wheelchair lift van or stretcher-equipped vehicle, 
  2.13  may be reimbursed at a lower rate than special transportation 
  2.14  provided to persons who need a wheelchair lift van or 
  2.15  stretcher-equipped vehicle. 
  2.16     (c) The commissioner of human services, in consultation 
  2.17  with special transportation providers, shall prepare a study on 
  2.18  appropriate reimbursement for special transportation providers.  
  2.19  The study shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of 
  2.20  the cost characteristics of special transportation services, 
  2.21  including the differences in costs for services provided to: 
  2.22     (1) persons who need a wheelchair lift or ramp van; 
  2.23     (2) persons who need a stretcher-equipped vehicle; 
  2.24     (3) persons who are ambulatory with assistance multiple 
  2.25  door through multiple door; 
  2.26     (4) persons who are ambulatory without assistance; 
  2.27     (5) persons residing in rural areas; and 
  2.28     (6) persons residing in urban areas. 
  2.29  The commissioner shall make recommendations for reimbursement 
  2.30  rates for services to persons in clauses (1) to (6), based 
  2.31  primarily on the analysis of service cost characteristics, 
  2.32  capital cost characteristics, and industry growth cost 
  2.33  characteristics.  The commissioner shall present the study to 
  2.34  the legislature no later than September 15, 2000.