An Act To Improve MaineCare and Promote Employment
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1520
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: BARTLETT
Amends: 22 MRSA §3174-G, 22 MRSA §3174-T

Legislative Document 
No. 1520 
S.P. 481 
In Senate, April 28, 2011 
An Act To Improve MaineCare and Promote Employment 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator BARTLETT of Cumberland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §3174-G, sub-§1, ¶E, as amended by PL 2003, c. 469, Pt. A, 
§5 and affected by c. 673, Pt. Y, §3, is further amended to read: 
E.  The parent or caretaker relative of a child described in paragraph B or D when the 
child's family income is equal to or below 200% of the nonfarm income official 
poverty line, subject to adjustment by the commissioner under this paragraph.  
Medicaid services provided under this paragraph must be provided within the limits 
of the program budget.  Funds appropriated for services under this paragraph must 
include an annual inflationary adjustment equivalent to the rate of inflation in the 
Medicaid program.  On a quarterly basis, the commissioner shall determine the fiscal 
status of program expenditures under this paragraph.  If the commissioner determines 
that expenditures will exceed the funds available to provide Medicaid coverage 
pursuant to this paragraph, the commissioner must adjust the income eligibility limit 
for new applicants to the extent necessary to operate the program within the program 
budget.  If, after an adjustment has occurred pursuant to this paragraph, expenditures 
fall below the program budget, the commissioner must raise the income eligibility 
limit to the extent necessary to provide services to as many eligible persons as 
possible within the fiscal constraints of the program budget, as long as the income 
limit does not exceed 200% of the nonfarm income official poverty line; and. 
The parent or caretaker relative described in this paragraph who has received benefits 
under this chapter in the past 3 months and whose income now exceeds the level in 
this paragraph may purchase coverage under this chapter for a period of up to 18 
months at a premium level that does not exceed the premiums established for 
MaineCare under the Katie Beckett option authorized by the federal Tax Equity and 
Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 and a contribution toward administrative costs no 
greater than the maximum level allowed under the federal Consolidated Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985; 
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §3174-G, sub-§1, ¶F, as amended by PL 2003, c. 469, Pt. A, 
§5 and affected by c. 673, Pt. Y, §3, is further amended to read: 
F.  A person 20 to 64 years of age who is not otherwise covered under paragraphs A 
to E when the person's family income is below or equal to 125% of the nonfarm 
income official poverty line, provided that the commissioner shall adjust the 
maximum eligibility level in accordance with the requirements of the paragraph. 
 (2)  If the commissioner reasonably anticipates the cost of the program to exceed 
the budget of the population described in this paragraph, the commissioner shall 
lower the maximum eligibility level to the extent necessary to provide coverage 
to as many persons as possible within the program budget. 
 (3)  The commissioner shall give at least 30 days' notice of the proposed change 
in maximum eligibility level to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs and the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services 
matters.; 
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §3174-G, sub-§1, ¶G is enacted to read: 
G.  An adult 19 or 20 years of age when the household income is equal to or below 
200% of the nonfarm income official poverty line; and 
Sec. 4.  22 MRSA §3174-G, sub-§1, ¶H is enacted to read: 
H.  A qualified working disabled person when the person's family unearned income is 
equal to or below 150% of the nonfarm income official poverty line and when the 
total unearned and earned income does not exceed 250% of the nonfarm income 
official poverty line. 
Sec. 5.  22 MRSA §3174-T, sub-§2, ¶E, as amended by PL 2001, c. 450, Pt. A, 
§3, is further amended to read: 
E.    Coverage under the Cub Care program may be purchased for children described 
in subparagraphs (1) and (2) for a period of up to 18 months as provided in this 
paragraph at a premium level that is revenue neutral and that covers the cost of the 
benefit does not exceed premiums established for MaineCare under the Katie Beckett 
option authorized by the federal Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 
and a contribution toward administrative costs no greater than the maximum level 
allowable under COBRA.  The department shall adopt rules to implement this 
paragraph.  The following children are eligible to enroll under this paragraph: 
 (1)  A child who is enrolled  under paragraph A or B and whose family income 
at the end of the child's 12-month enrollment term exceeds the maximum 
allowable income set in that paragraph; and 
 (2)  A child who is enrolled in the Medicaid program and whose family income 
exceeds the limits of that program.  The department shall terminate Medicaid 
coverage for a child who enrolls in the Cub Care program under this 
subparagraph. 
Sec. 6.  Rules. The Department of Health and Human Services shall adopt routine 
technical rules pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 
2-A to implement this Act. 
SUMMARY 
The bill allows people who have received Medicaid for their children for the past 3 
months whose income exceeds limits pursuant to Title 22, section 3174-G, subsection 1, 
paragraph E-1 to purchase coverage for up to 18 months at premiums not to exceed those 
under the Katie Beckett program and limits contributions toward administrative costs to 
the maximum amount allowed under the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1985. 
The bill makes working disabled persons with unearned income that is equal to or 
below 150% of the nonfarm income official poverty line and with a combined total 
earned and unearned income that does not exceed 250% of the nonfarm income official 
poverty line eligible for Medicaid. It makes adults who are 19 or 20 years of age when the 
household income is equal to or below 200% of the nonfarm income official poverty line 
eligible for Medicaid.