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This amendment
allows a residential service provider to apply to the Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS) for time-limited services in order to meet a
patient's needs when the patient requires reasonable accommodations or a
higher level of care for admission or readmission to the residential service
provider. It directs the DHHS to provide the residential service provider
with technical support in seeking MaineCare reimbursement, when applicable.
Implementing this bill will increase MaineCare costs for residential care
facilities (RCF), as some members will receive additional services. However,
that increase could potentially be offset by the savings that occur when
moving a member to this lower cost setting from a higher cost inpatient facility.
This bill will be repealed July 1, 2020, allowing the department to gather
information about the cost and savings associated with these members and
report back to the legislature with their findings. As it is not known
presicely what services will be required, how many members will receive the
services, how much sooner they are readmitted to the RCF and the associated
savings achieved by moving from a higher cost inpatient facility to a lower
cost RCF, a more complete estimate cannot be made at this time.
It has been estimated that 10 to 25 individuals would apply for this
service in a given year, based on the experience in previous years, so the
additional costs to the DHHS to receive and process the applications and
report to the joint standing committee having jurisdiction over health and
human services matters on the outcomes are expected to be minor and can be
absorbed within existing budgeted resources. |