An Act To Facilitate MaineCare-Funded Assisted Living by Providing a Cost-of-living Adjustment to Private Nonmedical Institutions and Adult Family Care Homes

Sec. 1. Annual cost-of-living adjustment. The Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rules in Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 2, Adult Family Care Services and Chapter III, Section 97, Appendix C: Principles of Reimbursement for Medical and Remedial Service Facilities and in the department's rule Chapter 115: Principles of Reimbursement for Residential Care Facilities - Room and Board Costs to provide for ongoing, annual rate changes to adjust for inflation. For the state fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, the amount of the adjustment is 4%. For each year thereafter, the department shall set the inflation adjustment cost-of-living percentage change in reimbursement in accordance with the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index medical care services index.

Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS)

Medical Care - Payments to Providers 0147

Initiative: Provides funds for a 4% cost-of-living rate increase for residential care facilities and MaineCare Appendix C private nonmedical institutions for the state fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 and a projected Consumer Price Index adjustment for the state fiscal year ending June 30, 2019.

GENERAL FUND	2017-18	2018-19
All Other	$2,384,832	$3,434,159
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$2,384,832	$3,434,159

FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND	2017-18	2018-19
All Other	$5,353,409	$7,708,909
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND TOTAL	$5,353,409	$7,708,909

OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS	2017-18	2018-19
All Other	$544,970	$786,032
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL	$544,970	$786,032

Medical Care - Payments to Providers 0147

Initiative: Provides funds for a 4% cost-of-living rate increase for adult family care homes that are providing service pursuant to Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 2 for the state fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 and a projected Consumer Price Index adjustment for the state fiscal year ending June 30, 2019.

GENERAL FUND	2017-18	2018-19
All Other	$129,199	$186,047
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$129,199	$186,047

FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND	2017-18	2018-19
All Other	$233,933	$336,863
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND TOTAL	$233,933	$336,863

PNMI Room and Board Z009

Initiative: Provides funds for a 4% cost-of-living rate increase for residential care facilities and MaineCare Appendix C private nonmedical institutions for the state fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 and a projected Consumer Price Index adjustment for the state fiscal year ending June 30, 2019.

GENERAL FUND	2017-18	2018-19
All Other	$740,599	$1,066,463
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$740,599	$1,066,463

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS)
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2017-18	2018-19
GENERAL FUND	$3,254,630	$4,686,669
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND	$5,587,342	$8,045,772
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS	$544,970	$786,032
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$9,386,942	$13,518,473

SUMMARY

This bill provides funds to the Department of Health and Human Services to give adult family care homes, residential care facilities and certain private nonmedical institutions a 4% cost-of-living rate increase for the state fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 and an additional cost-of-living increase for the state fiscal year ending June 30, 2019 based on a projected increase in the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index medical care services index. Annual cost-of-living adjustments are to be provided by rule for each fiscal year thereafter in accordance with the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index medical care services index.