1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; changing provisions for health professional educational 
1.3 	loan forgiveness program; expanding access to dental care services;amending 
1.4 	Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 144.1501, subdivision 2, by adding a 
1.5 	subdivision; 256B.037, by adding a subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 2007 
1.6 	Supplement, section 256B.0625, subdivision 49; repealing Minnesota Statutes 
1.7 	2006, section 256B.037, subdivisions 1a, 1c, 2, 5, 6; Laws 2003, First Special 
1.8 	Session chapter 5, section 11.
1.9 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.10 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 144.1501, subdivision 2, is amended to 
1.11 	read:
1.12 		Subd. 2.Creation of account. (a) A health professional education loan forgiveness 
1.13 	program account is established. 
1.14 	(b) The commissioner of health shall use money from the account to establish a 
1.15 	loan forgiveness program:
1.16 	(1) for medical residents agreeing to practice in designated rural areas or underserved 
1.17 	urban communities or specializing in the area of pediatric psychiatry;
1.18 	(2) for midlevel practitioners agreeing to practice in designated rural areas or to 
1.19 	teach for at least 20 hours per week in the nursing field in a postsecondary program;
1.20 	(3) for nurses who agree to practice in a Minnesota nursing home or intermediate 
1.21 	care facility for persons with developmental disability or to teach for at least 20 hours per 
1.22 	week in the nursing field in a postsecondary program;
1.23 	(4) for other health care technicians agreeing to teach for at least 20 hours per week 
1.24 	in their designated field in a postsecondary program. The commissioner, in consultation 
1.25 	with the Healthcare Education-Industry Partnership, shall determine the health care fields 
2.1 	where the need is the greatest, including, but not limited to, respiratory therapy, clinical 
2.2 	laboratory technology, radiologic technology, and surgical technology; and
2.3 	(5) for pharmacists who agree to practice in designated rural areas; and.
2.4 	(c) The commissioner shall use money from the account allocated for dental loan 
2.5 	forgiveness:
2.6 	(6) (1) for dentists agreeing who: (i) agree to deliver at least 25 20 percent of the 
2.7 	dentist's yearly patient encounters to state public program enrollees or patients receiving 
2.8 	sliding fee schedule discounts through a formal sliding fee schedule meeting the standards 
2.9 	established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under Code of 
2.10 	Federal Regulations, title 42, section 51, chapter 303, or (ii) have been trained in a foreign 
2.11 	country, received a dental license from the Board of Dentistry, and who agree to provide 
2.12 	services for a nonprofit organization, community clinic, or federally qualified health clinic 
2.13 	in Minnesota for a period of at least three years; and
2.14 	(2) for the dental school scholarship program under subdivision 7.
2.15 	(b) (d) Appropriations made to the account do not cancel and are available until 
2.16 	expended, except that at the end of each biennium, any remaining balance in the account 
2.17 	that is not committed by contract and not needed to fulfill existing commitments shall 
2.18 	cancel to the fund.

2.19 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 144.1501, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.20 	to read:
2.21 		Subd. 7.Dental school student scholarship program. The commissioner may 
2.22 	award up to three scholarships each year to:
2.23 	(1) foreign-trained dental students who enroll in the Program for Advanced Standing 
2.24 	Students at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and who agree upon 
2.25 	graduation from the program and upon licensure by the Board of Dentistry to provide 
2.26 	dental services in Minnesota for a nonprofit organization, community clinic, or federally 
2.27 	qualified community health center for a period of at least three years; or
2.28 	(2) current dental school students who agree after graduation to provide dental 
2.29 	services in Minnesota for a nonprofit organization, community clinic, or federally qualified 
2.30 	community health center for a period of at least three years.
2.31 	Scholarships awarded under the program must be at least $30,000 each year that the 
2.32 	graduates provide care under the scholarship agreement.

2.33 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 256B.037, is amended by adding a 
2.34 	subdivision to read:
3.1 		Subd. 5d.Advisory committee. Prior to awarding a contract to a dental plan 
3.2 	administrator, the commissioner of human services shall convene an advisory committee 
3.3 	to review the development of dental plan administration and requests for proposals. The 
3.4 	advisory committee shall consist of dental providers, nonprofit clinics, patients' advocates, 
3.5 	and other interested parties as determined by the commissioner. Advisory committee 
3.6 	members shall serve on a voluntary basis and shall not be paid per diem.

3.7 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2007 Supplement, section 256B.0625, subdivision 49, 
3.8 	is amended to read:
3.9 		Subd. 49.Community health worker. (a) Medical assistance covers the care 
3.10 	coordination and patient education services provided by a community health worker if 
3.11 	the community health worker has: 
3.12 	(1) received a certificate from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System 
3.13 	approved community health worker curriculum; or
3.14 	(2) at least five years of supervised experience with an enrolled physician, registered 
3.15 	nurse, or advanced practice registered nurse; or
3.16 	(3) at least five years of supervised experience by a certified public health nurse 
3.17 	operating under the direct authority of an enrolled unit of government.
3.18 	Community health workers eligible for payment under clause (2) or (3) must complete the 
3.19 	certification program by January 1, 2010, to continue to be eligible for payment.
3.20 	(b) Community health workers must work under the supervision of a medical 
3.21 	assistance enrolled physician, registered nurse, or advanced practice registered nurse, 
3.22 	dentist, or a certified public health nurse operating under the direct authority of an enrolled 
3.23 	unit of government.
3.24 	(c) Care coordination and patient education services covered under this subdivision 
3.25 	include, but are not limited to, services relating to oral health and dental care.

3.26 	Sec. 5. REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION.
 3.27 	The revisor of statutes shall change the references in clauses (1) to (4) as follows:
3.28 	(1) In Minnesota Statutes, section 144.608, subdivision 1, change "144.1501, 
3.29 	subdivision 1, paragraph (b)," to "144.1501, subdivision 1, paragraph (c);"
3.30 	(2) In Minnesota Statutes, section 144.608, subdivision 1, change "144.1501, 
3.31 	subdivision 1, paragraph (h)," to "144.1501, subdivision 1, paragraph (i);" and
3.32 	(3) In Minnesota Statutes, section 144.608, subdivision 1, change "144.1501, 
3.33 	subdivision 1, paragraph (j)," to "144.1501, subdivision 1, paragraph (l)."

4.1 	Sec. 6.  REPEALER.
 4.2 	 Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 256B.037, subdivisions 1a, 1c, 2, 5, and 6, and 
4.3 	Laws 2003, First Special Session chapter 5, section 11,  are repealed.