1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; studying insurance coverage for long-term care 
1.3 	workers; requiring a mandated report; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR LONG-TERM CARE WORKERS.
 1.6 	(a) By December 15, 2008, the commissioner of human services shall study and 
1.7 	report to the legislature under Minnesota Statutes, section 3.195, with recommendations 
1.8 	for a rate increase to long-term care employers dedicated to the purchase of employee 
1.9 	health insurance in the private market. The commissioner shall collect necessary actuarial 
1.10 	data, employment data, current coverage data, and other needed information.
1.11 	(b) The commissioner shall develop cost estimates for three levels of insurance 
1.12 	coverage for long-term care workers:
1.13 	(1) the coverage provided to state employees;
1.14 	(2) the coverage provided to MinnesotaCare enrollees; and
1.15 	(3) the benefits provided under an "average" private market insurance product, but 
1.16 	with a deductible limited to $100 per person.
1.17 	Premium cost sharing, waiting periods for eligibility, definitions of full- and 
1.18 	part-time employment, and other parameters under the three options must be identical to 
1.19 	those under the state employees' health plan.
1.20 	(c) For purposes of this section, a long-term care worker is a person employed by a 
1.21 	nursing facility, an intermediate care facility for persons with developmental disabilities, 
1.22 	or a service provider that:
1.23 	(1) is eligible under Laws 2007, chapter 147, article 7, section 71; and 
1.24 	(2) provides long-term care services.
2.1 	The commissioner may recommend a different definition of long-term care worker if 
2.2 	this definition presents insurmountable implementation issues.
2.3 	(d) The recommendations must include measures to:
2.4 	(1) ensure equitable treatment between employers that currently have different levels 
2.5 	of expenditure for employee health insurance costs; and
2.6 	(2) enforce the requirement that the rate increase be expended for the intended 
2.7 	purpose.

2.8 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.9 	$....... is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of human services 
2.10 	for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, for the purposes of section 1.