129th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1974		LR 2738(01)
	An Act To Promote Telehealth
	Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement for Original Bill
	Sponsor: Sen. Gratwick of Penobscot
	Committee: Health and Human Services
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement
Potential current biennium cost increase - General Fund Potential current biennium cost increase - Federal Expenditures Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to amend its rule Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter I, Section 4, Telehealth and Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter II, Section 13, Targeted Case Management Services (TCM) to provide for reimbursement of case management services delivered through telehealth to targeted populations. Providers of telehealth services must submit claims for the same procedure codes and rates that apply to the underlying Covered Service as if those services were delivered face to face. Additionally, the Health Care Provider at the Originating Site may bill MaineCare for an Originating Facility Fee and this fee is above and beyond the normal fee for the service. This additional fee could lead to additional costs above what is currently paid for TCM services. However, this additional fee is utilized infrequently for current services that use telehealth and new telehealth services are slow to gain accpetance. Any potential new costs related to this charge are expected to be minimal at first with a slow increase in costs over time.