On Friday, May 11th, DHS officials announced that the Department is planning to ask the federal government for permission to use a demonstration project to reform services and supports for children who have autism — but they did not disclose any details about the scope of the demonstration project or it’s potential adverse impact on children who are currently receiving services through MA. Comments made by high ranking officials at DHS make it appear that the department is still in the planning stage and is uncertain exactly what its request will be. The request will be made public in June, however, which is just around the corner.

Will this help or hurt kids who have autism? A demonstration project could be very helpful — both as a tool to reform MA and as a method of eventually improving access to effective treatment and services. DHS could use this opportunity to collect outcome data, focus on outcome measures, and improve the effectiveness of treatment received by children enrolled in MA. Further, if DHS takes a long-term view, then the demonstration project could be very informative concerning methods to reduce the lifetime costs to society for individuals who have autism. Historically, though, DHS has focused on short-term savings through cuts rather than long term savings achieved by improving long-term outcomes.

The Autism Advocacy & Law Center is concerned that the request for a demonstration project will result in decreased access to treatment through MA. Why? The concern is that DHS will request permission to provide intensive early intervention for autism through a demonstration project and this will have the effect of simultaneously reduce coverage for early intervention for those children currently enrolled in MA. If coverage for intensive early intervention is only available to children enrolled in the demonstration project, then only a limited number of children who need intensive early intervention will actually have MA coverage for it.

Will children currently receiving services through MA face reductions in coverage? Amy Dawson asked what steps DHS would take to ensure that children currently receiving intensive early intervention would not be confronted with interruptions or reductions in treatment. The Department refused to answer the question. Instead, one official said that they would get back to us on that question in a few weeks and that the department was currently reviewing services for autism. If the AALC is able to receive any information from DHS about possible reductions in coverage for early intervention, then that information will be shared at www.autismlawcenter.com/blog.

DHS is expected to make its demonstration project request public in June. At that point, the public will have thirty days to provide input through a process called, “request for comments.” The AALC will post the “request for comments” online and encourage parents to provide feedback to DHS as soon as the request is made public.

The legislature is not expected to address any additional disability-related bills this session.

Omnibus Health and Human Services Bill
The Omnibus HHS bill (H.F. 2294) was signed by Governor Dayton on April 28th. This bill contained many provisions that are important to the autism and disability community, including several studies on Autism: a review of literature by HSAC, a study of residential placement options by DHS, and a study of prevalence with DHS and the University of Minnesota.

Health Insurance Reform and Essential Health Benefits
The full Health Insurance Exchange Advisory Task force is scheduled to meet on May 18th at the Hiway Federal Credit Union Administrative Office in St. Paul. The agenda for this meeting has not yet been published.

The Citizen’s League is continuing to hold Community Conversations across Minnesota to engage Minnesotans in conversation regarding health care reform. It is important that voices from the autism and disability community continue to be heard at these events. The next meeting in the metro area will take place in North Minneapolis on May 17th. For a list of Community Conversations and additional information, visit http://health.citizensolve.org/?utm_source=www.citizensolve.org&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=domain-redirects.

Switch to Managed Care:
As required by the 2011 Health and Human Services Omnibus bill, adults with disabilities are currently being switched to a managed care plan called Special Needs Basic Care (SNBC) unless they take action to opt out. DHS staff have indicated that the switch for children is likely to occur in January 2013. This change could have significant impact on children currently enrolled in MA on the basis of disability through TEFRA.

MA Reform Waiver
The draft of the MA Reform Waiver plan is now expected to be released in early to mid-June. At that time, DHS will solicit public comments on the draft plan. The AALC is closely following this process.

Legislative Bills of Interest to the Autism and Disability Communities
H.F. 2456 (Abeler)/S.F. 2234 (Neinow) and S.F. 2140 (Hann): H.F. 2456 originally contained the legislative changes needed for DHS to implement their rate-setting model as well as ARRM’s alternative rate setting model. The majority of the compromise language was incorporated into the Omnibus HHS bill, which was signed into law in late April. The remainder of the compromise language was incorporated into S.F. 1675, which was signed by the governor last week.
H.F. 2216 (Hoppe)/Senate File 1910 (Gerlach): This bill will bring MCHA into alignment with the Essential Health Benefits set, as well as change the method of calculating MCHA premiums. This bill has passed through both the House and Senate and was signed by the governor in mid-April.  Text of this bill is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1910.0.html&session=ls87.
H.F. 1918 (Dean)/ S.F. 2530 (Hann): This bill requires the commissioner of human services to develop a plan to reform and restructure medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, and other state health programs in the event that the federal government makes significant changes in Medicaid Service delivery, eligibility and financing. This bill was tabled in committee and did not move forward this session.

H.F. 926 (Gottwalt)/S.F. 880 (Benson): Requires that the Commissioner examine all existing state benefit mandates on health plans and determine which are outside the scope of the federally defined essential health benefits. For any mandated health benefit not included in the EHB, the Commissioner must complete an evaluation relating to the scientific/medical basis for the mandate, the effects of the proposed mandate, and the expected costs. The bill would also require that any newly proposed mandate be likewise evaluated. This bill was tabled in committee and did not move forward this session.

The Conference Committee Report includes the following provisions of relevance to the autism and disability community:

• A provision allowing for MA to pay physician assistants at 80.4 percent of the base rate paid to psychiatrists. Article 1, House Sec. 12(a).

• A provision requiring the commissioner of human services to develop recommendations to improve access to and quality of outpatient mental health services for MA enrollees through the use of physician assistants. Article 1, House Sec. 29.

• A provision directing the Health Services Advisory Council to review literature on the efficacy of various treatments of autism spectrum disorder, and recommend to the commissioner of human services authorization criteria for services based on existing evidence. Article 1, House Sec. 30.

• A provision modifying an annual report on long-term care services to include consultation with stakeholders and information on the status of long-term care supports for persons with disabilities and mental illnesses. Article 4, House Sec. 2.

• A provision allowing a recipient’s current provider of services to submit a written report outlining recommendations for the person’s care needs. Article 4, House Sec. 29.

• A provision amending § 256B.0943, subd. 9 to remove an outdated requirement that children’s day treatment have a contract with the county board. Article 6, Senate Sec. 14.

• A provision appropriating $200,000 to the University of Minnesota and DHS to conduct a qualitative study focused on cultural and resource-based aspects of ASD that are unique to the Somali community. Article 7, Sec. 2.

• A provision appropriating $177,000 for a study to determine one or more models of housing with supports that involve coordination of services for children with autism. This provision replaces the study of the autism campus and was developed late last night as a compromise among representatives of the autism and disability community. Autism-2 amendment.

The following provisions were not adopted into the final bill:

• Provisions relating to prior authorizations for PT, OT, Speech Therapy, and Mental Health services. These provisions would have created a new rule stating that prior authorization requests for those service were considered approved if no decision is made within ten working days. These provisions did not move forward because an agreement was made with DHS to end prior authorizations for these services through January 2, 2013. Article 1, House Sections 2, 3, 4, and 12(b).

• A provision allowing the commissioner of human services to issue a RFP to develop and administer a care delivery management system for MA fee-for-service enrollees. Article 1, House Sec. 27.

• Provisions requiring the commissioner to develop a plan for an autism campus and develop a proposal for a MA waiver. Article 7, Senate Sections 13 and 14.

The conference committee report for the Omnibus HHS bill is not yet available online, but is expected to be posted by Monday, April 23 and heard on both the Senate and House floors early next week. The omnibus bill is expected to pass both bodies as amended and be signed by the governor. The AALC will continue to monitor this process and provide updates as necessary.

Omnibus Health and Human Services Bill
The side-by-sides for the Omnibus HHS bill (H.F. 2294), are now posted on the HHS Finance Committee Website, at http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/comm/committee.asp?comm=87010. The conference committee has not yet been announced, but is expected to begin meeting as early as Tuesday, April 17. It is expected that the members of the conference committee will include Senator Lourey, Senator Hann, Representative Abeler, and Representative Huntley.

Currently, the House version contains several provisions that are important to the autism and disability community, including the following: (1) a $200,000 appropriation for a joint study between UMN and MDH regarding the prevalence of autism in the Somali community; (2) a provision directing HSAC to review autism literature and recommend authorization criteria for services; and (3) the creation of an optional certification for providers who demonstrate competency in working with individuals with autism. Both versions also contain a provision that instructs DHS to work with counties that agree to develop licensed foster homes for people with autism.

The House version also contains provisions that would create a requirement that requests for prior authorization for physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology be considered approved, if the commissioner does not make a final authorization decision within ten days. The relevant provisions are found in Article 1, Sections 2-4 of the House file, and are not in the Senate version. http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/comm/committee.asp?comm=87010/.

The 10-day prior authorization rule for physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology was proposed to address the backlog regarding prior authorizations for these services. At a recent meeting with the disability community, DHS determined that prior authorizations for PT, OT and SLP services will be eliminated at least until January 2nd, 2013. Because this issue has been addressed through the DHS policy change, it is thought that the above-mentioned provisions may be dropped in conference committee. If these provisions are dropped from the HHS omnibus bill, the result would be that a new 10-day prior-authorization rule is not created for PT, OT and SLP services. As written, these provisions do not affect children’s mental health, CTSS, or the current 10-day authorization rule regarding children’s mental health and CTSS services.

Health Insurance Reform and Essential Health Benefits
The Citizen’s League and the Bush Foundation have scheduled several Community Conversations to allow Minnesotans to define values and priorities for health reform in Minnesota. It is important that voices from the autism and disability community continue to be heard at these events. The next meeting will be held in St. Paul on April 17. For a list of Community Conversations and additional information, visit http://health.citizensolve.org/?utm_source=www.citizensolve.org&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=domain-redirects.

Switch to Managed Care:
As required by the 2011 Health and Human Services Omnibus bill, adults with disabilities are currently being switched to a managed care plan called Special Needs Basic Care (SNBC) unless they take action to opt out. DHS staff have indicated that the switch for children is likely to occur in January 2013.

MA Reform Waiver
DHS is expected to release a draft MA Reform Waiver plan for public comment in April. Although DHS has not provided an update on the timeline, rumors among the disability community suggest that this draft will be delayed.

Legislative Bills of Interest to the Autism and Disability Communities
H.F. 2729 (Loon)/ S.F. 2107 (Bonoff): H.F. 2729 specifies that early childhood education scholarships for low-income children are to be used for a program provider of the parents choice, and establishes a $200,000 grant to be paid to the parent-child home program. The most recent version of H.F. 2729 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2729.1.html&session=ls87. S.F. 2107 provides that a $250,000 grant is to be paid to an evidence-based early literacy parent-child home program. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2107.1.html&session=ls87. Both versions of the bill have passed through their committees and been read for the second time. This language is also included in S.F. 2482, the Senate Omnibus Education Bill, which passed through the House and Senate this week and is headed to conference committee.

H.F. 2580 (Loon)/S.F. 2546 (Hann): This bill would empower parents to request state interventions in one of the state’s “Priority” schools. “Priority” schools are consistently low-performing school districts under standards set by No Child Left Behind. A majority of parents in that school district can sign a petition requiring the school board to implement one of four previously designed intervention models. H.F. 2580 was read for the second time in late March and has been placed on the fiscal calendar for after legislative break. The text of H.F. 2580 is available at:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2580.2.html&session=ls87 S.F. 2580 has not yet moved out of committee.

H.F. 1994 (Gottwalt)/S.F.1804 (Hann): This bill originally included language requiring the Health Services Advisory Council to review currently available literature regarding treatments for ASD and recommend authorization criteria for services. This language is now included in the House Omnibus Health and Human Services bill, but is no longer contained in S.F. 1804, which was passed off the Senate floor on April 5th. H.F. 1994 was adopted into S.F. 1675, and is also moving forward without the ASD-related language.

H.F. 2456 (Abeler)/S.F. 2234 (Neinow) and S.F. 2140 (Hann): H.F. 2456 contains the legislative changes needed for DHS to implement their rate-setting model as well as ARRM’s alternative rate setting model. On March 6, the bill passed the House Health and Human Services Reform committee as amended, and and was referred to the House Civil Law Committee. A stakeholder group was called to hammer out the details, and announced last week that they have reached agreement. The timeline for implementation has been extended to January 1, 2014 to allow for DHS to propose more specific plans for rate-setting. The most recent version of H.F. 2456 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2456.2.html&session=ls87.  H.F. 2456 passed out of committee in late March but has not yet been heard on the house floor. Members of the stakeholder group have indicated that the Senate is expected to pass the House version through with no changes. Our review of  H.F. 2456 suggests that the rate-setting provisions do not apply to CTSS, but we recommend that they be reviewed carefully.

H.F. 1683 (Norton)/S.F. 1412 (Senjum): This bill would provide an exception to the moratorium on group homes to provide for the licensing of three foster care homes in three different counties. This language was included in House Omnibus HHS Bill. S.F. 1412 is also moving forward as a standalone bill, and was read for the second time on March 19th. The text of S.F. 1412 can be found at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1412.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2216 (Hoppe)/Senate File 1910 (Gerlach): This bill will bring MCHA into alignment with the Essential Health Benefits set, as well as change the method of calculating MCHA premiums. This bill has passed through both the House and Senate last week but has not yet been presented to the Governor. Text of this bill is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1910.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1918 (Dean)/ S.F. 2530 (Hann): This bill requires the commissioner of human services to develop a plan to reform and restructure medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, and other state health programs in the event that the federal government makes significant changes in Medicaid Service delivery, eligibility and financing. The bill passed through the Health and Human Services Finance Committee, but has not yet been read for the second time. S.F. 2530 has not yet moved from committee. The text of H.F. 1918 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1918.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 926 (Gottwalt)/S.F. 880 (Benson): Requires that the Commissioner examine all existing state benefit mandates on health plans and determine which are outside the scope of the federally defined essential health benefits. For any mandated health benefit not included in the EHB, the Commissioner must complete an evaluation relating to the scientific/medical basis for the mandate, the effects of the proposed mandate, and the expected costs. The bill would also require that any newly proposed mandate be likewise evaluated. H.F. 926 passed the Health and Human Services Committee on March 15th and was re-referred to the Health and Human Services Finance committee. S.F. 880 is also caught up in committee. Text of the bill is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S0880.0.html&session=ls87.

The Senate Omnibus Health and Human Services bill was heard in the Senate Finance Committee on April 5th. Senator Hann introduced language regarding a small amount of funding for the development of a residential campus for individuals with autism and a repeal of a 3% fee for service MA provider rate cut that was passed last session. The bill was heard on the Senate Floor on the afternoon of April 5th. The text of SF 2093 was first inserted into the body of the House Health and Human Services Omnibus bill (HF 2294) in place of the house text so that the Health and Human Services Omnibus bills now have the same bill number in House and Senate, although they differ content wise. The bill was then passed off the Senate floor as amended. A conference committee will likely begin meeting in mid April to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions.

The legislature is on break from Friday, April 6th, through Friday April 13.

Autism Awareness Rally
On Monday, April 2nd, the Autism Advocacy Coalition of Minnesota sponsored an Autism Awareness Rally at the Capitol. The event was very well attended and featured several important speakers, including Governor Dayton, Representative Abeler, and individuals with ASD and their families. For more information, visit the Autism Advocacy Coalition’s website, at http://www.autismminnesota.org/index.html.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Task Force
The Autism Spectrum Disorder Task Force of the Minnesota Legislature met on Tuesday, April 10th. At a prior meeting, the Task Force heard a presentation from Amy Hewitt at the University of Minnesota regarding the Minnesota Autism/ASD Summit Committee State Plan. The plan was developed by an interagency, multi-stakeholder group called the Minnesota Autism/ASD Summit Collaborative. The Plan recommends that a state strategic plan be developed, with a focus on three primary impact areas:

Early and timely (less than 90 days) access in every region of the state to a seamless procedure for screening, referral, and initiation of culturally responsive high quality, evidence-based services.
Individuals transition smoothly from early intervention to school to adult services and supports.
Assure funding for every individual with ASD, and multiple funding options for needed services/intervention (e.g. health plans, education, and social services) are available.

At this month’s meeting, the agency representatives on the Task Force reported on their general impression of the report, its strengths and weaknesses, and areas where the agency’s work is in alignment with the current plan. Representative were present from Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), and MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The agencies appear to be in agreement regarding the following areas:

The plan is a great starting point, and the priorities are aligned with the current goals of the agencies.
Additional stakeholders need to be consulted to further development of a statewide plan, and additional detail is required in particular areas.
Each agency is already providing some services and resources in alignment with this plan.

In addition, DHS announced that an autism-specific website went live last week. The website, www.dhs.state.mn.us/autism, contains a brochure regarding services and links to resources for families. The website is meant to be a brief overview to help families access services, and DHS welcomes feedback.

Members of the Task Force agree that the next step is to review the report from the 2011 Task Force and determine how the two reports can be integrated. The chair of the Task Force will also meet with Amy Hewitt to discuss how the two groups can work together moving forward.

The next meeting of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Task Force is Tuesday, May 1st at 6:00 PM. The meeting will be held in Room 400 South of the State Office Building and is open to the public. At this meeting, the Task Force anticipates to hear additional department updates and engage in a discussion regarding next steps with the two reports.

More information on the Task Force is available at: http://www.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/asd/asd.html.

Health Insurance Reform and Essential Health Benefits
The Citizen’s League and the Bush Foundation have scheduled several Community Conversations to allow Minnesotans to define values and priorities for health reform in Minnesota. These conversations will take place this week through July at locations across Minnesota. The first will be held in Minneapolis on April 12. For a list of Community Conversations and additional information, visit http://health.citizensolve.org/?utm_source=www.citizensolve.org&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=domain-redirects.

MA Reform Waiver
DHS is expected to release a draft MA Reform Waiver plan for public comment in April. This plan has not yet been released. To view the status report submitted to the legislature in early January, visit: https://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/DHS-6484-ENG.

Legislative Bills of Interest to the Autism and Disability Communities
H.F. 2729 (Loon)/ S.F. 2107 (Bonoff): H.F. 2729 specifies that early childhood education scholarships for low-income children are to be used for a program provider of the parents choice, and establishes a $200,000 grant to be paid to the parent-child home program. The most recent version of H.F. 2729 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2729.1.html&session=ls87. S.F. 2107 provides that a $250,000 grant is to be paid to an evidence-based early literacy parent-child home program. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2107.1.html&session=ls87. Both versions of the bill have passed through their committees and been read for the second time. This language is also included in S.F. 2482, the Senate Omnibus Education Bill, which passed through the House and Senate this week and is headed to conference committee.

H.F. 2580 (Loon)/S.F. 2546 (Hann): This bill would empower parents to request state interventions in one of the state’s “Priority” schools. “Priority” schools are consistently low-performing school districts under standards set by No Child Left Behind. A majority of parents in that school district can sign a petition requiring the school board to implement one of four previously designed intervention models. H.F. 2580 was read for the second time in late March and has been placed on the fiscal calendar for after legislative break. The text of H.F. 2580 is available at:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2580.2.html&session=ls87 S.F. 2580 has not yet moved out of committee.

H.F. 1994 (Gottwalt)/S.F.1804 (Hann): This bill originally included language requiring the Health Services Advisory Council to review currently available literature regarding treatments for ASD and recommend authorization criteria for services. This language is now included in the House Omnibus Health and Human Services bill, but is no longer contained in S.F. 1804, which was passed off the Senate floor on April 5th. H.F. 1994 was adopted into S.F. 1675, and is also moving forward without the ASD-related language.

H.F. 2456 (Abeler)/S.F. 2234 (Neinow) and S.F. 2140 (Hann): H.F. 2456 contains the legislative changes needed for DHS to implement their rate-setting model as well as ARRM’s alternative rate setting model. On March 6, the bill passed the House Health and Human Services Reform committee as amended, and and was referred to the House Civil Law Committee. A stakeholder group was called to hammer out the details, and announced last week that they have reached agreement. The timeline for implementation has been extended to January 1, 2014 to allow for DHS to propose more specific plans for rate-setting. The most recent version of H.F. 2456 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2456.2.html&session=ls87.  H.F. 2456 passed out of committee in late March but has not yet been heard on the house floor. Members of the stakeholder group have indicated that the Senate is expected to pass the House version through with no changes. Our review of  H.F. 2456 suggests that the rate-setting provisions do not apply to CTSS, but we recommend that they be reviewed carefully.

H.F. 1683 (Norton)/S.F. 1412 (Senjum): This bill would provide an exception to the moratorium on group homes to provide for the licensing of three foster care homes in three different counties. This language was included in House Omnibus HHS Bill. S.F. 1412 is also moving forward as a standalone bill, and was read for the second time on March 19th. The text of S.F. 1412 can be found at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1412.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2216 (Hoppe)/Senate File 1910 (Gerlach): This bill will bring MCHA into alignment with the Essential Health Benefits set, as well as change the method of calculating MCHA premiums. This bill has passed through both the House and Senate last week but has not yet been presented to the Governor. Text of this bill is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1910.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1918 (Dean)/ S.F. 2530 (Hann): This bill requires the commissioner of human services to develop a plan to reform and restructure medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, and other state health programs in the event that the federal government makes significant changes in Medicaid Service delivery, eligibility and financing. The bill passed through the Health and Human Services Finance Committee, but has not yet been read for the second time. S.F. 2530 has not yet moved from committee. The text of H.F. 1918 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1918.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1998 (Sanders)/S.F. 1793 (Dahms): This bill would exclude from definition of “health plan company” any entity that offers, sells, issues or renews only products that are limited to disability or income protection coverage, designed solely to provide payments on a per diem, fixed indemnity, or non-expense incurred basis, accident-only coverage, or a long-term care policy under 62A.46 or 62S.01. These products are currently excluded from the definition of a health plan under Minn. Stat. §62A.011, subd. 3. S.F. 1793 passed the Senate on March 29th, the House on April 2nd, and was signed by the governor on April 5th.

H.F. 926 (Gottwalt)/S.F. 880 (Benson): Requires that the Commissioner examine all existing state benefit mandates on health plans and determine which are outside the scope of the federally defined essential health benefits. For any mandated health benefit not included in the EHB, the Commissioner must complete an evaluation relating to the scientific/medical basis for the mandate, the effects of the proposed mandate, and the expected costs. The bill would also require that any newly proposed mandate be likewise evaluated. H.F. 926 passed the Health and Human Services Committee on March 15th and was re-referred to the Health and Human Services Finance committee. S.F. 880 is also caught up in committee. Text of the bill is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S0880.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2253 (Lohmer)/S.F. 1861 (Benson): This bill revises Minn. Stat.  §256B.0945, which allows counties to provide residential services for children with severe emotional disturbances in a facility in a neighboring state under specific circumstances. The bill would expand the statute to include coverage to include coverage for mental health treatment in out-of-state facilities for children who are deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing. H.F. 2253 was passed in both the House and Senate in late March and was signed into law by the Governor on April 2nd, 2012.   https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1861.0.html&session=ls87.

Omnibus Health and Human Services Bill

The Omnibus Health and Human Services bill was introduced this past week by Representative Abeler as a delete-all amendment to H.F. 2294. This bill passed committee on Thursday, March 22nd and passed the House Committee on Ways and Means Tuesday. A chief criticism of this bill is the use of “savings” in the foster care system to fund the remaining provisions of the bill. Abeler’s proposal is that $4.2 million can be saved by closing unneeded beds in foster care homes, but the disability community is concerned that these savings will not be found. This bill contained several provisions of interest to the autism and disability community, which are detailed below:

• $200,000 is appropriated for a joint study between UMN and MDH regarding the prevalence of autism in the Somali community.

• A provision on foster care homes for children with autism – allows for DHS to give individuals with autism the priority for beds in foster care settings that have previous training or experience with individuals with autism. Another provision creates an optional certification program for staff training around ASD.

• A provision that limits the scope of PCA appeals to the specific issues under appeal.

• A provision containing the governor’s version of the fix to the MAEPD program, which all parties agree is more comprehensive than the language previously offered. This fix would allow individuals to access the MAEPD program after age 65, and also reduce the need to spend down assets after turning 65.

• Language modifying the definition of Home and Community Based Settings to allow up to 25% of individuals with disabilities living in a community based living situation.

• Shift of the 1.67% contingent rate cut for home and community based waiver services to July 1, 2013 rather than July 1, 2012. This rate cut would not go into effect if the federal MA waiver is approved before July 1, 2013.

• A provision regarding the 20% relative pay cut for PCA services. This wage cut was put into law last year, but implementation is currently on hold pending a law suit. This language provides that if the court decides that the wage cut can go forward, the state cannot reclaim the extra wages that were paid during the pendency of the lawsuit. The bill does not contain a long term fix to this problem.

The Senate Omnibus bill is scheduled for hearing in the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on Wednesday, March 28th, at 6 pm. It is likely that the senate bill will be very similar to the House version, if not identical.

MA Reform
On Friday, March 23rd, the Disability and Aging Workgroups of the Partners Panel on Home and Community Based Services met to review the current direction of the MA waiver. A waiver to modify the nursing facility level of care criteria was submitted to CMS on February 13, 2012. No update has been provided as to the status of that waiver request. At the meeting, DHS indicated that it planned to conduct in-depth studies of the characteristics and service needs of particular sub-populations, including individuals with autism. AALC staff were present at this meeting and will continue to monitor these developments.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Task Force
On Tuesday, March 27th at 10:15, the House Health and Human Services Reform committee will hear a report from the Autism Task Force. The hearing will be held in Room 10, State Office Building. A copy of the 2012 Report is available at http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/comm/docs/AutismTaskForceReport2012.doc. The next meeting of the Autism Task Force is Tuesday, April 10th at 9:00 AM.

Essential Health Benefits
There are no new developments to report regarding the development of an Essential Health Benefits set for Minnesota. The AALC continues to monitor this process.

Switch to Managed Care (for adults)
The 2011 Health and Human Services Omnibus bill requires persons with disabilities who have Medical Assistance to be automatically enrolled in a managed care plan called Special Needs Basic Care (SNBC) unless they take action to opt out. The switch for children has been delayed indefinitely, but the switch is moving forward for adults. The Arc Greater Twin Cities and the Minnesota Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities are hosting a forum to help individuals make an informed decision. This event will feature representatives from Minnesota Department of Human Services, The Disability Linkage Line, and SNBC’s three managed care providers, Medica, Metropolitan Health Plan and UCare. The forum will be held on Tuesday, April 10th from 6-8 PM at Goodwill Easter Seals, 553 Fairview Ave, St. Paul. For more information, or to register, call or email The Arc Greater Twin Cities.

State Demonstration to Integrate Medicare and Medicaid Benefits and Service Delivery
DHS is requesting public comment from consumers, family caregivers, advocates, providers and other stakeholders on a draft proposal integrating Medicare and Medicaid benefits and service delivery for dually-eligible adults. The draft proposal was published in the Minnesota State Register on March 19th, and can be found at: http://www.comm.media.state.mn.us/bookstore/stateregister/36_35.pdf, on page 1105. The waiver documents are on the DHS public web page at: http//www.dhs.state.mn.us/dualdemo.

Autism Awareness Day is Monday, April 2nd
Monday, April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day in Minnesota, sponsored by the Autism Advocacy Coalition of Minnesota. Please come to the Capitol Rotunda from 10:00 to 2:00 for a rally, resource fair, and the opportunity to meet with legislators. The AALC has been involved with the planning for this event and over 100 members of the disability community are expected to attend. For more information, visit the Autism Advocacy Coalition’s website, at http://www.autismminnesota.org/index.html.

Disability Day at the Capitol is Wednesday, April 4th
Disability Day at the Capitol is Wednesday, April 4th. Registration begins at 10:00 in the State Capitol Great Hall, with Legislative Briefings at 10:30 and 11:30. At Noon, there will be a rally in the Capitol Rotunda. Members of the autism and disability community are encouraged to come to the Capitol on the 4th to meet with their legislators and raise awareness about issues facing the disability community. For more information, visit http://www.arcmn.org/vertical/Sites/%7BE2772958-40CF-42C9-ACB1-6BC91AD5D646%7D/uploads/Disability_Day_at_the_Capitol_Flyer_2012_final.pdf.

Legislative Bills of Interest to the Autism and Disability Communities
H.F. 1994 (Gottwalt)/S.F.1804 (Hann): H.F. 1994 passed the Civil Law Committee with minor amendments on March 13th, and was sent to the general register. As amended, Section 22 of the House bill requires the Health Services Advisory Council to review currently available literature regarding treatments for ASD and recommend authorization criteria for services. This language has been removed from S.F. 1804, which was sent to the general register late last week. The text of H.F. 1994, as amended, is available at http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/leg/mybills.asp?user=Autism&session=246464474&ls_year=87&count=

H.F. 2456 (Abeler)/S.F. 2234 (Neinow) and S.F. 2140 (Hann): H.F. 2456 contains the legislative changes needed for DHS to implement their rate-setting model as well as ARRM’s alternative rate setting model. On March 6, the bill passed the House Health and Human Services Reform committee as amended, and and was referred to the House Civil Law Committee. A stakeholder group has been called together to hammer out the details in H.F. 2456. Very little information has emerged from this group, but information suggests that this group is making progress. A hearing on 2456 is scheduled for Thursday, March 29th at 10:15 AM. The text of H.F. 2456 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2456.1.html&session=ls87. The senate version is moving forward as two bills: S.F. 2234 is the DHS bill, and S.F. 2140 contains ARRM’s alternative model. Our review of  Section 1 (line 1.18) and Section 19 (line 20.7) of S.F. 2234 indicates that these rate-setting provisions do not apply to CTSS, but we recommend that they be reviewed carefully. The text of S.F. 2234 is available at:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2234.1.html&session=ls87, and S.F. 2140 is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2140.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1683 (Norton)/S.F. 1412 (Senjum): This bill would provide an exception to the moratorium on group homes to provide for the licensing of three foster care homes in three different counties. This language was included in the DHS Omnibus Bill that passed the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee on March 22nd. S.F. 1412 is also moving forward as a standalone bill, and was read for the second time on March 19th. The text of S.F. 1412 can be found at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1412.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2252 (Lohmer, Norton)/S.F. 1882 (Senjum): This bill would provide for the establishment of a residential autism campus for individuals with severe autism, primarily teenagers. This bill is sponsored by Dr. Sheryl Grassie’s organization, the End of the Spectrum.  ARC has indicated that they are not in support of this bill. H.F. 2252 passed the Health and Human Services Reform Committee on March 22nd and referred to Health and Human Services Finance. The text of S.F. 1882 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1882.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2216 (Hoppe)/Senate File 1910 (Gerlach): This bill will bring MCHA into alignment with the Essential Health Benefits set, as well as change the method of calculating MCHA premiums. H.F. 2216 passed the Commerce and Regulatory Reform committee in late February, and is on the House Calendar for Monday, March 26th. SF 1910 passed the Commerce and Consumer Protection committee in early March, and is on the Senate Calendar for March 23, 2012. Text of this bill is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1910.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1918 (Dean)/ S.F. 2530 (Hann): This bill requires the commissioner of human services to develop a plan to reform and restructure medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, and other state health programs in the event that the federal government makes significant changes in Medicaid Service delivery, eligibility and financing. The bill passed committee and was referred to the Health and Human Services Finance Committee, where it is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, March 28th at 10:15 am. The text of 1918 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1918.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1998 (Sanders)/S.F. 1793 (Dahms): This bill would exclude from definition of “health plan company” any entity that offers, sells, issues or renews only products that are limited to disability or income protection coverage, designed solely to provide payments on a per diem, fixed indemnity, or non-expense incurred basis, accident-only coverage, or a long-term care policy under 62A.46 or 62S.01. These products are currently excluded from the definition of a health plan under Minn. Stat. §62A.011, subd. 3. S.F. 1793 passed the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection in late February but has not yet been sent to the Senate floor. H.F. 1998 passed the House Commerce and Regulatory Reform committee on March 19th. Text of this bill is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1793.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 926 (Gottwalt)/S.F. 880 (Benson): Requires that the Commissioner examine all existing state benefit mandates on health plans and determine which are outside the scope of the federally defined essential health benefits. For any mandated health benefit not included in the EHB, the Commissioner must complete an evaluation relating to the scientific/medical basis for the mandate, the effects of the proposed mandate, and the expected costs. The bill would also require that any newly proposed mandate be likewise evaluated. H.F. 926 passed the Health and Human Services Committee on March 15th and was re-referred to the Health and Human Services Finance committee. Text of the bill is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S0880.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2253 (Lohmer)/S.F. 1861 (Benson): This bill revises Minn. Stat.  §256B.0945, which allows counties to provide residential services for children with severe emotional disturbances in a facility in a neighboring state under specific circumstances. The bill would expand the statute to include coverage to include coverage for mental health treatment in out-of-state facilities for children who are deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing. H.F. passed through the Health and Human Services Finance committee in early March and is on the House Calendar for the Day on March 26th, 2012. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1861.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2408 (Abeler)/S.F. 2092 (Hann): The bill provides that if the federal “Community First Choice Options” regulations are determined to be compatible with MN fiscal neutrality and policy requirements re: home and community based services, then the commissioner shall develop a plan to reform and simplify home care, home and community-based service waivers. The bill requires the commissioner to consult with stakeholders, including the disability community.  The bill does appear to raise parental fees, but Representative Abeler has confirmed that this is not the intent of this language. The applicable language in H.F. 2408 corrects an error made in 2011 and makes the previously adjusted parental rates permanent. The bill does limit PCA appeals and allows for reduced services for individuals with lower needs in congregate living situations. Most of this bill has been included in the House HHS Omnibus bill, and it is expected that the Senate Omnibus bill will be similar. H.F. 2408 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=House&f=HF2408&ssn=0&y=2012.

Unfortunately, the health insurance industry has been very effective lobbying and as a result the federal government has provided less than clear guidance to states on how to determine the specific coverage required by the essential health benefit set. One option for states is to choose a “benchmark plan.” In Minnesota, the “Access Work Group” was charged with making recommendations to the Health Care Reform Task Force concerning the essential health benefits set.

In summary, the Access Work Group found that:

1. There do not appear to be significant differences between the benchmark plans available to serve as a reference plan for Minnesota’s EHB, because all MN-plans cover MN mandates, the federal plans would cover nearly all MN mandates, and insurers will have enough flexibility to adjust benefits so that the specific covered benefits in a benchmark plan may not be significant.
2. The HHS December 16th Bulletin does not provide enough information or guidance to allow MN to make fully formed choices about the EHB.

Rather than make specific recommendations about choosing a benchmark plan or defining the essential benefit set, the Access Work Group recommendation obtaining more guidance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Here is a summary of the recommendations:

1. The Task Force should urge HHS to provide additional guidance or regulations, including greater clarity around the flexibility that insurers will have to adjust benefits, including both the specific services covered and any quantitative limits.
2. The Task Force should urge HHS to provide more detailed information about the specific services and benefits covered under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plans, specifically including more detailed information on mental health and behavioral health benefits.
3. The Task Force should re-examine the EHB after HHS provides additional guidance or regulations to see if that guidance creates/clarifies significant differences between benchmark plans.
4. There should be an ongoing mechanism for community/stakeholder discussion as the EHB evolves over the next few years.
5. There should be a mechanism for reviewing existing benefit mandates and potential benefit mandates.
6. Insurers should use the flexibility in the EHB benefit design to insure there are diverse and comprehensive plans that meet the needs of Minnesotans.
7. Insurers should make it easier and more transparent for consumers to identify and understand the covered benefits in each plan.
8. DHS should work with insurers and the Exchange to support individual and family transitions between public and private coverage.

To read the full report of the Access Work Group of the Health Care Reform Task Force “Feedback and Recommendations on the Essential Health Benefits (EHB),” click here.

Committee Meetings
This was a busy week at the legislature, as committees are working to pass bills through before this Friday’s deadline. On Wednesday, March 14th, the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee heard testimony on H.F. 1918, which requires the commissioner of human services to develop a plan to reform and restructure medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, and other state health programs in the event that the federal government makes significant changes in Medicaid Service delivery, eligibility and financing. This bill passed committee and was referred to the Health and Human Services Finance Committee. The Committee also heard H.F. 1492, a bill to add a marriage and family therapist to the State Advisory Counsel on Mental health. This bill passed with no-discussion and was re-referred to the Committee on Government Operations. Updates on the status of additional bills of interest to the autism and disability community are provided below.

The governor released his supplemental budget on Monday, and it will be heard in the Senate Committee on Taxes on Tuesday, March 20th. The governor’s supplemental budget addresses several issues that are important to the disability community, including the 20% relative PCA cut and the MAEPD continuing benefit isssue. The governor’s supplemental budget is available at: http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/3-12-supp-gov.

Representative Abeler is expected to present his omnibus bill on Wednesday, March 24th as a delete-all amendment to H.F. 2294. Testimony will be heard on Wednesday evening and action will be taken on the bill on Thursday. Wednesday’s hearing has not yet been scheduled, but amendments to the omnibus bill will need to be submitted to House Research by 12:30 pm on Wednesday, March 24th.

Health Care Reform and Essential Health Benefits
The Access Work group of the Governor’s Health Reform Task Force presented their final recommendations to the overall task force in early March. Those final recommendations are now available at http://mn.gov/health-reform/images/Task-Force-2012-03-01-Feedback-and-Recommendations-on-EHB.pdf.

The Citizens League and the Bush Foundation are leading an effort to engage citizens and businesses around Minnesota in defining values and priorities for health reform in our state.  The first test workshop was held on March 14, 2012, and the schedule of workshops is expected to be released next week. It will be critical to have members of the autism and disability community attend these forums and share their stories. See the Citizens League website for more information on registration.

Rate-Setting Methodologies
There are several bills moving forward to implement rate-setting models for community-based services for individuals with disabilities. In the house, the models were combined into a single bill, H.F. 2456. Hearings on this bill and the senate companions (S.F. 2234 and S.F. 2140) were held last week, and a stakeholder group was called together to work on improvements to the bill. Members of the stakeholder group indicate that they are hopeful they will have a resolution by next Friday’s deadline. The text of H.F. 2456 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2456.1.html&session=ls87.

Legislative Bills of Interest to the Autism and Disability Communities
H.F. 1994 (Gottwalt)/S.F.1804 (Hann): H.F. 1994 passed the Civil Law Committee with minor amendments on March 13th, and is heading to the house floor next week. As amended, Section 22 of the House bill requires the Health Services Advisory Council to review currently available literature regarding treatments for ASD and recommend authorization criteria for services. This language has been removed from S.F. 1804, which is heading to the senate floor next week.  The text of H.F. 1994, as amended, is available at http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/leg/mybills.asp?user=Autism&session=246464474&ls_year=87&count=

H.F. 2456 (Abeler)/S.F. 2234 (Neinow) and S.F. 2140 (Hann): H.F. 2456 contains the legislative changes needed for DHS to implement their rate-setting model as well as ARRM’s alternative rate setting model. On March 6, the bill passed the House Health and Human Services Reform committee as amended, and and was referred to the House Civil Law Committee, where it has not yet been scheduled for hearing. The text of H.F. 2456 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2456.1.html&session=ls87. The senate version is moving forward as two bills: S.F. 2234 is the DHS bill, and S.F. 2140 contains ARRM’s alternative model. They were both heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on March 6th. The DHS rate setting bill was passed out of the committee and is headed towards the Senate floor, and the ARRM Coalition rate setting bill was laid over for further discussion. Our review of  Section 1 (line 1.18) and Section 19 (line 20.7) of S.F. 2234 indicates that these rate-setting provisions do not apply to CTSS, but we recommend that they be reviewed carefully. The text of S.F. 2234 is available at:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2234.1.html&session=ls87, and S.F. 2140 is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2140.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1683 (Norton)/S.F. 1412 (Senjum): This bill would provide an exception to the moratorium on group homes to provide for the licensing of three foster care homes in three different counties. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard this bill on March 5. The committee decided that bill was not specific regarding the agency that would be licensed or whether these homes would serve as a pilot project, and the bill was sent back to the author to be reworked. S.F. 1412 passed the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on March 16th. H.F. 1683 is scheduled for hearing in Health and Human Services Reform on Wednesday, March 21, at 2:30 PM. The text of S.F. 1412 can be found at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1412.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2252 (Lohmer, Norton)/S.F. 1882 (Senjum): This bill would provide for the establishment of a residential autism campus for individuals with severe autism, primarily teenagers. This bill is sponsored by Dr. Sheryl Grassie’s organization, the End of the Spectrum.  ARC has indicated that they are not in support of this bill. S.F. 1882 was heard in the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services and held over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill. The text of S.F. 1882 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1882.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2216 (Hoppe)/Senate File 1910 (Gerlach): This bill will bring MCHA into alignment with the Essential Health Benefits set, as well as change the method of calculating MCHA premiums. H.F. 2216 passed the Commerce and Regulatory Reform committee in late February, and is on the House Calendar for Monday, March 19th. SF 1910 passed the Commerce and Consumer Protection committee in early March, and was on the Senate calendar for March 15th, 2012. No action was taken. Text of this bill is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1910.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1202 (Greiling)/ S.F. 1165 (Neinow): This bill would require that a child under age three who is involved in a substantiated case of maltreatment or the subject of a maltreatment report shall be referred to the local Interagency Early Intervention Committee for screening under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, part C. This bill passed through the Senate Education, Health and HUman Services, and Judiciary and Public Safety Committees, and was read for the second time on March 15th.  The text of S.F. 1165 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1165.1.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1492 (Lohmer)/S.F. 2269 (Hayden): This bill adds a marriage and family therapist to the State Advisory Counsel on Mental health. This bill passed with no discussion and was re-referred to the Committee on Government Operations. A hearing in this committee is scheduled on H.F. 1492 on March 16th. The text of H.F. 1492, as amended, is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1492.1.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1918 (Dean)/ S.F. n/a: This bill requires the commissioner of human services to develop a plan to reform and restructure medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, and other state health programs in the event that the federal government makes significant changes in Medicaid Service delivery, eligibility and financing. The bill passed committee and was referred to the Health and Human Services Finance Committee. The text of 1918 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1918.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1998 (Sanders)/S.F. 1793 (Dahms): This bill would exclude from definition of “health plan company” any entity that offers, sells, issues or renews only products that are limited to disability or income protection coverage, designed solely to provide payments on a per diem, fixed indemnity, or non-expense incurred basis, accident-only coverage, or a long-term care policy under 62A.46 or 62S.01. These products are currently excluded from the definition of a health plan under Minn. Stat. §62A.011, subd. 3. S.F. 1793 passed the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection in late February but has not yet been sent to the Senate floor. H.F. 1998 has not yet been heard in committee. Text of this bill is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1793.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 926 (Gottwalt)/S.F. 880 (Benson): Requires that the Commissioner examine all existing state benefit mandates on health plans and determine which are outside the scope of the federally defined essential health benefits. For any mandated health benefit not included in the EHB, the Commissioner must complete an evaluation relating to the scientific/medical basis for the mandate, the effects of the proposed mandate, and the expected costs. The bill would also require that any newly proposed mandate be likewise evaluated. H.F. 926 passed the Health and Human Services Committee on March 15th and was re-referred to the Health and Human Services Finance committee. Text of the bill is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S0880.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2253 (Lohmer)/S.F. 1861 (Benson): This bill revises Minn. Stat.  §256B.0945, which allows counties to provide residential services for children with severe emotional disturbances in a facility in a neighboring state under specific circumstances. The bill would expand the statute to include coverage to include coverage for mental health treatment in out-of-state facilities for children who are deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing. H.F. passed through the Health and Human Services Finance committee in early March and was sent to the General Register.  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1861.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2408 (Abeler)/S.F. 2092 (Hann): The bill provides that if the federal “Community First Choice Options” regulations are determined to be compatible with MN fiscal neutrality and policy requirements re: home and community based services, then the commissioner shall develop a plan to reform and simplify home care, home and community-based service waivers. The bill requires the commissioner to consult with stakeholders, including the disability community.  The bill does appear to raise parental fees, but Representative Abeler has confirmed that this is not the intent of this language. The applicable language in H.F. 2408 corrects an error made in 2011 and makes the previously adjusted parental rates permanent. The bill does limit PCA appeals and allows for reduced services for individuals with lower needs in congregate living situations. The bill was heard in the House Health and Human Services Finance committee in late February. Members of the disability community are working with Representative Abeler to make amendments to the bill. The Senate version has not moved forward, and Senator Hann has indicated that Abeler’s version will be prioritized. H.F. 2408 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=House&f=HF2408&ssn=0&y=2012.

Health Insurance Reform
The Citizens League and the Bush Foundation are leading an effort to engage citizens and businesses around Minnesota in defining values and priorities for health reform in our state.  In the spring and summer of 2012, they will be traveling around the state to bring citizens into this discussion with a series of in-person workshops and online forums.  The first test workshop is on March 14, 2012. It will be critical to have members of the autism and disability community attend these forums and share their stories. See the Citizens League website for more information on registration.

Legislative Bills of Interest to the Autism and Disability Communities
H.F. 1994 (Gottwalt)/S.F.1804 (Hann): Section 21 of the House bill requires the Health Services Advisory Council to review currently available literature regarding treatments for ASD and recommend authorization criteria for services. This language has been removed from S.F. 1804. The text of H.F. 1994 is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1994.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2456 (Abeler)/S.F. 2234 (Neinow) and S.F. 2140 (Hann): H.F. 2456 contains the legislative changes needed for DHS to implement their rate-setting model as well as ARRM’s alternative rate setting model. On March 6, the bill passed the House Health and Human Services Reform committee as amended, and and was referred to the House Civil Law Committee. The text of H.F. 2456 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2456.1.html&session=ls87. The senate version is moving forward as two bills: S.F. 2234 is the DHS bill, and S.F. 2140 contains ARRM’s alternative model. Our review of  Section 1 (line 1.18) and Section 19 (line 20.7) of S.F. 2234 indicates that these rate-setting provisions do not apply to CTSS, but we recommend that they be reviewed carefully. The text of S.F. 2234 is available at:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2234.1.html&session=ls87, and S.F. 2140 is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2140.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1683 (Norton)/S.F. 1412 (Senjum): This bill would provide an exception to the moratorium on group homes to provide for the licensing of three foster care homes in three different counties. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard this bill on March 5. The committee decided that bill was not specific regarding the agency that would be licensed or whether these homes would serve as a pilot project, and the bill was sent back to the author to be reworked. The text of S.F. 1412 can be found at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1412.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2252 (Lohmer, Norton)/S.F. 1882 (Senjum): This bill would provide for the establishment of a residential autism campus for individuals with severe autism, primarily teenagers. This bill is sponsored by Dr. Sheryl Grassie’s organization, the End of the Spectrum.  ARC has indicated that they are not in support of this bill. The bill was tabled until further discussion of S.F. 1412 can take place. The text of S.F. 1882 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1882.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 2216 (Hoppe)/Senate File 1910 (Gerlach): This bill will bring MCHA into alignment with the Essential Health Benefits set, as well as change the method of calculating MCHA premiums. H.F. 2216 passed the Commerce and Regulatory Reform committee in late February, and was placed on the House Calendar on March 7th, but no action was taken. S.F. 1910 passed the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection committee on March 1st, and was heard by the Senate on March 5th. Senator Lourey moved to re-refer the bill back to committee, and the motion failed. Text of this bill is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1910.0.html&session=ls87.

H.F. 1202 (Greiling)/ S.F. 1165 (Neinow): This bill would require that a child under age three who is involved in a substantiated case of maltreatment or the subject of a maltreatment report shall be referred to the local Interagency Early Intervention Committee for screening under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, part C. This bill passed the Senate Education committee in late February and was referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. It is scheduled for hearing on Monday, March 12th at 1:00pm. The text of S.F. 1165 is available at: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1165.1.html&session=ls87.

The event will be at the Minnesota Judicial Center, located adjacent to the State Capitol Building, beginning at 9:00am, Tuesday February 28, 2012.

The purpose of this event is to learn how anyone can contribute to the needed advocacy efforts during this legislative session. From 9:00-10:30am there will be presenters detailing what the issues are, how to identify your legislators, what to talk with them about and how we can work together to secure the necessary funding for services related to children with autism. From 10:30-12:00 we will assist you in meeting with your legislators. If possible, please contact your legislators in advance to schedule a meeting with them on 02/28/12 directly following our event. Click here to find out who your legislators are!

Throughout the 2012 Legislative Session we need to rally and advocate together to prevent cuts in coverage and to secure coverage for the treatment that children with autism deserve. This event is open to all concerned individuals including parents, friends, providers, staff and physicians. We have invited a number of legislators to attend as well.

For additional info and to rsvp your attendance contact Sheri Radoux at sheri182002@yahoo.com. Thank you Sheri and Pia for organizing this terrific event!

Learn more about our advocacy agenda by clicking here.