SF4287 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Make certain injured paramedics and emergency medical technicians eligible for continued health insurance coverage
Related bill: HF3947
AI Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill aims to ensure that injured paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and other eligible public safety personnel who become disabled in the line of duty can keep their health insurance coverage. It updates procedures and requirements around how health coverage is continued when someone is determined to be duty-disabled or is applying for benefits.
Main Provisions
- Health coverage continuation obligation: The employer must continue health coverage for the duty-disabled person and their dependents if the person is in the line of duty and is or becomes eligible for duty disability benefits.
- Who is covered and when: Applies to peace officers or firefighters (and, by extension for this context, injured paramedics/EMTs) who are determined eligible for a duty disability benefit under related statutes (for example, PERA or MSRS determinations, or plans of relief associations).
- Duration of coverage for pre-enactment recipients: For those already approved for duty disability benefits under certain provisions before enactment, coverage and the employer’s contributions must continue until age 65 or the person would have reached 65 if they had not died.
- Duration of coverage for post-enactment cases: For those applying for or approved for duty disability benefits after enactment (but not yet for a total and permanent duty disability), coverage continues for 60 months (plus applicable dependent coverage) or until age 65, whichever comes first.
- Coverage for specific disability paths: If someone is approved to receive benefits under other disability provisions (e.g., related to 352B.10), the employer must continue health coverage for the same period as above (until age 65, with dependents covered for the same duration).
- Dependent coverage: When coverage is continued, dependents’ coverage is also continued for the same duration, with rules about when dependents stop being covered.
- Waiver option: A covered individual may voluntarily waive health coverage, but cannot receive payment or other consideration from the employer for waiving coverage. Any waiver agreement entered into after enactment is void if it provides compensation for waiving coverage.
- No employer challenge to disability decision after determination: Once a duty disability determination is made, the employer cannot challenge the continuation and payment of health coverage.
- Financial responsibility: The employer must pay the employer’s share of the health coverage contributions for the employee and, if applicable, for dependents, during the continuation period.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Broadens or clarifies that health coverage must continue for a broader group of public safety personnel who are duty-disabled or seeking duty disability, with specific duration rules tied to whether the disability is total and permanent or temporary.
- Establishes explicit durations (up to age 65, or 60 months for certain post-enactment cases) for employer-paid health coverage and clarifies that dependents may receive coverage for the same period.
- Tightens the process around disability determinations, including binding effect on the employer and state, required notices, and a defined path for administrative review via the Office of Administrative Hearings.
- Adds a clear prohibition on post-determination challenges by the employer to ongoing health coverage, and clarifies the role of contested case procedures and potential court review.
- Introduces or reinforces waiver rules for health coverage, including a prohibition on compensation for waiving coverage and voiding post-enactment waiver agreements that provide for compensation.
Eligibility and Process Overview
- Who qualifies: Peace officers or firefighters (and related public safety personnel such as injured paramedics/EMTs) who are disabled in the line of duty or who have been determined eligible for a duty disability benefit under applicable statutes.
- How determinations are made: By the respective executive directors of PERA or MSRS (depending on the system), with written notice and reasons provided to the employee and employer.
- Review options: If the determination is made by MSRS, the employee may petition for a review via a contested case before the Office of Administrative Hearings within 60 days.
- Reversal possibility: If additional information is provided before a contested case hearing, the executive director may reverse the determination without a hearing.
- Administrative hearing and finality: If a hearing is held, the judge’s fact-finding decision is final, binding on the executive director, the employee, the employer, and the state; judicial review is available by writ of certiorari to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
- Standing for review: Only the peace officer or firefighter’s employer and the state may participate in the judicial review of the Office of Administrative Hearings’ decision.
Health Coverage Details
- Continuation obligation: Employers must continue health coverage for the duty-disabled individual and, if applicable, their dependents during the specified continuation period.
- Contributions: The employer remains responsible for the employer’s contribution toward health coverage during the continuation period.
- End of coverage for dependents: Employers are not required to continue dependent coverage once a dependent is no longer a dependent.
- Waiver mechanics: Individuals may waive coverage, but waivers cannot be incentivized by compensation; pre-enactment waivers are not invalidated by the new rules.
Terminology and Concepts Emphasized
- Duty disability benefit
- Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA)
- Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS)
- Duty disability determinations (including sections like 353.656, 352B.10, 353.656 subdivision 1a, 352B.011 subdivision 7)
- Health coverage / health insurance continuation
- Employer contributions
- Dependents’ coverage
- Age 65 as coverage termination point (if applicable)
- 60 months as a coverage duration
- Waiver of health coverage
- Contested case (Office of Administrative Hearings)
- Written notice with reasons
- Binding determinations
- Writ of certiorari
- Minnesota Court of Appeals
Relevant Terms health coverage, health insurance, duty disability, duty disability benefits, Public Employees Retirement Association, PERA, Minnesota State Retirement System, MSRS, disposition of duty disability, 353.656, 353.656 subdivision 1a, 352B.10, 352B.011 subdivision 7, total and permanent duty disability, 60 months, age 65, dependents, employer contributions, waiver of coverage, void waivers, Office of Administrative Hearings, contested case, writ of certiorari, Minnesota Court of Appeals, binding determination, notice of determination.
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF PDF file
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 09, 2026 | Senate | Action | Introduction and first reading | ||
| March 09, 2026 | Senate | Action | Referred to | Judiciary and Public Safety |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Provisions detailing continued employer-paid health coverage for affected individuals and their dependents, contingent on duty disability status.",
"Conditions under which coverage must continue until age 65 or for defined periods, and for dependents for specified durations.",
"Waiver provisions allowing a covered individual to waive health coverage, with restrictions on compensation for waiver and voiding of prior waiver agreements if applicable."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill amends Minnesota Statutes to extend or clarify continued health insurance coverage for certain injured paramedics and emergency medical technicians under public safety duty disability provisions, and aligns subsidies with applicable retirement system processes.",
"modified": [
"Section 299A.465 is amended to codify health coverage continuation obligations for duty-disabled officers or firefighters and to reference related disability benefits provisions (353.656, 352B.10, etc.)."
]
},
"citation": "299A.465",
"subdivision": "5"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Clarifications tying health coverage continuation to duty disability determinations and the applying retirement-system processes."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill revises language related to duty disability continuation of health coverage for covered individuals and their dependents under the public safety provisions.",
"modified": [
"Explicit linkage between health coverage continuation and duty disability determinations under sections 353.656, 352B.10, and related provisions."
]
},
"citation": "299A.465",
"subdivision": "1"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Recognition that eligibility for benefits under 353.656 (including subdivision 1a) influences employer responsibility for continued health coverage."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "References to total and permanent duty disability benefits; the bill ties health coverage continuation to eligibility or approval for benefits under this section.",
"modified": [
"Integration of health coverage continuation rules with the duty disability determination under 353.656, including total and permanent disability scenarios."
]
},
"citation": "353.656",
"subdivision": "1a"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Linkage of health coverage continuation to eligibility for benefits under 352B.10, establishing employer contribution duties accordingly."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Section 352B.10 subdivision 1 is cited in relation to duty disability benefits for firefighters; the bill uses this to justify continued health coverage.",
"modified": [
"Harmonizes health-coverage obligations with the duty disability framework applicable to local police or salaried firefighter relief associations."
]
},
"citation": "352B.10",
"subdivision": "1"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "The bill references disability criteria in 353.01 for certain covered individuals; subdivision 4 appears within the duty-disability framework.",
"modified": [
"Clarifies which duty-disability criteria apply to the affected peace officers or firefighters under the new continuity rules."
]
},
"citation": "353.01",
"subdivision": "4"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "The bill references disability criteria in 353.01 subdivision 3 as part of the duty-disability framework.",
"modified": [
"Clarifies alternative duty-disability criteria used for determining continued health-coverage eligibility."
]
},
"citation": "353.01",
"subdivision": "3"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "The bill references disability-related provisions in 353.64 subdivision 10 as part of the eligibility framework for continued health coverage.",
"modified": [
"Integrates 353.64 subdivision 10 within the duty-disability health-coverage continuity scheme."
]
},
"citation": "353.64",
"subdivision": "10"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "References to subdivision 7 of 352B.011 concerning disability benefits; used to tie health-coverage continuation to disability determinations.",
"modified": [
"Links eligibility for continued health coverage to the disability-benefit framework in 352B.011 subdivision 7."
]
},
"citation": "352B.011",
"subdivision": "7"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Acknowledges that the agency determination is final under 14.62(2a) and binding on involved parties."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "The bill references Section 14.62, subdivision 2a, establishing the final decision and order framework for duty-disability determinations.",
"modified": [
"Ensures alignment of health-coverage continuation with the final-determination procedures in the Administrative Procedure Act."
]
},
"citation": "14.62",
"subdivision": "2a"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "The bill cites statutory judicial review provisions under sections 14.63 to 14.68 related to Office of Administrative Hearings decisions.",
"modified": [
"Maintains the existing route for judicial review of agency decisions seeking certiorari to the Minnesota Court of Appeals."
]
},
"citation": "14.63",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "See 14.64 referenced as part of the judicial review framework for administrative decisions.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "14.64",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "See 14.65 referenced as part of the judicial review framework for administrative decisions.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "14.65",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "See 14.66 referenced as part of the judicial review framework for administrative decisions.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "14.66",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "See 14.67 referenced as part of the judicial review framework for administrative decisions.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "14.67",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "See 14.68 referenced as part of the judicial review framework for administrative decisions.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "14.68",
"subdivision": ""
}
]Progress through the legislative process
In Committee