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OCFS home > Behavioral Health > Eligibility > Katie Beckett

Children's Behavioral Health Services

Katie Beckett Option

Katie Beckett is a MaineCare option for children with serious health conditions. It is one of the many ways your child can get MaineCare. If your child meets the rules for this option, your child can get MaineCare full benefits. These are the same benefits that other children get.

To get coverage through the MaineCare Katie Beckett option:

  • you must fill out a MaineCare application;
  • your child must be 18 or younger; and
  • your child must meet financial and medical rules.

There are two steps to meet the financial rules:

  1. First we decide if your child Can get MaineCare benefits based on your family's income and assets. If the answer is "yes," your child will get MaineCare full benefits.
  2. If your child cannot get MaineCare based on your family's income and assets, we then see if your child:
    1. has his or her own monthly income of under $1656 and assets of $2000 or less; and
    2. meets the two medical rules for the MaineCare Katie Beckett option.

These are the two medical rules:

  1. Your child must meet the Social Security rules for disability. This means your child must have a physical or mental disability that will last at least twelve months. This disability must be serious enough that your child is not able to do what other children of the same age can do.

    To make sure your child meets this rule, DHHS staff will ask you for information about your child. We will need your permission to see your child's medical records.
  2. Your child is:
    a. not living in a hospital or nursing home, psychiatric hospital, or nursing home for children with mental retardation, but needs the level of care they give; or
    b. living in one of these places, is being discharged and continues to need the level of care they give.

    If you have questions about this rule, call DHHS at 1-800-321-5557 or 287-3931. If you are deaf or hard of hearing call the TDD/TTY line at 1-800- 423-4331.

How do I apply?

  • Fill out a MaineCare application. Be sure to note on it that your child is disabled.
  • Return it in person or by mail to the DHHS office closest to your home. The addresses are on the back.
  • It takes time to get all of the information MaineCare needs. You may not hear from us right away, but we will make our decision as fast as we can.

What happens after I apply?

  • We decide if your child meets the financial rule and the two medical rules;
  • We send you a letter with our decision;
  • We will review your child's financial and medical eligibility each year.

If you disagree with our decision, you may ask for a hearing. The letter we send you with our decision will tell you how you can appeal the decision if you do not agree with it.