Resolve, Requiring the Department of Health and Human Services To Create a Limited Benefit MaineCare Card for Individuals Eligible for the Medicare Savings Program

Sec. 1. Department of Health and Human Services to create a limited benefit MaineCare card. Resolved: That, no later than January 1, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services shall create a limited benefit MaineCare card for individuals who qualify for the Medicare Savings Program. If the department determines that an individual is eligible for the Medicare Savings Program, also known as the Medicare Buy-in Program, as a Qualified Medicare Beneficiary, a Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiary or a Qualifying Individual, the department shall issue the limited benefit MaineCare card to the individual for use with providers of services, including but not limited to pharmacies, medical providers, hospitals, primary care providers and behavioral health providers, referred to in this resolve as "the providers." The card serves as notification to providers that the cardholder is eligible for the Medicare Savings Program. The department shall monitor the implementation of the limited benefit MaineCare card to assess the ease of use for both the cardholder and the providers.

Sec. 2. Report. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters describing the implementation of the limited benefit MaineCare card under section 1 and including data regarding the ease of use by cardholders and providers for the first full year. The report must be submitted by February 1, 2021.

SUMMARY

This resolve requires the Department of Health and Human Services to create a new limited benefit MaineCare card for individuals who qualify for the Medicare Savings Program, also known as the Medicare Buy-in Program. The department must issue the card to qualified individuals for use at pharmacies and providers of medical, behavioral health and other services. The department must assess the ease of use of the card to cardholders and providers of services and submit a report regarding the limited benefit MaineCare card to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters by February 1, 2021.