130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1608		LR 912(02)
	An Act To Expand the MaineCare Program To Cover All Citizens of the State
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Health and Human Services
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Legislative Cost/Study
Legislative Cost/Study
	The general operating expenses of this study are projected to be $7,000 in fiscal year 2022-23. The Legislature’s budget for the 2022-2023 biennium includes an estimated $6,108 in fiscal year 2021-22 and $10,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 for the costs of legislative studies, as well as $31,260 of balances carried over from prior years for this purpose. Whether these amounts are sufficient to fund all studies will depend on the number of studies authorized by the Legislative Council and the Legislature. The additional costs of providing staffing assistance to the study during the interim can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted staff resources.  The bill authorizes the Legislative Council to contract for staff support during the session if sufficient funds are available.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill establishes a Program to Allow MaineCare Eligibility for all. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to consult with the Department of Labor and the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Bureau of Insurance to develop the program.  The bill requires the State to implement the program in 4 phases, based on income, beginning in 2024 for those residents not already eligible for the MaineCare program. The bill also creates the MaineCare Eligibility for All Implementation Task Force to advise the departments and make recommendations to fully implement the  program. The program may not be implemented in 2024 without prior legislative approval. After full implementation of the program on January 31, 2026, it is estimated that the program will cover 45% of newly eligible Mainer's, over 356,000 new members, at an annual General Fund cost of $6,140,348,796.
	The additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Bureau of Insurance and the Department of Labor to provide assistance to the Task Force if requested can be absorbed using exiting budgeted resources.