Purpose

The bill would require health plans to cover medically necessary treatment for inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs), including related medical foods and low-protein modified food products. It also extends these coverage requirements to Minnesota’s Medical Assistance program (Medicaid). The goal is to ensure individuals with IMDs have access to essential dietary treatments without extra barriers.

Main Provisions

• Definitions (Section 62Q.536)

  • Inherited metabolic disease: a disease caused by an inherited abnormality of body chemistry that affects metabolism.
  • Medical food: a food intended for the dietary treatment of a disease or condition, with nutritional requirements set by medical evaluation and consumed or administered under a physician’s direction.
  • Lowprotein modified food product: a specially formulated food with less than one gram of protein per serving, used under physician direction for dietary treatment of an IMD, and not a natural food that is naturally low in protein.

• Required coverage (Section 62Q.536, Subd.2)

  • Health plans must cover medically necessary treatment for inherited metabolic diseases, including the purchase of medical foods and low-protein modified food products.

• Coverage limitations (Section 62Q.536, Subd.3)

  • Health plans may not impose limitations such as cost-sharing, utilization review, prior authorization, referral requirements, restrictions, or delays for IMD coverage that are not generally applicable to other plan coverage. In other words, IMD coverage must be on par with other coverage terms and not more burdensome.

• Medicaid/Medical Assistance changes (Section 256B.0625, Subd.7)

  • Medical Assistance (Medicaid) must cover medically necessary treatment for IMDs, including medical foods and low-protein modified food products.
  • The definitions of inherited metabolic disease, medical food, and low-protein modified food product used for Medicaid are the same as those in Section 62Q.536.

Changes to Existing Law

• Health plans: The bill adds a statutory requirement that private health plans cover medically necessary treatment for IMDs, including medical foods and low-protein modified foods, with protections against extra barriers.
• Medicaid: The bill adds a subdivision to Minnesota’s Medicaid statute (256B.0625) mandating coverage of IMD treatments and the related foods, with the same definitions as in 62Q.536.
• Cross-reference: Creates alignment between private plans and state Medicaid coverage for IMD-related nutrition therapies.

Significance and Potential Impact

• Improves access to nutrition-based treatments for individuals with inherited metabolic diseases.
• Reduces out-of-pocket costs and administrative hurdles for patients needing medical foods and low-protein foods.
• Promotes parity in coverage between IMD therapies and other medical treatments within both private plans and Medicaid.

Relevant Terms - inherited metabolic disease - medical food - lowprotein modified food product - less than one gram of protein per serving - medically necessary treatment - health plan - coverage limitations - cost-sharing - utilization review - prior authorization - referral requirements - Minnesota Medical Assistance (Medicaid) - Minnesota Statutes 62Q.536 - Minnesota Statutes 256B.0625