HF973

HF973 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Emergency mental health services modified; co-payments, coinsurance, and deductibles for mobile crisis intervention eliminated; and money appropriated.

Related bill: SF1599

AI Generated Summary

This legislative bill, aimed at modifying and enhancing mental health emergency services in Minnesota, proposes several critical changes to the current system. Here’s a simplified breakdown of the bill’s main elements:

Elimination of Costs for Emergency Services: The bill seeks to remove any financial barriers for accessing emergency mental health services by prohibiting the charging of copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles for mobile crisis intervention services.
Mandated Availability of Services: County boards will be required to ensure sufficient emergency mental health services are available to meet the needs of adults, children, and families in crisis due to mental health issues. These services must be readily accessible despite the client's financial situation.
Improvement in Service Quality and Accessibility:
- Direct Access: Emergency services must provide direct access to mental health professionals or trained personnel during all hours, including a toll-free number during non-business hours.
- Waivers: The commissioner may grant waivers under certain conditions, such as allowing non-mental health professionals to provide services if they have received requisite training and are supervised.
- Centralized Call Routing: Development of a central phone number to streamline access to appropriate crisis services.
- Enhanced Support for Specific Needs: Services tailored for individuals with traumatic brain injuries or intellectual disabilities, especially during mental health crises.
Expansion and Standardization of Services:
- Broadened Service Coverage: Expansion of crisis services across the state, particularly in rural areas and regions without adequate mental health facilities.
- Established Standards: Implementation of statewide standards and requirements for crisis services.
- Funding and Grants: Allocation of grants to support the establishment and operation of mental health crisis residential services, with priority given to underserved regions.
Specific Focus on Youth and Vulnerable Populations:
- Cost-sharing aspects such as copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance will not apply to children under 21, and American Indians.
- Provision of cost exemptions for drugs and services related to chronic disease management and preventative treatments like pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV.

This bill, thus, aims to improve mental health crisis intervention by ensuring more accessible, cost-effective, and qualitative services across Minnesota. Additionally, it proposes financing to enhance infrastructure and service capabilities, especially in regions deprived of adequate mental health care facilities. The ultimate goal is to provide a more responsive and inclusive mental health crisis management system statewide.

Bill text versions

Introduction PDF file

Actions

Date	Chamber	Where	Type	Name	Committee Name
February 16, 2025	House	Floor	Action	Introduction and first reading, referred to	Human Services Finance and Policy
March 11, 2025	House	Floor	Action	Author added

Citations

[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "A new mandate for county boards to provide or contract for emergency services without charging clients."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This section amends the availability and requirements for emergency mental health services.",
      "modified": [
        "Expanded the scope of emergency services to include safety and emotional stability promotion, minimizing deterioration, obtaining ongoing care, and placement prevention."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "245.469"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Exemptions for copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles on specified services such as mobile crisis intervention and PrEP/PEP medications."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This section amends cost-sharing exemptions for health services.",
      "modified": [
        "Adjusted cost-sharing requirements to maintain actuarial value at 94%."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "256L.03 subdivision 5"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Reference to qualifications under this section for emergency mental health providers.",
      "modified": [
        "Emergency mental health services must meet the qualifications under this section."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "256B.0624 subdivision 4"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This section outlines compliance requirements for prescription drug cost-sharing.",
      "modified": [
        "Cost-sharing for prescription drugs must comply with this section regarding chronic diseases."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "62Q.481"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Cost-sharing exemptions for additional diagnostic services after mammograms.",
      "modified": [
        "Cost-sharing does not apply to certain diagnostic tests following a mammogram as specified in this section."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "62A.30 subdivision 5"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Exemption of cost-sharing for tobacco cessation services.",
      "modified": [
        "Exempts cost-sharing on drugs and services for tobacco and nicotine cessation."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "256B.0625 subdivision 68"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Defines mobile crisis intervention services for cost-sharing exemption purposes.",
      "modified": [
        "No cost-sharing for mobile crisis intervention as defined in this subdivision."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "256B.0624 subdivision 2 paragraph d"
  }
]