Plain English Breakdown
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Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.
SF4950 • 2026
Medical assistance coverage establishment of culturally specific health and wellness services
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.
Author added Champion
Introduction and first reading
Medical assistance coverage establishment of culturally specific health and wellness services
A bill for an act relating to human services; establishing medical assistance coverage of culturally specific health and wellness services; establishing a task force; requiring a report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0625, by adding a subdivision. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0625, is amended by adding a subdivision to read: new text begin Subd. 77. new text end new text begin Culturally specific health and wellness services. new text end new text begin Effective January 1, 2027, or upon federal approval, whichever is later, medical assistance covers culturally specific health and wellness services according to the state plan or applicable waiver. new text end new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end Sec. 2. new text begin CULTURALLY SPECIFIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS SERVICES. new text end new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end new text begin Federal request. new text end new text begin (a) By October 1, 2026, the commissioner of human services must submit to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services all necessary waivers and state plan amendments to provide medical assistance coverage for culturally specific health and wellness services consistent with this section. new text end new text begin (b) Prior to submitting the necessary waivers and state plan amendments under paragraph (a), the commissioner must consult with the Culturally Specific Health and Wellness Services Advisory Task Force established under subdivision 4, culturally specific community health organizations, community leaders, affected communities, and the Department of Health Division of Health Equity Strategy and Innovation on the following aspects of any waiver or state plan amendment: new text end new text begin (1) community-identified health priorities; new text end new text begin (2) current provider capacity; new text end new text begin (3) feasible implementation; and new text end new text begin (4) criteria for qualified providers and eligible community-based health organizations. new text end new text begin (c) The necessary waivers and state plan amendments must include the recommendations submitted to the commissioner by the Culturally Specific Health and Wellness Services Advisory Task Force established under subdivision 4. new text end new text begin (d) The necessary waivers and state plan amendments must seek medical assistance coverage across all delivery systems, consistent with Medicaid requirements. new text end new text begin (e) The necessary waivers and state plan amendments must include reimbursement payment rates for culturally specific health and wellness services determined by the commissioner and consistent with Medicaid requirements. The commissioner may request to reimburse the services using a per-visit rate, bundled payment, value-based payment, or other methodology. The commissioner may request to limit reimbursement to one payment per enrollee per day for a given service type and establish exceptions to the reimbursement limit. new text end new text begin Subd. 2. new text end new text begin Proposed legislation. new text end new text begin By the first day of the first regular legislative session following the approval of the necessary waivers and state plan amendments under subdivision 1, the commissioner must submit proposed legislation required to implement the approved waivers and state plan amendments and the reporting requirement under subdivision 3 to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over human services policy and finance. new text end new text begin Subd. 3. new text end new text begin Report. new text end new text begin (a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 256.01, subdivision 42, the commissioner must submit on January 1 each year to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over human services policy and finance a report containing: new text end new text begin (1) the status of the necessary waivers and state plan amendments; new text end new text begin (2) data on utilization of culturally specific health and wellness services by medical assistance enrollees; and new text end new text begin (3) the impact of culturally specific health and wellness services on access to care, quality of care, and health outcomes. new text end new text begin (b) The report must be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, age, and geographic region. new text end new text begin Subd. 4. new text end new text begin Culturally Specific Health and Wellness Services Advisory Task Force. new text end new text begin (a) The commissioner of human services must establish the Culturally Specific Health and Wellness Services Advisory Task Force. new text end new text begin (b) The commissioner must appoint members to the task force. The members of the task force must include: new text end new text begin (1) representatives of organizations that provide culturally specific health and wellness services; new text end new text begin (2) providers of culturally specific health and wellness services; new text end new text begin (3) community leaders with lived experience relating to culturally specific health and wellness services; new text end new text begin (4) representatives of the Department of Health Division of Health Equity Strategy and Innovation; new text end new text begin (5) representatives from the Department of Human Services Health Care Administration; and new text end new text begin (6) other stakeholders as determined by the commissioner. new text end new text begin (c) The terms, compensation, and removal of task force members are governed by section 15.059. new text end new text begin (d) The task force must develop and submit written recommendations to the commissioner on: new text end new text begin (1) a definition for and list of culturally specific health and wellness services to be covered under medical assistance; new text end new text begin (2) eligibility criteria for community-based organizations; new text end new text begin (3) provider qualifications and oversight standards consistent with Medicaid requirements; and new text end new text begin (4) implementation standards. new text end new text begin (e) The commissioner must appoint members to the task force by July 1, 2026. The task force must convene no later than August 1, 2026. new text end new text begin (f) The task force must submit the recommendations under paragraph (d) to the commissioner by September 30, 2026. new text end new text begin (g) The task force expires upon the submission of the recommendations under paragraph (d) to the commissioner. new text end new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end