Subd. 1. Provider acceptance required.

Each health plan company, with the exception of any health plan company with 50,000 or fewer enrollees and health plan companies that are exempt under subdivision 6, shall establish an expanded network of allied independent health providers, in addition to a preferred network. A health plan company shall accept as a provider in the expanded network any allied independent health provider who: (1) meets the health plan company's credentialing standards; (2) agrees to the terms of the health plan company's provider contract; and (3) agrees to comply with all managed care protocols of the health plan company. A preferred network shall be considered an expanded network if all allied independent health providers who meet the requirements of clauses (1), (2), and (3) are accepted into the preferred network. A community integrated service network may offer to its enrollees an expanded network of allied independent health providers as described under this section.

Subd. 2. Managed care.

The managed care protocols used by the health plan company may include: (1) a requirement that an enrollee obtain a referral from the health plan company before obtaining services from an allied independent health provider in the expanded network; (2) limits on the number and length of visits to allied independent health providers in the expanded network allowed by each referral, as long as the number and length of visits allowed is not less than the number and length allowed for comparable referrals to allied independent health providers in the preferred network; and (3) ongoing management and review by the health plan company of the care provided by an allied independent health provider in the expanded network after a referral is made.

Subd. 3. Mandatory offering to enrollees.

1. (a) Each health plan company shall offer to enrollees the option of receiving covered services through the expanded network of allied independent health providers established under subdivisions 1 and 2. This expanded network option may be offered as a separate health plan. The network may establish separate premium rates and cost-sharing requirements for this expanded network plan, as long as these premium rates and cost-sharing requirements are actuarially justified and approved by the commissioner. This subdivision does not apply to Medicare, medical assistance, general assistance medical care, and MinnesotaCare.
2. (b) Information on this expanded provider network option must be provided by each health plan company during open enrollment and upon enrollment.

Subd. 4. Provider reimbursement.

A health plan company shall pay each allied independent health provider in the expanded network the same rate per unit of service as paid to allied independent health providers in the preferred network.

Subd. 5. Definitions.

1. (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply.
2. (b) "Allied independent health provider" means an independently enrolled audiologist, chiropractor, dietitian, home health care provider, licensed marriage and family therapist, nurse practitioner or advanced practice nurse, occupational therapist, optometrist, optician, outpatient chemical dependency counselor, pharmacist who is not employed by and based on the premises of a health plan company, physical therapist, podiatrist, licensed psychologist, psychological practitioner, licensed social worker, or speech therapist.
3. (c) "Home health care provider" means a provider of personal care assistance, home health aide, homemaker, respite care, adult day care, or home therapies and home health nursing services.
4. (d) "Independently enrolled" means that a provider can bill, and receive direct payment for services from, a third-party payer or patient.

Subd. 6. Exemption.

A health plan company, to the extent that it operates as a staff model health plan company as defined in section 295.50, subdivision 12b, by employing allied independent health care providers to deliver health care services to enrollees, is exempt from this section.