Resolve, To Establish a Pilot Project for Medicaid Reimbursement for Acupuncture Treatment of Substance Abuse Disorders

Sec. 1. Acupuncture pilot project. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services and the department's office of substance abuse and mental health services shall apply for a community-based waiver from the federal United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to develop a pilot project to treat alcohol abuse disorders, substance abuse disorders and co-occurring disorders using the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association auricular acupuncture protocol; and be it further

Sec. 2. Project program standards. Resolved: That the treatment under the pilot project must be performed by program staff who have been trained to perform the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association auricular acupuncture protocol. The Department of Health and Human Services and the department's office of substance abuse and mental health services shall establish treatment standards that are consistent with the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association auricular acupuncture protocol; and be it further

Sec. 3. Patient limits and financing. Resolved: That the pilot project must be limited to a finite number of patients determined by the Department of Health and Human Services and the department's office of substance abuse and mental health services and may last no longer than 2 years. Acupuncture treatment under the project must be reimbursable as allowed under the United States Social Security Act, Title XIX and it must be developed and implemented in a manner that ensures that it will be cost-neutral or will result in savings to the MaineCare program; and be it further

Sec. 4. Report. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services and the department's office of substance abuse and mental health services shall submit a report on the results of the pilot project to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters at the end of the project.

SUMMARY

This resolve requires the Department of Health and Human Services and the department's office of substance abuse and mental health services to apply for a community-based waiver from the federal United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to develop a pilot project to treat alcohol abuse disorders, substance abuse disorders and co-occurring disorders using the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association auricular acupuncture protocol. The project may last no longer than 2 years and must be reimbursable as allowed under the United States Social Security Act and be cost-neutral or result in savings to the MaineCare program. The department and the office must report their findings to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters at the end of the project.