Phone: 651-293-0229
Fax: 651-293-1709
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
Members of the Minnesota Speech-Language Hearing Association
Cory R. Bennett, Lobbyist
Capitol Hill Associates
May 29, 2007
Final 2007 Legislative Session Wrap-up
The legislature was able to finish their work on time and adjourned the 2007 legislative session at midnight on May 21 st after over five months of debate and eventual compromise. For the first time in eight years the prospect of the Governor calling a special session appears to be very remote.
The main goal of this legislative session was to set the state’s budget for the next two years. In the end, the legislature and Governor passed legislation that spends a total of $34.68 billion, a 10.1% increase over two years. The Health and Human services area saw investments in initiatives totaling $168.0 million much of which goes to providing health insurance to an additional 56,800 people (36,000 children), the
Governor’s mental health initiatives and a cost of living allowance increase for long-term care workers.
2007 Omnibus Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill provisions include:
Mental-Health Initiatives
One of the biggest pieces of Governor Pawlenty’s Health and Human Services budget proposal was a series of mental-health initiatives totaling $35 million. Among these initiatives, the legislature adopted the following:

Extending mental health benefits to people enrolled in MinnesotaCare and Medical Assistance
 Funding for children’s mental health services in the community and within school systems
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Developing a mental health crisis intervention system statewide
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Increasing capacity of mental health professionals
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Measuring mental health service outcomes and quality
MinnesotaCare Reform
The legislation will expand health insurance coverage to over 56,000 Minnesota adults and children currently living without health insurance. Key provisions that were accepted into law included:
 “Cover-all-kids” provision that allowed children on Medical Assistance (MA) to be covered by
MinnesotaCare when their family income became too high to qualify for MA

Allowing farmers to count depreciation toward income limits for MinnesotaCare

Increasing income eligibility for adults without kids from 200% to 215%.

Restoring the MinnesotaCare benefit set


Elimination of the MinnesotaCare limited benefit set
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Elimination of the MinnesotaCare 6 month review

Waive MinnesotaCare premiums for military members and their families

Eliminate MinnesotaCare premium increases
Long-Term Care and Nursing Home Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)
One of the largest budget items provided a cost-of-living allowance to nursing homes and long-term care facilities in Minnesota. At this time, 40 nursing homes are slated to close if their state reimbursements do not increase. The Senate started out with a 3.25% COLA for 2008. Based on the Governor’s vetoes and budget negotiations, this number steadily moved downward and ended up being 2% for 2008. Nursing homes will be subject to rebasing in 2009, which is a formula that determines reimbursement based on actual costs accrued and inflation. The expected COLA for 2009 after rebasing is 2%.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Initiatives
The Minnesota Commission Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing People had several provisions included in the Omnibus Health and Human Services Appropriations bills that were enacted into law.
Those provisions include:

Newborn hearing screening mandate for all infants born in Minnesota

$199,000 for state-wide Parent to Parent local support services for families of deaf and hard of hearing children

$140,000 for a state wide loaner hearing instrument bank that will provide immediate amplification to infants that are newly identified with a hearing loss at no cost to the parent

$80,000 for deaf and hard of hearing mentors, who make regular visits to the home, interacts with the child and helps the family understand and appreciate deafness and deaf culture
Provider Rate Increase
Speech-Language Pathologists will see a provider rate increase for services provided to enrollees of MA and GAMC. The language states that the commissioner of human services shall make discretionary increases totaling 2.0 % in allocations, reimbursement rates and rate limits beginning October 1, 2007 and an additional 2.0 % beginning July 1, 2008.
Other bills of Interest enacted into Law
Hearing Aid Mandate, HF633/SF805
This bill, enacted into law, extends the hearing aid mandate to include coverage to children from birth through age 18 with an acquired hearing loss. The law currently covers children with a hearing loss due only to a congenital malformation of the ear. This legislation is effective August 1, 2007.
Educational Requirements for Audiologist, HF868/SF336
As of August 30, 2007 the minimum entry-level requirement for audiologists is a doctoral degree.
Audiologists in Minnesota with a master’s level degree and a valid license are not required to meet this new standard and do not risk losing their license with this change in the educational standards. In addition the legislation does not affect the educational standards for licensed speech-language pathologist in Minnesota.
Bills and Issues that did not pass the 2007 Legislative Session include:
Constitutional Amendment for Health Care
Legislation that would allow voters to amend the State Constitution ensuring every resident in Minnesota has the right to affordable health care.

Medical Marijuana
In an effort to join 11 other states across the country, this bill would have allowed patients with debilitating diseases to utilize medical marijuana to manage their symptoms.
Physical Therapy Scope of Practice
With the close of the session, time ran out on physical therapists desire to pass a bill allowing them unlimited access to patients without having to get a physician referral. The proposed legislation would have eliminated the current requirements that patients see a doctor after being treated by a physical therapist for 30 days.
Embryonic Stem Cell Research
The legislation sought to establish a state policy that permits research on human embryonic stem cells, human embryonic germ cells, and human adult stem cells. All research must be reviewed by an approved institutional review board. It would have allowed stem cell research to be conducted, and authorizes the
University of Minnesota to spend state funds on stem cell research.
Patient Bill of Rights
Allows patients to designate their “domestic partner” as having the right to visit and make health care decisions. It allows individuals meeting the domestic partner definition to make health care decisions in the event the patient is unable to do so.
Minnesota Department of Health Initiatives
There were no legislative initiatives put forth this session, concerning speech-language pathology or audiology, by the Minnesota Department of Health.
Hearing Instrument Dispenser Initiatives
There were no legislative initiatives put forth this session by the Hearing Instrument Dispenser community.
After countless hours of debate and hundreds of committee meetings, the halls of the
Capitol and State Office Building are again quiet, until next year, when the 86 th legislative session convenes on February 12, 2008.