S.F. No. 1970 modifies licensing provisions for prescribed pediatric extended care centers (PPECC), establishes basic care provided in a PPECC as a service covered by medical assistance, and sets a medical assistance reimbursement rate for basic care services provided in a PPECC.

Section 1 (144H.01, subdivision 5) modifies the definition of “medically complex or technologically dependent child” to reduce the age of a child who may be served in a PPECC from 20 to 6 years of age.

Section 2 (144H.04, subdivision 1) delays by two years, from 2018 to 2020, the initial licensing of PPECCs.

Section 3 (144H.04, subdivision 1a) extends the phase-in for licensing additional PPECCs by two years.

Section 4 (144H.06) modifies which Minnesota Rules apply to PPECCs by including an existing background study requirement and eliminating a redundant fee requirement.

Section 5 (144H.07, subdivision 1) reduces by 1.5 hours, from 14 to 12.5, the maximum number of hours a PPECC may operate, and restricts the operating hours to normal waking hours.

Section 6 (144H.07, subdivision 2) reduces by 1.5 hours, from 14 to 12.5, the maximum number of hours a child may be served in a PPECC during a 24-hour period.

Section 7 (144H.08, subdivision 8) requires an administrator of a PPECC to have at least 2 years of experience managing the care of medically complex or technologically dependent children.

Section 8 (144H.11, subdivision 2) eliminates the requirement that a registered nurse employed at a PPECC have recent experience caring for acutely ill or chronically ill children.

Section 9 (144H.11, subdivision 3) eliminates the requirement that licensed practical nurses employed by PPECCs need two years of experience in pediatrics.

Section 10 (144H.11, subdivision 4) makes technical changes.

Section 11 (256B.0625, subdivision 66) establishes PPECC basic services as a service covered under medical assistance.

Section 12 (256B.86) establishes medical assistance reimbursement rates for three levels of PPECC basic care services and specifies the criteria by which a child’s level of services will be determined.

Section 13 (Direction to the commissioner of human services) establishes a process for developing quality measures for PPECCs.