Resolve, Regarding Reimbursement for Speech and Language Pathology Services

Sec. 1. Department of Health and Human Services to increase MaineCare reimbursement rates. Resolved: That, no later than January 1, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rules in Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 109 to increase reimbursement rates for speech-language pathology services provided by an agency to no less than 69% of the federal Medicare reimbursement rate for these services as long as the rate is no lower than the rate reimbursed as of January 1, 2017; and be it further

Sec. 2. Independent rates. Resolved: That, no later than January 1, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rules in Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 109 to increase reimbursement rates for speech-language pathology services provided by an independent speech-language pathologist to 90% of the agency rate established in section 1 as long as the rate is no lower than the rate reimbursed as of January 1, 2017; and be it further

Sec. 3. Speech-language pathology assistant agency rates. Resolved: That, no later than January 1, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rules in Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 109 to reimburse services provided by an agency speech-language pathology assistant for treatment within a group of 2 or more individuals at 69% of the federal Medicare reimbursement rate for the same service provided by a speech-language pathologist; and be it further

Sec. 4. Speech-language pathology assistant independent rates. Resolved: That, no later than January 1, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rules in Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 109 to reimburse services provided by an independent speech-language pathology assistant for treatment within a group of 2 or more individuals at 90% of the agency rate established in section 3 as long as the rate is no lower than the rate reimbursed as of January 1, 2017. Services provided by independent speech-language pathology assistants for individual treatment must be reimbursed at 90% of the agency rate reimbursed as of January 1, 2017; and be it further

Sec. 5. Routine technical rules. Resolved: That rules adopted pursuant to this resolve are routine technical rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A; and be it further

Sec. 6. Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following appropriations and allocations are made.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Medical Care - Payments to Providers 0147

Initiative: Provides appropriations and allocations for increased reimbursement of certain speech and language pathology services currently provided under Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 109, Speech and Hearing Services.

GENERAL FUND	2017-18	2018-19
All Other	$0	$182,509
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$182,509

FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND	2017-18	2018-19
All Other	$0	$329,294
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND TOTAL	$0	$329,294