• Read more about Section 30, Family Planning, REVISED 2024 Base Rates and Resulting Final Rates, CR 123812

In coordination with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revision of rates effective March 9, 2024, MaineCare has updated the base rates and resulting final rates for certain Family Planning Services delivered by eligible providers. These new rates were implemented for billing on April 3, 2024.

Only providers engaged primarily in the delivery of sexual and reproductive health care services, as described in 42 United States Code, Section 1396d(a)(4)(c) are eligible to bill add-on rates. 

• Read more about Training Opportunity Available for Section 19 Home and Community Based Services for Older and Disabled Adult Caregivers

The Office of Aging and Disability Services is excited to announce a virtual Mental Health First Aide training opportunity scheduled for Monday, June 3, 2024. This training is being provided under collaboration with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine and is available for caregivers providing care to Section 19 members. Caregivers can include personal support staff, attendants, home health aides, nurses or other natural and family supports.

• Read more about Attention Pharmacy Providers: Status of Initial Restoration of Maine Point of Purchase System (MEPOPS)

This notice is an update on the first phase of restoration of MEPOPS. You can find more information about the restoration in the March 27, 2024, e-message. The Department confirms that claims payments have successfully resumed as of Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

• Read more about Maine CDC Offers Tips for Staying Safe While Traveling

AUGUSTA– The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) is encouraging Maine residents to stay safe while enjoying spring traveling. Travel and vacations can promote physical and mental health. That said, with school and other spring vacations occurring amid recent outbreaks of dengue, measles, and hepatitis A in the U.S. and abroad, travelers should plan and take precautions to stay healthy.

The Maine CDC offers the following tips for safe and healthy travel this spring:

• Read more about EVV Providers – Update to Latest Version of the Sandata Mobile Connect (SMC) App

EVV Providers who are currently using the SMC app through their phone, tablet, or other mobile device should update to the latest version of the app using the Apple Store, or Google Play. The current version of the app is being phased out as of July 1, 2024. To avoid any interruption of visit record keeping, you should now download the latest version of the app. 

Please contact Provider Services with questions:  

• EVV email box  

• 1-866-690-5585, option 3.

• Read more about Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Phase 2 Trainings

The EVV requirements for Home Health providers delivering services under Section 40 were implemented on January 1, 2023.

All trainings are online via Microsoft Teams.

NOTE: The Absorb training system has been updated to allow providers to register for trainings more than once.

EVV Training Schedule

• Read more about Comment Deadline Extended: Section 67, Nursing Facilities Draft Rate Methodologies​

MaineCare is extending the deadline for comments on the Nursing Facility draft rate methodologies, from April 8, 2024, to April 15, 2024. The Department has provided additional clarifying information about the rate model and wishes to give interested parties time to consider the information.

• Read more about REVISED Medicare Standardization Rates Effective March 9, 2024: Sections 15, 68, 75, 85, and 109

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has revised its rates effective March 9, 2024. To align with these changes, MaineCare has been working to update reimbursement rates for Medicare covered codes and services. The new rates will reflect 72.4% of the most recent, 2024 Medicare rates.  

Rates were implemented on April 3, 2024, for all sections noted below.  

• Read more about Attention Residential Care (PNMI-C) Facilities: CoreQ Resident and Family Satisfaction Survey Pilot

Please express interest by April 19, 2024 

Introduction: 

Person-reported outcomes (PROs) are an important way for organizations, providers, and facilities to assess their success in meeting the person-centered needs of patients and residents under their care.  While some nursing home facilities are collecting CoreQ data as one of their quality measures, most residential care facilities are not.   

• Read more about Attention Providers of Section 28, Rehabilitative and Community Support Services for Children with Cognitive Impairments and Functional Limitations

On March 18, the Division of Licensing and Certification (DLC) sent notice that Section 28 providers are required to obtain a mental health license in order to provide Section 28 services due to the recently adopted CMR 10-144 Chapter 123, Behavioral Health Organizations Licensing Rule. The notice included an application filing deadline of May 11, 2024, for providers who are not currently licensed as mental health agencies.