SF974

The legislative bill S.F. No. 974 requires all health insurance plans in Minnesota to cover power standing systems for wheelchairs. These systems must be recommended by a licensed provider within the state. The bill specifies that health plans cannot impose any additional costs (like deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance) or restrictions (like utilization review, referral requirements, or delay periods) on this coverage beyond what is generally applied to other medical coverages.

Additionally, health plans are allowed to limit the provision of a new power standing system to once every five years. Furthermore, the bill discusses financial aspects wherein the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce is responsible for reimbursing health insurance companies for the costs incurred due to this new requirement, provided that these costs are not covered under existing policies as of January 1, 2025.

Lastly, the bill allocates the necessary funds each fiscal year to cover these reimbursements, ensuring that the financial burden of this mandate does not fall solely on the health insurance companies.