Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3174-GG is enacted to read:

§3174-GG.__Protection of supplemental security income benefits

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department shall structure any copayments and deductibles in the MaineCare program to protect the benefits of persons receiving supplemental security income benefits.__The department shall adopt rules to implement this section to ensure that copayments and deductibles in the MaineCare program, calculated on an average monthly basis, do not exceed 25% of the supplemental security income benefits of a person who is a recipient of those benefits and a member of the MaineCare program.__Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to structure copayments and deductibles in the MaineCare program to ensure that persons receiving supplemental security income benefits do not pay for their MaineCare benefits more than 25% of their supplemental security income benefits. The bill requires the department to adopt rules for that purpose and designates the rules as routine technical rules.