1.1.................... moves to amend H.F. No. 820 as follows:
1.2Page 3, after line 28, insert:

1.3    "Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 256B.0625, subdivision 17, is amended to
1.4read:
1.5    Subd. 17. Transportation costs. (a) Medical assistance covers medical
1.6transportation costs incurred solely for obtaining emergency medical care or transportation
1.7costs incurred by eligible persons in obtaining emergency or nonemergency medical
1.8care when paid directly to an ambulance company, common carrier, or other recognized
1.9providers of transportation services. Medical transportation must be provided by:
1.10(1) an ambulance, as defined in section 144E.001, subdivision 2;
1.11(2) special transportation; or
1.12(3) common carrier including, but not limited to, bus, taxicab, other commercial
1.13carrier, or private automobile.
1.14(b) Medical assistance covers special transportation, as defined in Minnesota Rules,
1.15part 9505.0315, subpart 1, item F, if the recipient has a physical or mental impairment that
1.16would prohibit the recipient from safely accessing and using a bus, taxi, other commercial
1.17transportation, or private automobile.
1.18The commissioner may use an order by the recipient's attending physician to certify that
1.19the recipient requires special transportation services. Special transportation providers shall
1.20perform driver-assisted services for eligible individuals. Driver-assisted service includes
1.21passenger pickup at and return to the individual's residence or place of business, assistance
1.22with admittance of the individual to the medical facility, and assistance in passenger
1.23securement or in securing of wheelchairs or stretchers in the vehicle. Special transportation
1.24providers must obtain written documentation from the health care service provider who
1.25is serving the recipient being transported, identifying the time that the recipient arrived.
1.26Special transportation providers may not bill for separate base rates for the continuation of
1.27a trip beyond the original destination. Special transportation providers must take recipients
2.1to the nearest appropriate their health care provider, using the most direct route, which must
2.2not exceed 30 miles for a trip to a primary care provider or 60 miles for a trip to a specialty
2.3care provider, unless the recipient receives authorization from the local agency. The
2.4minimum medical assistance reimbursement rates for special transportation services are:
2.5(1)(i) $17 for the base rate and $1.35 per mile for special transportation services to
2.6eligible persons who need a wheelchair-accessible van;
2.7(ii) $11.50 for the base rate and $1.30 per mile for special transportation services to
2.8eligible persons who do not need a wheelchair-accessible van; and
2.9(iii) $60 for the base rate and $2.40 per mile, and an attendant rate of $9 per trip, for
2.10special transportation services to eligible persons who need a stretcher-accessible vehicle;
2.11(2) the base rates for special transportation services in areas defined under RUCA
2.12to be super rural shall be equal to the reimbursement rate established in clause (1) plus
2.1311.3 percent; and
2.14(3) for special transportation services in areas defined under RUCA to be rural
2.15or super rural areas:
2.16(i) for a trip equal to 17 miles or less, mileage reimbursement shall be equal to 125
2.17percent of the respective mileage rate in clause (1); and
2.18(ii) for a trip between 18 and 50 miles, mileage reimbursement shall be equal to
2.19112.5 percent of the respective mileage rate in clause (1).
2.20(c) For purposes of reimbursement rates for special transportation services under
2.21paragraph (b), the zip code of the recipient's place of residence shall determine whether
2.22the urban, rural, or super rural reimbursement rate applies.
2.23(d) For purposes of this subdivision, "rural urban commuting area" or "RUCA"
2.24means a census-tract based classification system under which a geographical area is
2.25determined to be urban, rural, or super rural.
2.26(e) Effective for services provided on or after September 1, 2011, nonemergency
2.27transportation rates, including special transportation, taxi, and other commercial carriers,
2.28are reduced 4.5 percent. Payments made to managed care plans and county-based
2.29purchasing plans must be reduced for services provided on or after January 1, 2012,
2.30to reflect this reduction.

2.31    Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 256B.0625, subdivision 18f, is amended to
2.32read:
2.33    Subd. 18f. Enrollee assessment process. (a) The commissioner shall require that
2.34the administrator of nonemergency medical transportation adhere to the assessment
2.35process recommended by the nonemergency medical transportation advisory committee.
3.1The commissioner, in consultation with the Nonemergency Medical Transportation
3.2Advisory Committee, shall develop and implement, by July 1, 2013 2014, a the
3.3 comprehensive, statewide, standard assessment process for medical assistance
3.4enrollees seeking nonemergency medical transportation services recommended by the
3.5nonemergency medical transportation advisory committee. The assessment process must
3.6identify a client's level of needs, abilities, and resources, and match the client with the
3.7mode of transportation in the client's service area that best meets those needs.
3.8(b) The assessment process must:
3.9(1) address mental health diagnoses when determining the most appropriate mode of
3.10transportation;
3.11(2) base decisions on clearly defined criteria that are available to clients, providers,
3.12and counties;
3.13(3) be standardized across the state and be aligned with other similar existing
3.14processes;
3.15(4) allow for extended periods of eligibility for certain types of nonemergency
3.16transportation when a client's condition is unlikely to change; and
3.17(5) increase the use of public transportation when appropriate and cost-effective,
3.18including offering monthly bus passes to clients."
3.19Page 4, after line 26, insert:

3.20    "Sec. 10. REPEALER.
3.21Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0315, subpart 7, item D, is repealed."
3.22Renumber the sections in sequence and correct the internal references
3.23Amend the title accordingly