Community first services and supports rates modified.

HF 1953 modifies how Minnesota calculates reimbursement rates for community-based human services providers, including personal care aides, CFSS workers, and qualified professionals. It requires using Minnesota-specific median wages from 2021 Bureau of Labor Statistics data to set base rates, with biennial adjustments to the competitive workforce factor based on wage comparisons between personal care aides and similar occupations. The bill establishes fixed percentages for costs like employee benefits (12.04%) and administrative expenses (13.25%), which will be applied to the adjusted base rates. These changes take effect January 1, 2026, and directly affect service providers receiving state funding through Medicaid waivers.