Wednesday, June 18, 2025

 Official Publication of Minnesota Home Care Association

  Inside the Informer

  Member News

A Note from MHCA Executive Director Kathy Messerli

I never thought I’d see the day where Minnesotans experienced targeted political violence. MHCA is keeping the Hortman family and all who knew them in our thoughts and prayers. Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman was a true public servant who was determined to make Minnesota a better place to live. She didn’t raise her voice in the midst of debates but listened with compassion and responded with integrity, in a diplomatic manner. Friends and colleagues alike say she was known for her kindness and pragmatism. May she and her husband rest in peace.

Senator Hoffman is incredibly passionate, which is clear from the moment you meet him.  He is a disability advocate and a true champion of home care, who was always ensuring people were cared for and has friends on both sides of the aisle. His friendly and outgoing nature meant I never met with him in our district without being introduced to someone else he thought I should meet. He is beloved throughout the community. I pray that he and his wife have a complete recovery.

Living in the legislative district that was impacted by these senseless shootings has made this personal for me. As we are fighting for democracy across our country, let us remember that violence has no place in our politics or communities. We cannot let political beliefs fuel our anger.  Let’s stand strong, be a rational voice, show compassion, and call for unity.

As Senator Hoffman recently said, “Keep pushing. Never stop.” But do so peacefully.

Kathy Messerli, MHCA Executive Director

Customer Service Training Customized for Home Care Front-Line Staff

These short training courses are available for your entire agency. Anyone can view them! The patient experience impacts the agency’s bottom line for Value-Based Purchasing and star ratings. Don’t miss this opportunity for your staff to take advantage of these sessions!

Register your agency here.

 VALUE-BASED PURCHASING UPDATES

Expanded HHVBP Model: Final April 2025 Interim Performance Reports (IPRs) are Available in iQIES

The Final Apriil 2025 Interim Performance Reports (IPRs) for the expanded Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model have been published on the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluaton System (iQIES). The quarterly IPRs provide home health agencies (HHAs) with the cohort assignment, performance year measure data for the 12 most recent months, and the interim Total Performance Score (TPS). Using the IPRs, an HHA can assess and track their performance relative to peers in their respective cohort throughout the expanded Model performance year.

An HHA will receive an April 2025 if the HHA:

• Was Medicare certified prior to January 1, 2023, and
• Meets the minimum threshold of data for at least one (1) quality measure in the quarterly reporting period for the performance year shown in Exhibit 1.

Exhibit 1: April 2025 IPR quality measure performance scores time periods for each measure category

MHCA reached out to the MN Hospital Association (MHA) with an offer to provide education for its members on "best practices in discharging patients to Home Health Care." MHCA Board Chair Kristy Husen and Kristin DeBoer represented MHCA on an MHA webinar Monday. They covered eligibility criteria, what case managers, social workers, RNs, and physicians should know, as well as what information should be provided to Home Health Care agencies. It’s our goal to help provide smoother transitions during hospital discharges.

 Member Corner

Establish a Safety Plan for your Agency

Join us next Wednesday, June 25, for an essential webinar focused on protecting home care workers through the development of a comprehensive safety program. This session will examine real-world tragedies, such as the case of Joyce Grayson, which led to legislative change in Connecticut, and will draw on key research and CDC recommendations. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to enhance caregiver safety, reduce risk, and foster a culture of prevention and support within their organizations.

Can’t attend the live program? Register anyway and receive the recording!

Register here.

 Committee Updates

MHCA Meets with MDH

MHCA Executive Director Kathy Messerli, Regulatory Affairs Manager Paulette Duncan, and the MHCA MDH Workgroup met with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) home care team last week. Below are highlights of the topics that were covered.

• Providers are reminded that Telehealth services can be provided by all eligible Medicare providers through September 30, 2025. MHCA has reached out to the National Alliance for Care at Home to inquire whether there will be advocacy to make this permanent.
• Acceptance to Service from the most recent CoP is not yet included in the State Operations Manual. MDH has reached out to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services asking for additional guidance, such as whether this will be a level one standard survey. In the meantime, providers should ensure they can manage the level of care for all clients accepted and confirm your advertising is accurate.
• The Combined (federal and state) Bill of Rights (BOR) will be reviewed and updated, as needed by MDH. In the meantime, they clarified that the following BOR should be used:
  • Clients live in their private home or independent senior living: Minnesota Home Care Bill of Rights for Clients of Licensed Only Home Care Providers
  • Clients live in Assisted Living: Minnesota Home Care Bill of Rights for Assisted Living Clients of Licensed Only Home Care Providers
• MDH acknowledged that the home care website pages need to be refreshed. If you notice something you believe changed with the new Assisted Living licensure, feel free to send an email to Paulette Duncan, MHCA Regulatory Affairs Manager, for clarification.

 COMPLIANCE CORNER

Have a Compliance Question? Try MHCA's Regulatory Consultant Helpline!

MHCA’s Regulatory Consultant Helpline is a phenomenal resource to track down tricky-to-find answers to your questions. While we don’t offer in-depth consulting services, if you’re not sure how to interpret something or where to find a source of information, we can help! Simply fill out the helpline form and we will get back to you within 48 hours.

Try it today.

  STATE NEWS

Minnesota Legislature Special Session

The MN legislature wrapped up the necessary budget bills during their 2025 Special Session last week. The Human Services Omnibus Budget bill and the Health Omnibus budget bill were passed and have been signed into law by Governor Walz.

The Health Budget Bill includes the following provisions that impact home care:

• Moves from four to five violation levels for home care and assisted living.
• Extends access to audio-only telehealth in Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare, and private health plans through fiscal year 2027.
• Established limits for Medical Assistance coverage of physical and occupational therapy visits before prior authorization is required.

There are many more provisions of interest in the Human Services (HS) Budget Bill, some of which are:

• SEIU PCA/CFSS Bargaining Agreement.
• Allows coverage for swimming lessons for certain CFSS participants.
• Changes for the CFSS consultation Services.
• Adjustments to the MNChoices assessment process.
• Changes to the Home Care and Assisted Living Advisory Council.
• DWRS service adjustments.
• Implements increases in certain 245A and 245D licensing fees.

The HS bill also directs DHS to convene a long-term services and supports advisory task force to advise and assist the legislature and the governor to reduce cost growth in long-term services and supports, build greater efficiencies into the long-term care services system, and achieve better outcomes for Minnesotans with long-term care needs. The taskforce includes a representative identified by MHCA.

Anni Simons will be covering the legislation during the June 26 Member Meeting. Be sure to register!

Register for the June Member Meeting.

Paid Leave

Minnesota will be implementing the Paid Leave program January 1, 2026, and employers are required to communicate with their employees by December 1, 2025. The program is designed to ensure employees can take the time they need to be there for some of life's most important moments, like welcoming a child, recovering from a serious illness, or caring for a loved one. All employers, regardless of size, are required to participate in this program, with very few exceptions.

Employers will pay a fee to the state and can have employees cover 50% of that fee. The fee is based on the wages reported to Unemployment Insurance (UI). The state will manage all time-off requests from employees. This supplements vacation, sick, and/or PTO benefits. Employers can choose to develop their own program as long as it meets all of the requirements of Minnesota’s Paid Leave.

To ensure you are prepared for this new program, refer to the website link above. You can also view this presentation slide deck for more information.

New MHCP Information

The following information changed on the MHCP Provider website:

The MHCP Provider Manual has been updated:

• Community First Services and Supports (CFSS):
• Personal Care Assistance (PCA) Services – Added the section Tiered Rates and Wage Floors with information about tiered rates and minimum wage information for PCA agencies and PCA Choice. Updated language in the Managed Care Members section to clarify that ages 65 and younger are carved out of managed care organization coverage.
  
  

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DHS Requests Comments on HCBS Evidentiary Package for HCBS Compliance

Evidentiary package

To review the evidentiary package, refer to DHS HCBS Final Rule Evidentiary Package – Iris Park Commons (PDF) .

If you are unable to access the document electronically, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) will provide you with a copy. To request a copy, you can:

• Email dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us .
• Call DHS at 651-431-2600.
• Send a written request to:
  ATTN: AASD, HCBS Unit
  Minnesota Department of Human Services
  Aging and Adult Services Division
  P.O. Box 64976
  St. Paul, MN 55164-0976

Process to submit comments

Email comments to dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us with the email subject “EP Public Comment Iris Park Commons” by 4 p.m. on July 16, 2025.

We also will accept comments by mail. Mail written comments to the address above.

Undocumented Adults No Longer Eligible for MinnesotaCare – Implementation is Here

One of the significant bills that was passed by the Minnesota Legislature ends MinnesotaCare eligibility  for adults who are undocumented in the state. MHCA learned this week that the mandated changes have a very fast implementation date : this past Sunday, June 15. The Department of Human Services continues work to implement this and wanted to reach out to share the information they know so far.

Kids under the age of 18 who are undocumented and from low-income families will keep their coverage and can continue to apply and gain new eligibility.

We know childhood is a critical time for brain development, education, and lifelong health. Health care coverage can change the trajectory of a child’s life. After coverage begins for eligible undocumented kids, it can last up until the month after a child’s 18^th birthday.

Adults who are undocumented and currently covered remain eligible for the program through the end of 2025.

Those who had coverage on Sunday, June 15, 2025, will keep it through the end of the year as long as they continue to pay their premium if they have one and meet the income and other eligibility factors. Coverage for these adults will end at the close of the day December 31.

Any new applications for coverage will be denied for Minnesotans aged 18 or older who are undocumented.

MinnesotaCare eligibility remains available for low-income Minnesotans who are:

• U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals.
• Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals grantees, also known as DACA or Dreamers.
• Residents who are lawfully present, as defined in the Minnesota Health Care Programs Eligibility Policy Manual .
• Undocumented children under age 18.

In the next couple weeks, while we update the MinnesotaCare eligibility system, applications submitted by undocumented adults might be approved in the online system. However, those adults will receive a denial letter in the mail soon after in compliance with the change made by the Legislature. This will create confusion for people. DHS is educating partners about the issue to minimize problems. They expedited the IT updates to the fullest extent possible; however, it will not be an ideal consumer experience until they can complete these system changes.

Minnesotans who need care and have no insurance still have some options.

• Emergency Medical Assistance remains available for people who are undocumented. This program pays for emergency care.
• Medical Assistance is available to any pregnant person regardless of immigration status and for 12-months postpartum, or after giving birth. Medical Assistance is also available for people receiving services at the Center for Victims of Torture.
• Minnesotans can receive health care from Minnesota Health Centers regardless of your ability to pay. Find a health center near you at  www.mnhealthcenters.org/find-healthcare. 
• Minnesotans may be eligible for low-cost insulin through the Minnesota Insulin Safety Net Program. Learn more at  mninsulin.org.

Expect more information in the coming days and weeks.

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Minnesota Home Care Association, 1265 Grey Fox Road, Ste. 2, Arden Hills, MN 55112
P: 651.635.0607  |  F: 651.635.0043  |  www.mnhomecare.org  |  membership@mnhomecare.org

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Mission: MHCA represents and supports Minnesota home care providers committed to high quality home care services.
Vision: MHCA will shape the home care landscape to improve and sustain quality home care services.