Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to modify the provisions regarding fees assessed by the Minnesota Department of Health. It aims to update how fees are structured for various health-related permits, licenses, and services, ensuring they reflect the cost of service delivery.

Main Provisions

• Fee Structure and Development: The state commissioner of health is allowed to establish procedures and prescribe fees for obtaining health-related permits, licenses, registrations, and certifications. These fees can include those for application, examination, and tardy renewals. The commissioner is also empowered to propose reduced fees for permits applied late in their validity period.

• Voluntary Laboratory Certification: The commissioner can impose fees for voluntary certification of medical and environmental laboratories, as well as for laboratory services, with the fees being aligned with service costs.

• Hospital and Nursing Home Fees: Fees for hospital and nursing home licenses, excluding boarding care homes, are specified. Examples include:

  • JCAHO-accredited hospitals: $7655 plus $16 per bed.
  • Non-accredited hospitals: $5280 plus $250 per bed.
  • Nursing homes: Starting at $183 plus an increasing per-bed fee.

• Outpatient and Assisted Living Facility Fees: Fees for outpatient centers, assisted living, and related facilities are outlined, with varying amounts depending on the type of facility and services offered.

• Certification Survey Fees: The bill specifies fees for initial certification surveys required for eligibility in Medicare or Medicaid programs, such as $900 for hospitals or $1800 for home health agencies.

• Revenue-Neutral Fee Adjustments: Assisted living facilities may have fees adjusted by up to 10% up or down based on the proportion of residents receiving waivers from certain state programs.

• Trauma Hospital Designation Funding: An annual licensing fee per hospital and per bed or bassinet is established, with revenue supporting trauma hospital designations.

Significant Changes

• This bill specifically delineates and adjusts existing fee structures for various health services, aiming to align more closely with actual service costs.
• It introduces financial incentives and penalties linked to the composition of assisted living facilities, affecting renewal fees based on resident demographics.
• The commissioner is given authority to implement a revenue-neutral policy for these fee adjustments to maintain balance.

Relevant Terms

health, commissioner of health, fees, licenses, medical laboratories, environmental laboratories, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, JCAHO, Medicare, Medicaid, waiver services, trauma hospital designation, fee structure, revenue-neutral adjustments.