Section 1 (256B.0911, subdivision 3a) reinstates the 90-day notice from the commissioner to lead agencies following the date on which lead agencies may no longer use legacy documents to conduct assessments for PCA services. This provision was inadvertently removed during the 2019 legislative session due to a drafting error.

Section 2 (TERFA Parental Contribution Prohibition During COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency) suspends the department’s authority to collect parental contribution payments from families participating in the TEFRA program during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency. When the peacetime emergency ends, the department may resume collecting parental contribution payments, but must redetermine a household’s payment amount if the family reported a decrease in income of greater than ten percent during the peacetime emergency.

Section 3 (Temporary Direct Electronic Billing for NEMT) permits nonemergency medical transportation providers registered with MN-ITS on a temporary basis to bill directly the commissioner of human services for assisted transportation rather than billing for those services through a local agency.

Section 4 (NEMT Temporary Rate Increase) provides a 50 percent rate increase for NEMT services other than client reimbursement, volunteer transport, and unassisted transport provided by a taxicab or public transit.

Section 5 (Additional Services by NEMT Providers) appropriates additional funds to the commissioner of human services to pay a rate equal to the unassisted transport rate to NEMT providers who provide alternative transportation services on behalf of medical assistance enrollees, including delivering food from food shelves or food banks and delivering medications from pharmacies.

Section 6 (COVID-19-Related Retainer Payments) authorizes retainer payments to providers of certain services, including day programs and employment services under the disability waivers, adult day services under the elderly waiver, children's therapeutic supports and services, and early intensive developmental and behavioral intervention services. The retroactive retainer payments are initially equal to 50 percent of past revenue for eligible services.  The retainer payments are reduced for all providers by a percentage that depends on whether the provider provides services under alternative service standards. The retainer payments are subject to repayment if the provider receives alternative funding from other sources and to recoupment as overpayments if the provider fails to reimburse the commissioner in the event the provider does receive funding from an alternative source.

Section 7 (PCA Temporary Rate Increase) provides a 15 percent temporary rate increase for all PCA services, including those provided through managed care plans, consumer-directed community supports (CDCS), and consumer support grants (CSG). This section requires PCA agencies to use at least 80 percent of the additional revenue resulting from the rate increase for increased wages and associated employer costs.  Any remainder of the additional revenue resulting from the rate increase providers must use to comply with the CDC recommendations related to sanitation and personal protective equipment for PCAs.

Section 8 (HCBS Temporary Rate Increase) provides a 15 percent temporary rate increase for certain HCBS waiver services, including certain residential services and employment services. This section requires providers to use at least 80 percent of the additional revenue resulting from the rate increase for increased wages and associated employer costs. Any remainder of the additional revenue resulting from the rate increase providers must use to comply with the CDC recommendations related to sanitation and personal protective equipment for PCAs.