HF696

The bill, H. F. No. 696, proposes the creation of a payment program to help rural EMS (Emergency Medical Services) providers in Minnesota. These providers often don't get paid for some emergency services they perform, especially when no transportation of patients to hospitals occurs. The bill aims to establish a funding pool to support these EMS providers, compensating them for unpaid services rendered between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.

Under the proposed program, rural EMS providers need to apply and report their uncompensated emergency responses to qualify for payments. The payments will be calculated based on a points system which assigns a certain number of points to different ranges of uncompensated emergency responses. The total number of points collected by each provider will determine their share of the allocated funds.

The bill also outlines the allocation of $3,000,000 from the state's general fund for the program in the fiscal year 2026, specifying that this is a one-time appropriation. Payments to eligible EMS providers are required to be completed by May 30, 2026.