Sec. 6. Rulemaking. By July 1, 2005, the Department of Health and Human Services shall adopt rules to increase the reimbursement rate for hospitals under the MaineCare program from 75% to 88% of actual costs. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

SUMMARY

This bill amends the MaineCare law as follows:

1. It returns the MaineCare eligibility levels to the levels in effect prior to the passage of the Dirigo Health law, Public Law 2003, chapter 469;

2. It eliminates the noncategorical adult eligibility expansion of the MaineCare program;

3. It increases the MaineCare reimbursement rate for hospitals from 75% to 88% of their actual costs, the same as Medicare; and

4. It repeals that provision of the MaineCare Basic program in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 3174-FF, subsection 3, paragraph H that relates to MaineCare coverage for noncategorical adults.