An Act To Amend the Law Governing MaineCare Coverage of Chiropractic Treatment
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1553
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: MADIGAN
Amends: 22 MRSA §3174-C

Legislative Document
No. 1553
H.P. 1158
House of Representatives, April 22, 2021
An Act To Amend the Law Governing MaineCare Coverage of 
Chiropractic Treatment
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 20, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MADIGAN of Waterville.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §3174-CCC, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 421, §1 and 
reallocated by RR 2019, c. 1, Pt. A, §24, is amended to read:
1.  Reimbursement.  The department shall reimburse under the MaineCare program 
for all chiropractic evaluation and management examinations services performed by a 
chiropractic doctor licensed under Title 32, chapter 9 that are within the scope of practice 
of chiropractic doctors.  This subsection does not limit reimbursements under the 
MaineCare program that may be available for other chiropractic services or affect any 
limits that may apply to reimbursements such as limits relating to numbers of visits.
Sec. 2.  State plan amendment.  No later than January 1, 2022, the Department of 
Health and Human Services shall apply to the United States Department of Health and 
Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a state plan amendment 
to allow for Medicaid reimbursement for all chiropractic services performed by 
chiropractic doctors licensed under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, chapter 9 within 
their scope of practice.
Sec. 3.  Contingent effective date.  That section of this Act that amends the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 3174-CCC, subsection 1 does not take effect unless:
1.  The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare 
and Medicaid Services approves a state plan amendment to allow for Medicaid 
reimbursement for all chiropractic services performed by chiropractic doctors licensed 
under Title 32, chapter 9 within their scope of practice; and
2.  The Commissioner of Health and Human Services notifies the Secretary of State, 
the Secretary of the Senate, the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Revisor of 
Statutes that written approval for the state plan amendment has been received.
SUMMARY
This bill requires all chiropractic services that are within the scope of practice of 
chiropractic doctors and performed by a licensed chiropractic doctor to be reimbursed 
under the MaineCare program.  Under current law, the Department of Health and Human 
Services is required to reimburse for only chiropractic evaluation and management 
examinations.
The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to apply for a state 
plan amendment to allow for Medicaid reimbursement for all chiropractic services within 
the scope of practice of chiropractic doctors no later than January 1, 2022.  If the state plan 
amendment is not approved by the United States Department of Health and Human 
Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, chiropractic doctors will not be 
reimbursed by the MaineCare program for any additional chiropractic services not 
currently eligible for reimbursement.