An Act to Expand Home Visiting Services and Provide for Reimbursement Under the MaineCare Program for Perinatal Doula Services and Midwifery Services (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1993
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: COLLINGS
Amends: 22 MRSA §262, 22 MRSA §3174-K, 22 MRSA §3174-L, 22 MRSA §3174-M

Legislative Document
No. 1993
H.P. 1276
House of Representatives, May 23, 2023
An Act to Expand Home Visiting Services and Provide for 
Reimbursement Under the MaineCare Program for Perinatal Doula 
Services and Midwifery Services
(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.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative COLLINGS of Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §262, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 683, Pt. B, §2, is amended to 
read:
§262.  Home visiting
1.  Voluntary universal home visiting program.  The department, as permitted by 
the availability of funds, shall offer a voluntary universal home visiting program for new 
families with children from the prenatal stage of development through 5 years of age, 
regardless of family income level.  The home visiting program must incorporate the 
following principles:
A.  Healthy and strong parent-child attachment;
B.  Physical and behavioral health of the family;
C.  Reduced incidence of child abuse and neglect;
D.  Positive and creative learning environments for the child;
E.  Effective and positive parenting;
F.  Parental competencies and self-confidence;
G.  Reducing family isolation through community linkages;
H.  School readiness; and
I.  Family self-sufficiency.
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §3174-KKK is enacted to read:
§3174-KKK.  Reimbursement for home visiting services
The department shall provide for the reimbursement under the MaineCare program for 
home visiting services under section 262 for MaineCare members.  The department shall 
adopt rules to implement this section.  In adopting rules under this section, the department 
shall consult with and consider the expertise of home visiting experts related to the rate of 
reimbursement.  Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined 
in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.  The department shall reevaluate reimbursement 
rates adopted pursuant to this section every 2 years.
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §3174-LLL is enacted to read:
§3174-LLL.  Reimbursement for perinatal doula services
The department shall provide for the reimbursement under the MaineCare program for 
perinatal doula services.  Perinatal doula services must be provided within an existing 
program provided by the department, such as the voluntary universal home visiting 
program under section 262.  For the purposes of this section, "perinatal doula services" 
means regular physical, emotional or educational support to pregnant MaineCare members 
before, during and after childbirth for up to 12 months by a trained provider.  The 
department shall adopt rules to implement this section.  In adopting rules under this section, 
the department shall consult with and consider the expertise of doula experts, doula training 
providers and practicing doulas related to the rate of reimbursement.  Rules adopted 
pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A.  The department shall reevaluate reimbursement rates adopted pursuant to 
this section every 2 years.
Sec. 4.  22 MRSA §3174-MMM is enacted to read:
§3174-MMM.  Reimbursement for services provided by certified professional 
midwives
The department shall provide for the reimbursement under the MaineCare program for 
services provided by a certified professional midwife.  Services provided by certified 
professional midwives may be provided within the voluntary universal home visiting 
program under section 262.  For the purposes of this section, "certified professional 
midwife" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 12501, subsection 4-B.  The 
department shall adopt rules to implement this section.  In adopting rules under this section, 
the department shall consult with and consider the expertise of certified professional 
midwives related to the rate of reimbursement.  Rules adopted pursuant to this section are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.  The department 
shall reevaluate reimbursement rates adopted pursuant to this section every 2 years.
Sec. 5.  Federal Medicaid waivers or state plan amendments.  No later than 6 
months after the effective date of this Act, the Department of Health and Human Services 
shall submit to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services any waivers or state plan amendments determined 
necessary in order to accomplish the purposes of this Act.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to:
1. Offer a voluntary universal home visiting program for new families with children; 
and
2. Provide for reimbursement under the MaineCare program for:
A. Home visiting services;
B. Perinatal doula services; and
C. Services provided by certified professional midwives.