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Bill would prevent immediate MAPD termination for missed premiums, advocates say it provides needed breathing room
Summary
House File 666 would allow people on Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA‑EPD) temporary protection from termination when they miss premium payments by allowing arrears to accrue and be collected later; advocates testified about real-life harms when coverage lapses, and the committee laid the bill over.
Representative Hicks presented House File 666, which would change MA‑EPD procedures so that participants who miss premium payments would not immediately lose their coverage; instead premiums would accrue and the state would use existing collection mechanisms to recover unpaid amounts.
Jillian Nelson, policy director for the Autism Society of Minnesota and a MAPD recipient, described paying about $600 monthly in premiums and told members she has had to choose between those premiums and family obligations after a recent bereavement. Nelson said immediate termination of MA‑EPD causes long, difficult administrative processes to restore services and can destabilize employment and housing.
Members and witnesses described prior state practice in other programs where benefits remained active while fees accrued and collections were used later. Representative Hicks said the bill mirrors collection mechanisms used previously for parental fees and other state debts.
Committee members asked for details on how collections would operate and requested information from management and budget officials; Representative Hicks said the department can track arrears and the state has standard collection processes. The committee adopted an A1 amendment during the hearing to ensure continuity for people working past age 65 and then laid HF 666 over for possible omnibus inclusion.
