Minnesota Statutes 246.54 – Liability of County; Reimbursement
Subdivision 1.Generally.
Except for substance use disorder services provided under sections 254B.01 to 254B.09, the client’s county shall pay to the state of Minnesota a portion of the cost of care provided in a regional treatment center or a state nursing facility to a client legally settled in that county. A county’s payment shall be made from the county’s own sources of revenue and payments shall equal a percentage of the cost of care, as determined by the commissioner, for each day, or the portion thereof, that the client spends at a regional treatment center or a state nursing facility.
Subd. 1a.Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center.
(a) A county’s payment of the cost of care provided at Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center shall be according to the following schedule:
(1) zero percent for the first 30 days;
(2) 20 percent for days 31 and over if the stay is determined to be clinically appropriate for the client; and
(3) 100 percent for each day during the stay, including the day of admission, when the facility determines that it is clinically appropriate for the client to be discharged.
(b) If payments received by the state under sections 246.50 to 246.53 exceed 80 percent of the cost of care for days over 31 for clients who meet the criteria in paragraph (a), clause (2), the county shall be responsible for paying the state only the remaining amount. The county shall not be entitled to reimbursement from the client, the client’s estate, or from the client’s relatives, except as provided in section 246.53.
(c) Between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2025, the county is not responsible for the cost of care under paragraph (a), clause (3), for a person who is committed as a person who has a mental illness and is dangerous to the public under section 253B.18 and who is awaiting transfer to another state-operated facility or program. This paragraph expires June 30, 2025.
Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 246.54
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- children: includes children by birth or adoption;
(9) "day" comprises the time from midnight to the next midnight;
(10) "fiscal year" means the year by or for which accounts are reckoned;
(11) "hereafter" means a reference to the time after the time when the law containing such word takes effect;
(12) "heretofore" means a reference to the time previous to the time when the law containing such word takes effect;
(13) "judicial sale" means a sale conducted by an officer or person authorized for the purpose by some competent tribunal;
(14) "minor" means an individual under the age of 18 years;
(15) "money" means lawful money of the United States;
(16) "night time" means the time from sunset to sunrise;
(17) "non compos mentis" refers to an individual of unsound mind;
(18) "notary" means a notary public;
(19) "now" in any provision of a law referring to other laws in force, or to persons in office, or to any facts or circumstances as existing, relates to the laws in force, or to the persons in office, or to the facts or circumstances existing, respectively, on the effective date of such provision;
(20) "verified" when used in reference to writings, means supported by oath or affirmation. See Minnesota Statutes 645.45
- Holiday: includes New Year's Day, January 1; Martin Luther King's Birthday, the third Monday in January; Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday, the third Monday in February; Memorial Day, the last Monday in May; Juneteenth, June 19; Independence Day, July 4; Labor Day, the first Monday in September; Indigenous Peoples Day, the second Monday in October; Veterans Day, November 11; Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November; and Christmas Day, December 25; provided, when New Year's Day, January 1; or Juneteenth, June 19; or Independence Day, July 4; or Veterans Day, November 11; or Christmas Day, December 25; falls on Sunday, the following day shall be a holiday and, provided, when New Year's Day, January 1; or Juneteenth, June 19; or Independence Day, July 4; or Veterans Day, November 11; or Christmas Day, December 25; falls on Saturday, the preceding day shall be a holiday. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
- Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
- state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
(d) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the client is not responsible for payment of the cost of care under this subdivision.
Subd. 1b.Community behavioral health hospitals.
(a) A county’s payment of the cost of care provided at state-operated community-based behavioral health hospitals for adults and children shall be according to the following schedule:
(1) 100 percent for each day during the stay, including the day of admission, when the facility determines that it is clinically appropriate for the client to be discharged; and
(2) the county shall not be entitled to reimbursement from the client, the client’s estate, or from the client’s relatives, except as provided in section 246.53.
(b) Between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2025, the county is not responsible for the cost of care under paragraph (a), clause (1), for a person committed as a person who has a mental illness and is dangerous to the public under section 253B.18 and who is awaiting transfer to another state-operated facility or program. This paragraph expires June 30, 2025.
(c) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the client is not responsible for payment of the cost of care under this subdivision.
Subd. 1c.State-operated forensic services.
A county’s payment of the cost of care provided at state-operated forensic services shall be according to the following schedule:
(1) Minnesota Security Hospital: ten percent for each day, or portion thereof, that the client spends in a Minnesota Security Hospital program. If payments received by the state under sections 246.50 to 246.53 for services provided at the Minnesota Security Hospital exceed 90 percent of the cost of care, the county shall be responsible for paying the state only the remaining amount. The county shall not be entitled to reimbursement from the client, the client’s estate, or the client’s relatives except as provided in section 246.53;
(2) forensic nursing home: ten percent for each day, or portion thereof, that the client spends in a forensic nursing home program. If payments received by the state under sections 246.50 to 246.53 for services provided at the forensic nursing home exceed 90 percent of the cost of care, the county shall be responsible for paying the state only the remaining amount. The county shall not be entitled to reimbursement from the client, the client’s estate, or the client’s relatives except as provided in section 246.53;
(3) forensic transition services: 50 percent for each day, or portion thereof, that the client spends in the forensic transition services program. If payments received by the state under sections 246.50 to 246.53 for services provided in the forensic transition services exceed 50 percent of the cost of care, the county shall be responsible for paying the state only the remaining amount. The county shall not be entitled to reimbursement from the client, the client’s estate, or the client’s relatives except as provided in section 246.53; and
(4) residential competency restoration program:
(i) 20 percent for each day, or portion thereof, that the client spends in a residential competency restoration program while the client is in need of restoration services;
(ii) 50 percent for each day, or portion thereof, that the client spends in a residential competency restoration program once the examiner determines that the client no longer needs restoration services; and
(iii) 100 percent for each day, or portion thereof, once charges against a client have been resolved or dropped.
Subd. 2.Exceptions.
Regardless of the facility to which the client is committed, subdivisions 1, 1a, 1b, and 1c, do not apply to the following individuals:
(1) clients who are committed as sexual psychopathic personalities under section 253D.02, subdivision 15; and
(2) clients who are committed as sexually dangerous persons under section 253D.02, subdivision 16.
Subd. 3.Administrative review of county liability for cost of care.
(a) The county of financial responsibility may submit a written request for administrative review by the commissioner of the county’s payment of the cost of care when a delay in discharge of a client from a regional treatment center, state-operated community-based behavioral health hospital, or other state-operated facility results from the following actions by the facility:
(1) the facility did not provide notice to the county that the facility has determined that it is clinically appropriate for a client to be discharged;
(2) the notice to the county that the facility has determined that it is clinically appropriate for a client to be discharged was communicated on a holiday or weekend;
(3) the required documentation or procedures for discharge were not completed in order for the discharge to occur in a timely manner; or
(4) the facility disagrees with the county’s discharge plan.
(b) The county of financial responsibility may not appeal the determination that it is clinically appropriate for a client to be discharged from a regional treatment center, state-operated community-based behavioral health hospital, or other state-operated facility.
(c) The commissioner must evaluate the request for administrative review and determine if the facility’s actions listed in paragraph (a) caused undue delay in discharging the client. If the commissioner determines that the facility’s actions listed in paragraph (a) caused undue delay in discharging the client, the county’s liability must be reduced to the level of the cost of care for a client whose stay in a facility is determined to be clinically appropriate, effective on the date of the facility’s action or failure to act that caused the delay. The commissioner’s determination under this subdivision is final and not subject to appeal.
(d) If a county’s liability is reduced pursuant to paragraph (c), a county’s liability must return to the level of the cost of care for a client whose stay in a facility is determined to no longer be appropriate effective on the date the facility rectifies the action or failure to act that caused the delay under paragraph (a).
(e) Any difference in the county cost of care liability resulting from administrative review under this subdivision must not be billed to the client or applied to future reimbursement from the client’s estate or relatives.