Saint Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Legislature today unanimously approved a $200 million emergency appropriation to help hospitals and clinics prepare for and respond to the growing COVID-19 pandemic.
“Minnesota has a top-notch public health system and skilled providers in every corner of the state, but without proper financial support our hospitals and clinics could become overwhelmed with patients who need serious medical attention as this public health crisis worsens,” said Rep. Paul Marquart (DFL-Dilworth), who voted in support of the appropriation. “That is why the Legislature has taken swift bipartisan action so our providers have the tools to prepare for and stop the spread of COVID-19. The men and women who are on the front lines of our health care system are acting with tremendous skill and courage right now, and they deserve our utmost thanks and support.”
The Legislature also passed a resolution allowing the House and Senate to adjourn for more than three days. The House and Senate will meet in floor and committee session on an on-call basis through April 14. During this time period, the Legislature will only take up legislation on the House and Senate floors by agreement of the House DFL, House GOP, Senate DFL and Senate GOP caucus leaders.
What the bill does:
$150 million is appropriated to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to make grants to eligible providers for costs related to planning for, preparing for, or responding to an outbreak of COVID-19; fund the establishment and operation of temporary sites to provide testing services, to provide treatment beds, or to isolate or quarantine affected individuals, to respond to an outbreak of COVID-19; and administer the grant program.
The bill defines “eligible provider” as an ambulance service; health care provider; health care clinic; pharmacy; health care facility or long-term care facility, including but not limited to a hospital, nursing facility, or setting where assisted living services or health care services are or may be provided; or health system.
Grants may be used for:
- establishment and operation of temporary sites to provide testing services, to provide treatment beds, or to isolate or quarantine affected individuals;
- temporary conversion of a space for another purpose that will revert to its original use;
- staff overtime and hiring additional staff;
- staff training and orientation;
- purchasing consumable protective or treatment supplies and equipment to protect or treat staff, visitors, and patients;
- development and implementation of screening and testing procedures;
- patient outreach activities;
- additional emergency transportation of patients;
- temporary IT and systems costs to support patient triage, screening, and telemedicine activities;
- purchasing replacement parts or filters for medical equipment that are necessary for the equipment’s operation;
- specialty cleaning supplies;
- expenses related to the isolation or quarantine of staff (not including wages);
- other expenses not expected to generate income for the eligible provider after the outbreak ends.
As a condition of accepting a grant, the provider must agree not to bill uninsured patients for the cost of COVID-19 screening, testing, or treatment. If a patient is out-of-network, the provider must agree to accept the median network rate as payment in full.
The bill also includes an additional $50 million for the public health response contingency account, and allows MDH, in consultation with hospitals, ambulance services, emergency management, and public health agencies, to make payments from the public health response contingency account to ambulance services, health care clinics, pharmacies, health care facilities and long-term care facilities, including but not limited to hospitals, nursing facilities, and settings at which assisted living services or health care services are or may be provided; and health systems, for costs that are necessary on an emergency basis to plan for, prepare for, or respond to pandemic influenza or a communicable or infectious disease.