Bill > LD1237

This bill aims to support small and rural adult family care homes and residential care facilities by making several key changes to state healthcare regulations. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to amend its MaineCare (Maine's Medicaid program) rules to provide a 10% supplemental payment to facilities with fewer than 10 beds or located at least 35 miles away from the nearest similar facility. Additionally, the bill mandates that the department consider the potential impacts of proposed rule changes on staffing requirements and reimbursement rates for small, rural, isolated, and island facilities, with the goal of minimizing negative consequences for these communities and maintaining service safety and quality. The legislation also introduces new provisions for establishing nursing facility base years, including an annual inflation adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index for nursing homes and adult day care services. Furthermore, the department is authorized to develop specific staffing level requirements that take into account the unique circumstances of small and rural facilities. The bill requires the department to submit a Medicaid state plan amendment to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by January 1, 2026, to implement these supplemental reimbursement provisions.

Health and Social Services

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1237&snum=132