Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a program to achieve state-wide health goals and makes changes to state health care programs. Creates the health improvement fund and the health care transformation commission. Provides $59.31 million in funding for 2009.

Highlights:

- Provides grants for local health programs aimed at reducing the percentage of residents who are overweight, use tobacco or drugs, or misuse alcohol (Art. 1, Sec. 2). - Requires the commissioner of health to establish a program to monitor the rates of childhood obesity by collecting Body Mass Index data to measure progress in reducing obesity among children (Art. 1, Sec. 4). - Requires the commissioner of health to establish and certify health care homes to coordinate care of patients suffering from complex or chronic health conditions (Art. 2, Sec. 1-Sec. 6). - Increase reimbursement rates for primary care physicians by up to 50 percent for physicians who agree to work for at least five years in an area in need of primary care physicians (Art. 2, Sec. 7). - Requires the creation of an automated system to identify individuals eligible for state health care programs when the individual accesses other state services and requires improvements to established outreach efforts (Art. 3, Sec. 3) - Increases the inpatient hospital benefit limit from $10,000 to $20,000 (Art. 3, Sec. 8). - Increases the MinnesotaCare income limit for families and children from 275 to 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and for single adults from 215 to 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines (Art. 3, Sec. 9). - Establishes a sliding scale for MinnesotaCare premiums. Children in families with an income at or below 150 percent of federal poverty guidelines and parnets below 100 percent of the federal poverty guideline pay no premium. New enrollees pay no premium for the first month (Art. 3, Sec. 17-Sec. 18). - Requires the development of a quality incentive payment system to link the level of payments to health care providers with the quality of care (Art. 4, Sec. 18). - Requires health plan companies to disclose of out-of-pocket costs to the patient. Requires clinics and hospitals to disclose prices for all procedures and services (Art. 4, Sec. 7 & Sec. 21). - Provides incentives for hospitals and health care providers to implement electronic health records systems. Requires that providers, group purchasers, prescribers and dispensers establish an electronic prescription drug program (Art. 4, Sec. 5-Sec.6). - Allows the registration of health insurance brokers to assist individuals in understanding, choosing, and enrolling in private health coverage (Art. 4, Sec. 12). - Requires the commissioner of human development to develop a subsidy program to help employers expand access to health coverage (Art. 4, Sec. 26). - Imposes an annual tax on hospitals and health plan companies for the Health Improvement Fund that expires in 2013. Sets a rate of 0.15 percent of patient revenue or premium revenue to be paid by June 1, 2009. Starting June 1, 2010 the commissioner of health shall determine the rate for each hospital and company so that total revenue will be $40 million but no one company or hospital shall pay more than 0.3 percent of their of patient revenue or premium revenue (Art. 1, Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text