Augusta, MAINE – Governor Janet Mills and Commissioner of Health and Human Services Jeanne Lambrew announced today that the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has notified the State that Riverview Psychiatric Center has met all the conditions for recertification and will resume receiving federal Medicare reimbursement.
“Riverview is a crucial component of our mental health system and this renewed federal support will only enhance its quality of care,” said Governor Mills. “The recertification is a testament to the dedicated staff at Riverview who remain committed to providing the expert care that patients need and deserve.”
“Superintendent Bouffard and his team have been diligent in refocusing on reengaging patients in their treatment, and we thank them for their efforts,” said DHHS Commissioner Jeanne M. Lambrew. “This recertification marks an important milestone in Riverview’s development as a center for best practices and compassionate treatment, a conscientious employer, and a partner in the community.”
“I’m incredibly proud of the Riverview staff for the work they have done to bring the hospital into compliance and improve the lives of our patients,” said Superintendent Rodney Bouffard, who has led the center since 2016.
After years of working closely with CMS and DHHS’s Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services to address outstanding issues, Riverview Psychiatric Center demonstrated significant improvements in the quality of care it provides to patients, CMS officials found.
Riverview was decertified in 2013 for, among other concerns, inadequate staffing and excessive use of restraints. The state filed for recertification of the facility in 2017.
Riverview provides inpatient and outpatient care to both voluntary and court-committed patients, with 241 inpatients in 2018.
It is estimated that federal Medicare reimbursement payments to Riverview will total approximately $20 million annually beginning on January 30, 2019.