Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill contains the recommendations of the Commission to Examine Rate Setting and the Financing of Maine's Long-term Care Facilities. It requires the Department of Human Services to undertake pilot projects on long-term care reimbursement that are based on performance criteria, to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services on potential changes in the Medicaid principles of reimbursement for nursing facilities, to present a proposal to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services on minimum staffing requirements, to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services on a plan for paperwork reduction, to improve the provision of public information on long-term care and to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services on reducing or removing regulatory barriers to high-quality care. The bill requires the Bureau of Insurance to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services on long-term care insurance and tax credits to encourage the purchase of long-term care insurance. The bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services on changes in the delivery of long-term care services.