Jul 7, 2023

As the Legislature nears the end of the 2023 Legislative Session, Maine youth and children have much to celebrate. Governor Mills has signed into law dozens of bills and nearly $400 million to strengthen Maine’s education, health care, and other systems. These actions catapult Maine to the top of the nation in areas like support for child care, free school meals and community college, and paid family and medical leave and align with and support the goals of the Children’s Cabinet, reestablished by the Governor in early 2019. 

• Read more about Major Policy Advances for Maine Children and Youth

• Read more about Service Locator Tool – Invitation to Behavioral Health Providers

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is excited to announce the creation of a Service Locator Tool hosted on Bamboo Health’s TreatmentConnection.com. The Tool will improve access to treatment for substance use and mental health issues. The goal is to publicly launch this tool in late summer 2023.

• Read more about CORRECTION TO REPORTING FORM LINK: Behavioral Health and Targeted Case Management Supplemental Payment Reporting Deadline Extended

As a follow-up to our June 21, 2022, e-message regarding Behavioral Health and Targeted Case Management supplemental payments for providers of:  

• Read more about Behavioral Health and Targeted Case Management Supplemental Payment Reporting Deadline Extended

As a follow-up to our June 21, 2022, e-message regarding Behavioral Health and Targeted Case Management supplemental payments for providers of:  

• Read more about Rulemaking Proposal; Immunization Requirements for Healthcare Workers Rule - 10-144 CMR c. 264

The Department is proposing routine technical rule changes to amend Chapter 264, Immunization Requirements for Healthcare Workers, to remove COVID-19 from the list of vaccine preventable diseases for which Designated Healthcare Facility employees must show proof of immunization or provide appropriate exemption documentation.

• Read more about Maine Drug Testing Laboratory Rules;10-144 CMR c. 265

The proposed rule change amends 10-144 CMR ch. 265, the Maine Drug Testing Laboratory Rules to be consistent with updates to the Maine Department of Labor’s (DOL) best practices and 26 MRS ch. 7, subch. 3-A (Substance Use Testing).

• Read more about MaineCare Notice of Agency Rule-making Proposal, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter Chapter III, Section 45, Hospital Services

The Division of Policy posts all proposed and recently adopted rules on MaineCare’s Policy and Rules webpage.  This website keeps the proposed rules on file until they are finalized and until the Secretary of State website is updated to reflect the changes.  The MaineCare Benefits Manual is available on-line at the Secretary of State’s website. 

• Read more about Attention All Providers: Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM) Audit

Current PERM Audit 

The State of Maine is currently in the process of a federally mandated PERM audit for Reporting Year 2024. This audit covers randomly selected paid claims with a payment date from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. Due to the random sampling of claims, all providers should be prepared to send requested medical records to support claims that were or will be paid during this time period. 

• Read more about Attention Providers of Section 97, Private Non-Medical Institutions (PNMI), Appendix D, Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) Services: Draft Rate Model Public Review and Comment

In June of 2023, MaineCare provided notice that it had initiated a rate determination for Section 97, PNMI Appendix D, TFC Services. The Office of Child and Family Services in collaboration with the Office of MaineCare Services has revised the service model to inform the development of the draft rates.

• Read more about Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Phase 2 Trainings

January 1, 2023 was the federal deadline to implement the EVV requirements for Home Health providers delivering services under Section 40 and Hospice providers delivering services under Section 43.

We continue to offer weekly provider and aggregator trainings. All trainings are online via Microsoft Teams.

NOTE:  The Absorb training system has been updated to allow providers to register for trainings more than once.

EVV Training Schedule