Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to modify the criteria for home care nursing hardship in Minnesota, particularly focusing on situations that involve parents, spouses, family foster parents, and legal guardians who provide nursing care in the home.

Main Provisions

• Eligible Providers: This bill specifies that home care nursing can be provided by licensed nurses who are parents, spouses, family foster parents, or legal guardians.
• Circumstances for Payment:
  • Payment for services is allowed in situations where it prevents hospitalization of the care recipient and under specific hardship conditions such as leaving a job or adjusting work hours to provide care.
  • Aimed at supporting those who resign or reduce their work hours to provide essential nursing care, due to labor constraints, special language needs, or specific care hours.
• Limitations on Services:
  • Authorized nursing services by these family members cannot exceed either 50% of the total approved hours or a limit of 12 hours per day, up to a maximum of 60 hours a week.
  • A single family member or legal guardian cannot provide more than 60 hours of home care nursing in any one-week period.
• Additional Conditions:
  • Individuals providing care must pass a criminal background check and follow professional medical orders.
  • These caregivers may also work for multiple home care nursing agencies.

Significant Changes

• Increased Maximum Hours: The allowed maximum hours for providing paid home care nursing services by family members have been increased from 40 to 60 hours per week.
• Multi-Agency Employment: Legal guardians or family members can now be employed by more than one home care agency, potentially broadening employment opportunities for caregivers.

Relevant Terms

• Home care nursing
• Hardship criteria
• Licensed nurse
• Family caregivers
• Nursing service limitations
• Criminal background check
• Service agreement