The proposed bill establishes a Patient-Centered Care program in Minnesota, aimed at enhancing health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. It authorizes direct payments from the state to licensed healthcare providers for services provided to eligible medical assistance and MinnesotaCare enrollees. The bill allows counties to implement a county-based purchasing (CBP) system for program administration, which includes care coordination payments to primary care providers and community health workers. Notably, it mandates that the commissioner of human services not renew contracts with managed care plans for these services, thereby shifting the payment structure towards direct reimbursements to providers. The bill also includes appropriations for funding community health clinics and CBPs to improve outreach and care coordination for underserved populations, while repealing the previous section related to integrated health partnerships.

Additionally, the bill outlines specific provisions for integrated health partnerships certified as health care homes, particularly concerning payment methods and eligibility for certain healthcare payments. It specifies that participants agreeing to population-based payment methods for care coordination will not be eligible for health care home payments or care coordination fees for medical assistance or MinnesotaCare recipients enrolled in the integrated health partnership. The commissioner is tasked with applying for necessary federal waivers and seeking grants under the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, while also expanding the demonstration project to include more enrollees and encouraging patient incentives for health assessments and ongoing relationships with primary care providers. The effective date for the new program is set for January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 256B.0753, 256B.0755