An Act To Limit MaineCare Reimbursement for Methadone Treatment
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1840
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: BURNS, THIBODEAU, DOW, ESPLING, GIFFORD, HANLEY, STRANG BURGESS, TILTON, TURNER, SHERMAN
Amends: 22 MRSA §3174-S

Legislative Document 
No. 1840 
H.P. 1361 
House of Representatives, March 5, 2012 
An Act To Limit MaineCare Reimbursement for Methadone 
Treatment 
(AFTER DEADLINE) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205. 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative BURNS of Whiting. 
Cosponsored by Senator THIBODEAU of Waldo and 
Representatives: DOW of Waldoboro, ESPLING of New Gloucester, GIFFORD of Lincoln, 
HANLEY of Gardiner, STRANG BURGESS of Cumberland, TILTON of Harrington, 
TURNER of Burlington, Senator: SHERMAN of Aroostook. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §3174-SS is enacted to read: 
§3174-SS.  Methadone reimbursement limitations 
Effective January 1, 2013, the following limitations apply to reimbursement under the 
MaineCare program for methadone for the treatment of addiction to opiates as defined in 
Title 17-A, section 1101, subsection 7.  Services must be provided at the clinic located 
closest to the home of the member and services must be limited to a lifetime maximum of 
months, except that reimbursement may be provided for longer than 24 months if prior 
authorization is received from the department. 
The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.  Rules adopted pursuant 
to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 
2-A. 
Sec. 2.  Review of options.  The Department of Health and Human Services shall 
review the options that the Office of MaineCare Services has under federal law to restrict 
transportation services reimbursement related to methadone treatment under the 
MaineCare program to encourage efficient use of transportation services and to 
discourage and penalize fraud.  The review must include a study of laws in other states 
restricting transportation reimbursement to a certain number of times per week or times 
per lifetime and must include a study of limitations based on one-way or round-trip 
reimbursement and a requirement to use the provider whose office is the closest to the 
MaineCare member's home.  The review must provide information on exception and 
appeals processes and estimated savings for options judged by the Office of MaineCare 
Services to be viable for the State.  The department shall report to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters 
by December 15, 2012 on the department's findings and recommendations as a result of 
this review. 
SUMMARY 
This bill proposes to limit MaineCare reimbursement for methadone for the treatment 
of addiction to opiates to a lifetime maximum of 24 months, effective January 1, 2013.  
The bill authorizes reimbursement for longer than 24 months if the Department of Health 
and Human Services provides prior authorization.  The bill proposes to limit services to 
the clinic closest to the home of the member.  The bill requires the department to review 
the options to restrict transportation services reimbursement for methadone treatment 
under the MaineCare program to encourage efficient use of transportation services and to 
discourage and penalize fraud.  The review must include a study of limitations based on 
one-way or round-trip reimbursement and a requirement to use the provider whose office 
is the closest to the MaineCare member's home.  The department is required to report to 
the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human 
services matters by December 15, 2012 on the department's findings and 
recommendations as a result of the review.