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An Act To Support Maine Families by Providing for Transportation of Parents and Guardians of MaineCare Recipients under 18 Years of Age to Their Appointments
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §3174-BBB  is enacted to read:
§ 3174-BBB. Coverage for transportation of parents or guardians of MaineCare program recipients
 
1.  Transportation requirements.     The department shall provide nonemergency medical transportation for a parent or guardian of a MaineCare member under 18 years of age to and from providers of medical services when no other means of transportation is available to the parent or guardian in accordance with the requirements of the federal Medicaid program and regulations.
 
2.  Rulemaking.     The department shall adopt or amend rules to govern the use of nonemergency medical transportation as described in subsection 1. Rules adopted or amended pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
 
3.  Emergency transportation.     This section does not apply to emergency transportation services.
Sec. 2. Waivers or state plan amendments. The Department of Health and Human Services shall apply for any necessary Medicaid waivers or submit any state plan amendments to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to receive federal matching Medicaid funds for transportation of parents or guardians of Medicaid-eligible persons under 18 years of age to and from providers of medical services when no other means of transportation is available to the parents or guardians pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 3174-BBB. In the event that no matching federal funds are available, the Department of Health and Human Services shall cover the costs using General Fund money.
 
SUMMARY
This bill allows nonemergency medical transportation services that are currently available to MaineCare members for transportation to and from providers of medical services to be used by parents or guardians of MaineCare members under 18 years of age to and from providers of medical services when no other means of transportation is available to the parents or guardians. The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt or amend rules to implement this provision. The Department of Health and Human Services is required to apply for any Medicaid waivers or submit any state plan amendments to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to receive matching funds. In the event that no matching federal funds are available, the Department of Health and Human Services is required to cover the cost using General Fund money.