HP0586
LD 837
Session - 128th Maine Legislature
S "A" to C "A", Filing Number S-499, Sponsored by Breen
LR 1499
Item 11
Bill Tracking, Additional Documents Chamber Status

Amend the amendment by inserting after the first paragraph and before section 1 the following:

Sec. 1. MaineCare Expansion Fund established. The MaineCare Expansion Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established as an Other Special Revenue Funds account within the Department of Health and Human Services that, in combining funds transferred pursuant to section 2 with all funds appropriated and available in the Medical Care - Payments to Providers program in the General Fund, provides the funds estimated to be necessary for expanded coverage under the MaineCare program required by Initiated Bill 2017, chapter 1, "An Act To Enhance Access to Affordable Health Care."

1. Exclusive use. Funds in the fund may be used only for the implementation and continuation of expanded access to health care as required by Initiated Bill 2017, chapter 1.

2. Lapse. Funds transferred from the General Fund pursuant to section 2 in excess of funds needed to carry out the purpose of the fund stated in subsection 1 lapse to the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund if not expended by June 30, 2019.

3. Transfer from fund to Medical Care - Payments to Providers program authorized. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the State Controller shall transfer funds from the fund to the Medical Care - Payments to Providers program if such a transfer is necessary to allocate federal funds.

Sec. 2. Transfer of funds. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the State Controller shall transfer $31,159,210 from the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund to the MaineCare Expansion Fund established in section 1 no later than 10 days following the effective date of this Act.

Sec. 3. Transfer from Fund for a Healthy Maine for MaineCare expansion costs authorized. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Governor, on or before June 30, 2019 and upon the written request of the Commissioner of Health and Human Services in consultation with the State Budget Officer, may transfer up to $23,540,000 from the Fund for a Healthy Maine to the MaineCare Expansion Fund established in section 1 for the amount of medical costs of the MaineCare program that, as a result of expansion of the MaineCare program pursuant to Title 22, section 3174-G, subsection 1, paragraph H, will within the 15 days following the request exceed the sum of the total amount available in the Department of Health and Human Services, Medical Care - Payments to Providers program plus the total amount transferred pursuant to section 2. The commissioner shall submit copies of the written request submitted to the Governor to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs. The State Controller shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs any transfers made pursuant to this section.’

Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.

SUMMARY

This amendment:

1. Establishes the MaineCare Expansion Fund within the Department of Health and Human Services to provide the funds estimated to be necessary for expanded coverage under the MaineCare program required by Initiated Bill 2017, chapter 1, "An Act To Enhance Access to Affordable Health Care";

2. Limits the use of the fund to funding needed for the implementation and continuation of expanded access to health care as required by Initiated Bill 2017, chapter 1;

3. Requires that funds in the fund lapse to the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund if not expended by June 30, 2019;

4. Directs the State Controller to transfer $31,159,210 from the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund to the fund no later than 10 days following the effective date of this legislation; and

5. Provides that the Governor, on or before June 30, 2019 and upon the written request of the Commissioner of Health and Human Services in consultation with the State Budget Officer, may transfer up to $23,540,000 from the Fund for a Healthy Maine to the fund for the amount of medical costs of the MaineCare program that, as a result of expansion of the MaineCare program, will within the 15 days following the request exceed the sum of the total amount available in the Department of Health and Human Services, Medical Care - Payments to Providers program plus the total amount transferred from the General Fund.

FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)


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