Dear Members,

As we wrap up the legislative session, we want to keep you informed about the recent changes affecting emergency medical services in Minnesota. Below, you'll find a summary of the bills that were passed and those that did not make it through.

We will share additional information about implementations and impact in the coming weeks and months for those initiatives that continue to take shape. 

Bills Passed by Legislature

Office of EMS, alternative response model, staffing, emergency ambulance aid

• HF4738
• Establishes the Office of EMS. Eliminates the EMSRB and transfers powers to the Office of EMS.
• Creates the “sprint medic” pilot program in Otter Tail/Grant and St. Louis Counties. Provides $6 million to fund the two pilots.
• Changes staffing requirements by allowing RNs to staff ambulances and for ambulances to be staffed by a non-certified driver.
• Provides $24 million in one-time funding for rural, non-health system ambulance services.

Emergency Medical Training

• HF5237
• Provides $250k to St. Cloud ISD 742 for an EMS training facility.
• Adds $500k annually to the K-12 budget for Emergency Medical Training in High Schools. 

Earned Sick and Safe Time

• HF5247
• Excludes volunteer and paid on-call ambulance services personnel from the definition of an employee.

EMS Training in Cook and Lake Counties

• SF5289
• Provides a $00k grant to Lake County Ambulance Services for training of high school students in Cook and Lake counties interested in pursuing EMS careers. 

GIS Mapping of Schools

• HF5216
• Provides $7million to regional emergency communications boards for GIS mapping of school facilities. 

Medical Debt Collection

• HF5247
• Restricts providers from denying care to patients who have unpaid debt. Requires policies on medical debt collection and notices to patients. Prohibits collection agencies from reporting medical debt to consumer reporting agencies.

Bills NOT Passed by Legislature

Revenue Recapture

• Revenue Recapture was in earlier bills but removed.
• Municipally owned hospitals, hospital districts and ambulance services continue to have access to the Program

Fire Protection and EMS Special Taxing District Aid

• HF5410 | SF5461
• Would establish a state aid program for fire and EMS special taxing districts.

Prompt Payment of Emergency Room and Ambulance Bills (First-dollar Coverage)

• HF3840 | SF4012
• Would require very high deductible health plans(VHDHP) to pay emergency department and ambulance service bills directly if the policy holder has not met their deductible.

Ambulance Supplemental Payment Program

• HF643 | SF595
• Would establish a supplemental payment program to include all ambulance services licensed under 144E. The Program would increase Medicaid rates. 

Rural EMS Uncompensated Care Pool

• HF5449
• Would establish a fund to reimburse rural ambulance services for responses that don’t result in a billable transport.

Volunteer Education Reimbursement Changes

• HF5053 | SF5165
• Would add MRUs as qualifying agencies and EMRs as qualifying individuals to receive reimbursement for training expenses.

Protected Class Transport Rate Increase and Grants

• HF3743 | SF3701
• Would increase reimbursement for trips over 100 miles and establish one-time start-up grants for Protected Class Transport Providers.

Hometown Hero Outdoors Funding

• HF3569 | SF4377
• Would appropriate $25k in 2024 and 2025 to Hometown Hero Outdoors to fund outdoor recreational activities and mental health services for current and former LE, Fire and EMS personnel.
• Requires every ambulance in service for patient care to carry an opiate antagonist.

Licensure and Primary Service Area Modifications

• HF2736 | SF2691
• Would redefine Primary Service Area Boundaries and the issuance of licenses.