Clarification of after-discharge CEMT support gets House OK

A lot can happen within the first two days of someone’s discharge from a hospital or nursing home, which is when community emergency medical technicians step in to help.

On Thursday, the House passed HF106, sponsored by Rep. Nick Zerwas (R-Elk River). He said it is a technical fix that would allow CEMT services covered by Medical Assistance to include visits to people recently discharged from skilled nursing facilities as well as hospitals.

Under current law, a CEMT can provide safe home checks or visit with people after a hospital discharge to remind them of discharge orders, record and report their vital signs, identify any hazards in their homes, or confirm access to medication and food.

The 128-0 vote sends the legislation to the Senate, where it is sponsored by Sen. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Mpls).