MN SF131

Hospitals must test patients for COVID-19 using RT-PCR tests prior to discharging them to long-term care facilities.

Hospitals are prohibited from discharging COVID-19 positive patients to long-term care facilities until the patient is no longer infectious, defined as either 72 hours after fever resolution and respiratory symptom improvement, or a negative RT-PCR test.

Hospitals may discharge COVID-19 positive patients to dedicated separate units or buildings within long-term care facilities if staff in those units only care for COVID-19 positive residents.

Health plans, medical assistance, and MinnesotaCare must reimburse hospitals for the full cost of extended inpatient stays resulting from compliance with discharge requirements, in addition to standard payments.

The commissioner of human services must reimburse hospitals for extended stays of uninsured patients from the coronavirus relief federal fund in fiscal years 2020 and 2021.

The section expires 60 days after the end of the COVID-19 peacetime emergency declaration.