[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6335882,"mediaKeyId","2288468-dbbde7d115a78fb2bb0495b49c522a5b","parentId",2288468,"title","Minn. DHS says CFSS rollout on track but consultation capacity, provider enrollment causing delays","audioSeconds",3219,"startMs",81000,"endMs",3300000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288468-dbbde7d115a78fb2bb0495b49c522a5b&start=81&end=3300","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288468-dbbde7d115a78fb2bb0495b49c522a5b/thumbnail_81000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6335882/Minnesota/Minn-DHS-says-CFSS-rollout-on-track-but-consultation-capacity-provider-enrollment-causing-delays","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335882-f8a99e93ad4c1525790782bde4abfde4/orig.mp4?Expires=1773330589&Signature=eJMiA5NjD8nLvxwVPXhGOlROUB-me1oFBMZCw001w8FEh016nDslCFtED9M1DSPV4DeI32ymbyWzwBTqzTTIZfVM6r75r7KbuNMyVcJtoBcAUh154xNnp55L-BET1vJTMf73Fr4Ket8Bhfj1seiRyyIxRyvb-w4j5lmfocVbxz9Qc4ED6UQTBLkd7tB49k6aaLRBSfwEs4W3OSjfZJNsLvFp67tIzdPCghrWUfmLNFoLtLI5SiWG71b~GkdGJpu7D0diiF0gbnQ~6X79Ox2r2asCrBD1bDrNeGwIQ8zCpzQNXYxIOyfZmEEYzFb-TDGt-TLZjSpYrghknCVATaGpeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Minnesota Senate Media Services","date","2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","article","Assistant Commissioner Natasha Mers, the assistant commissioner for aging and disability services at the Minnesota Department of Human Services, told a Senate committee that Minnesota is midstream in converting the state’s Personal Care Assistance (PCA) program to Community First Services and Supports (CFSS), a redesign she said expands self‑direction and eligible services for people who receive PCA.

Mers said the department received federal approval for the CFSS implementation on 02/27/2024 and that, when fully converted, “there are nearly 50,000 people that are using PCA services that could become authorized for CFSS” and “approximately 900 PCA provider agencies” will need to transition. She said the CFSS option allows new allowances — including payment to parents of minor children and spouses providing support and the ability to use budget funds to buy goods or services in lieu of one‑to‑one personal care — and that CFSS offers access to neutral consultation services to help people choose between an agency model and a self‑directed budget model.

The department and provider witnesses described several implementation bottlenecks that are slowing the conversion. Mers told the panel that “demand is exceeding capacity across Minnesota” for consultation providers and that the department has an open request for proposals to add vendors. She said consultation is a required step under the federal service design before people convert from PCA to CFSS and that a consultation provider “cannot be both a consultation provider and an agency to the same person” to preserve neutrality.

Vicky Garrets, a board member of the Minnesota First Provider Alliance, told the committee that providers and people who receive services have faced confusion and delays. Garrets said agencies were given enrollment forms only in mid‑September for an October transition start and that, “as of this week, 320 of the 946 providers have been coded as a CFSS agency.” She and other testimony said lead agencies and assessors have inconsistent messaging about CFSS and lists of consultation providers, and that appointment wait times for consultations can range from weeks to months.

Olga Shevoleva, vice president of development and strategic planning at Metropolitan Community Services, described operational pressures consultation agencies face, especially for clients who speak limited English. Shevoleva said consultation visits often must be split across sessions and “it takes about 3 to 6 hours per client to write a meaningful service delivery plan” and that interpreting costs and scheduling are significant barriers because some interpreting time is not billable.

Lawmakers pressed DHS on several operational details. Senators asked for the geographic distribution of the 18 currently enrolled consultation providers (Mers said DHS would provide that data), asked whether providers face licensing or program integrity checks (Mers said PCA and CFSS are unlicensed services but providers must meet Medicaid enrollment and program integrity requirements and that DHS is using contracts for consultation vendors), and asked about per‑session reimbursement (Mers said consultation sessions are paid per session; agency staff said the per‑session fee is $100 and recipients are authorized for six sessions, with additional sessions available by approval).

Mers told the committee the department has implemented an automatic six‑month renewal of existing PCA service authorizations in individual cases where transitions are delayed so people “don't experience a disruption in services.” She said DHS is working to separate the PCA revalidation process from CFSS enrollment after finding the combined paperwork slowed providers’ conversions.

DHS said it is tracking enrollment and provider metrics closely, holding regular office hours with consultation providers, accelerating technical assistance to lead agencies and providers, and actively recruiting consultation vendors. Provider groups said they welcome DHS outreach but urged faster, clearer communications to avoid confusing service recipients and to preserve relationships with culturally specific providers.

Members of the committee and provider witnesses urged DHS to continue stepping up outreach, to provide details on provider enrollment status and geography, and to report back with data on how many people have completed consultation and converted to CFSS. DHS agreed to provide follow‑up information to the committee.

The discussion produced no formal vote; committee members suggested further oversight and possible appropriations to address workforce and capacity needs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee on Human Services - 02/12/25","oneSentenceSummary","Assistant Commissioner Natasha Mers, the assistant commissioner for aging and disability services at the Department of Human Services, told a Senate committee that Minnesota is midstream in converting the Personal Care Assistance program to Community First Services and Supports and that consultation provider shortages and slow agency enrollment are creating implementation delays.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MN, Minnesota","taxId",77817,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335872,"Senate hears LifeWorks plan for statewide disability‑inclusion pilot; funding proposal laid over for omnibus",684,5389000,6073000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288468-dbbde7d115a78fb2bb0495b49c522a5b&start=5389&end=6073","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288468-dbbde7d115a78fb2bb0495b49c522a5b/thumbnail_5389000.jpg","/articles/6335872/Minnesota/Senate-hears-LifeWorks-plan-for-statewide-disabilityinclusion-pilot-funding-proposal-laid-over-for-omnibus","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335872-00b105490bfbcbf0fe3ddc63dbe8a325/orig.mp4?Expires=1773330589&Signature=Adu7Khehd1zMpeLkwTDJL8CjmZVkGPD8fxntIItp7dofmt6HEtSS6J0XEHpO0kTQtsSiB0T1mTrg3H5QzrZjj4EV7VPh7CQ6O8-q9s~~KwEmSAhVD-hEC~MY8BllmLxwAtmc1h4wfmcTRcaPJF8IY~8vlApBoRQ1NL3TUlYJ65zfIwkxS~VP8kFXHmgQMF-qEDZqaiOd002xu39qmwVLToZ2D6EjIA1wr9LcIMNwuzVjEx0ia72YLPvlSpiPitKTqxhqponKWrfNfclaKF134ohur-Wlg65a6xrQZ-GyuLkn0XpE~EMqQd-a5qBcfWqDtS-H163Pm3gcVZgeNZKtDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate File 985, carried by Senator May Quaid, would appropriate $4,000,000 one‑time to LifeWorks Services to run a statewide disability inclusion pilot focused on employer and community education, rural and tribal outreach, and capacity building.

Senator May Quaid said LifeWorks’ outreach in 2024 reached more than 4,000 people through community conversations, listening sessions and trainings, and that the pilot would expand employer engagement, help people with disabilities navigate services, co‑create community supports and launch an accessibility assessment for businesses and public spaces. Kiri Tram, director of disability initiatives at LifeWorks Services and a program participant, said the pilot aims to “expand opportunities for people with disabilities” and to produce a model Minnesota could export.

Senator Gruenhagen offered an A‑1 amendment that would have required LifeWorks to submit an initial plan to DHS before receiving funds and would have required DHS to produce an effectiveness report to the Legislature; after discussion about existing reporting requirements and state performance‑measurement statutes, Gruenhagen withdrew the amendment and asked Senate counsel to confirm whether current law already creates similar review requirements.

Senator May Quaid and other members said they supported the amendment’s intent to produce measurable outcomes but preferred to coordinate reporting with existing state performance‑measurement requirements. Senator Quaid said the sponsor would work with counsel and stakeholders to align any reporting language.

The committee laid Senate File 985 over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill; no recorded roll call was taken. Supporters emphasized the pilot’s focus on businesses, rural and tribal partnerships, and demonstrations of inclusive hiring practices. The committee did not adopt specific performance metrics during the hearing; members urged follow‑up to clarify oversight and measurement if the appropriation is included in the budget.","Senate File 985 would provide $4 million one‑time to LifeWorks Services for a statewide disability inclusion pilot. Sponsors and LifeWorks representatives described goals, community input and training; an amendment asking for an early workplan was withdrawn and the bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus package.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335877,"Senate advances bill to allow hospitals to grant Medicaid presumptive eligibility after a positive newborn screen",1195,4152000,5347000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288468-dbbde7d115a78fb2bb0495b49c522a5b&start=4152&end=5347","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288468-dbbde7d115a78fb2bb0495b49c522a5b/thumbnail_4152000.jpg","/articles/6335877/Minnesota/Senate-advances-bill-to-allow-hospitals-to-grant-Medicaid-presumptive-eligibility-after-a-positive-newborn-screen","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335877-7de9279325fcbc4b6393a779e85c14a7/orig.mp4?Expires=1773330589&Signature=Zbj5gYM--8fEXqPGbNQg7C-Ygz~WDvrFsZ2CZI-cR8Gzt5Lh~7lff6Dq4RJ-xpxZ4ZU16QTmT0GjMk8aeq8DYXX2f6DGynFU1RXw8RO-joKsriEJDHCPcLXeHHbsQiEowyPAj2MOdpZiLUaVwghtcY1MxJNTmH7jbUwOmtU3LvNBwFF-QV~iMWux3cMWvVWrgHCLfmGax8Rr6vCN3XXiNw1p6UQxn61VPmcBWC4Dn5aBwb60aBQZG234L1jwyeW87w184UwgWSbNjD0dulmkDWGQK92cZzcB0j5kN5NFCRDoaAFsAW-doRJtAfbEkXB76-jOxS1m-D3R1~CvRciIFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators on the committee voted to adopt an author's amendment and recommended passage of Senate File 11‑75, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Bolden that would allow hospitals to establish presumptive Medicaid eligibility for newborns who receive a positive newborn screen, the bill’s author said.

Senator Bolden introduced the measure as a way to speed access to urgent care for infants whose newborn screening indicates a congenital or heritable condition. “This is a bill that connects presumptive eligibility for Medicaid with positive newborn screening results, to ensure that infants with urgent medical needs can get immediate care,” Bolden told the committee.

Health and rare‑disease advocates and clinicians supported the change. Erica Barnes, executive director of the Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council, told the committee that newborn screening is often the only chance to detect certain conditions early enough to prevent catastrophic outcomes and that “allowing hospitals to presume eligibility for Medicaid immediately while waiting for the final disability determination will expedite delivery of care to these children.” Barnes said Minnesota identifies about 109 newborns a year, on average, with conditions detected by the state’s newborn screening program.

Susan Berry, M.D., a professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota and director of the university’s rare disease center, said some conditions require very rapid interventions. Using Krabbe disease as an example, Berry said the only effective therapy can be a bone marrow transplant performed within the first month of life to have meaningful effect. “It’s wrong to screen for treatable disorders and then have a family be unable to begin the only possible life‑saving intervention because they don't have the financial means,” she said.

Committee members adopted the A1 author’s amendment without a recorded roll‑call (Chair called the voice vote, “A1 is adopted”) and later voted by voice to recommend that Senate File 11‑75 as amended “be recommended to pass and be re‑referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.” The committee clerk recorded the motion as carried and the bill will move on to Health and Human Services for further consideration.

Supporters said the measure would reduce administrative delays that can block or slow urgently needed treatments and would reduce hospital length of stay by enabling quicker discharge planning when families lack immediate coverage. Opponents did not force a recorded vote in committee during the hearing.

The committee also heard technical questions about how presumptive eligibility interacts with private insurance and the disability determination process; witnesses said hospitals and clinicians typically provide urgent care regardless of coverage, but families can face financial uncertainty and administrative delays when private insurance is not yet active or when specialized medical foods or therapies are not covered by a family’s plan. Supporters said Medicaid is typically the payer of last resort but that presumptive eligibility ensures timely billing and authorization while full eligibility is finalized.

Senate File 11‑75 will go to the Health and Human Services Committee with the committee’s recommendation that it pass as amended.","The Senate committee adopted an author's amendment and voted to recommend passage of Senate File 1175, which would let hospitals establish presumptive Medicaid eligibility for infants with positive newborn screening results so treatment can begin while disability determinations proceed.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Minn. DHS says CFSS rollout on track but consultation capacity, provider enrollment causing delays

Senate hears LifeWorks plan for statewide disability‑inclusion pilot; funding proposal laid over for omnibus

Senate advances bill to allow hospitals to grant Medicaid presumptive eligibility after a positive newborn screen