County-administered rural medical assistance program establishment

SF 3149 establishes a county-administered rural medical assistance program (CARMA) in Minnesota, directly affecting rural counties and medical assistance recipients. The bill requires county boards to be actively involved in developing service contracts, ensuring proposals address local community needs and access to care, and setting local public health goals for health plans. It mandates the state commissioner to seek federal waivers and sets a deadline of January 1, 2027, for counties with existing programs to transition to this county-administered model. The law also creates a mediation process to resolve disputes between counties and the state over health plan selection or contract terms.