MN SF501

Health care quality measures must be stratified by race, ethnicity, preferred language, and country of origin effective July 1, 2016, with possible expansion to additional sociodemographic factors (poverty, homelessness, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation) on or after January 1, 2018.

Quality incentive payment systems must adjust for variations in patient population to prevent providers from avoiding high-risk patients, including those with risk factors related to race, ethnicity, language, and sociodemographic factors.

Risk adjustment systems for public reporting of provider quality must account for patient characteristics correlated with health disparities effective July 1, 2017, using actual-to-expected comparisons reflecting patient population characteristics.

Commissioner of human services must develop a methodology by December 15, 2015, to pay higher rates for providers serving patients experiencing the greatest health disparities, without reducing existing add-on or enhanced payments for safety net providers.

Appropriations are authorized for the biennium ending June 30, 2017, to the commissioners of health and human services for developing quality measurement systems, risk adjustment systems, and community engagement activities related to health disparities.