An Act Regarding Access to Appropriate Residential Services for Individuals Being Discharged from Psychiatric Hospitalization
Sec. 1. 34-B MRSA §1226 is enacted to read:
§ 1226. Resources available for patients entering residential care facilities
If the services necessary to meet a patient's needs under this subsection are reimbursable by the MaineCare program, the department shall direct the residential service provider to first seek reimbursement from the MaineCare program. The department shall provide technical support to the residential service provider in order to determine whether MaineCare reimbursement is available.
The department shall adopt rules to implement this subsection. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. Rulemaking. The Department of Health and Human Services shall adopt rules to implement the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 34-B, section 1226 no later than January 1, 2019.
Sec. 3. Report. The Department of Health and Human Services shall report in writing by January 15, 2020 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters on the implementation of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 34-B, section 1226, including, but not limited to, the number of applications received; the number of patients served; the costs of patient services provided, including whether the services were reimbursable by the MaineCare program; and the types of services received by patients.