Attention Sections 67 and 97, Appendix C Providers

Mar 01, 2022

Date Extension for the Use of Funds you received in September and October of 2021 as COVID-19 Supplemental Long Term Care Payments.

For Sections [PM1] 67 Nursing Facility, and 97 PNMI Appendix C providers who received supplemental COVID-19 payments, the Department is extending the deadline to use the funds to December 31, 2022. Providers must use the supplemental payments to offset costs associated with the Public Health Emergency incurred from July 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022, an extension from the June 30, 2022 date previously announced.

Nursing Facility and Private Non-Medical Institutions (PNMI) Appendix C Rate Letters  

Nursing Facility letters for January 1, 2022 – June 30, 2022 are now available on the Health PAS Online Portal.  These letters are identical to the letters that had been in effect from July 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021, with the exception of two new add-on payments components:

1. One add-on payment component to comply with Section AAAA-5 of the FY22-FY23 biennial budget’s (PL 2021 Chap. 398) requirement that the Department increase rates to enable providers to cover labor costs for essential support workers, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 7401, subsection 3, to equal at least 125% of the minimum wage. This add-on to the rate will be effective through June 30, 2022.
    
2. Another add-on payment per an initiative in the Governor’s proposed FY22-FY23 supplemental budget to reinstate Supplemental Wage Allowances, which had been included in letters for FY19-FY21, but which had expired 6/30/21. This add-on to the rate is also through June 30, 2022.

Note that the Department is currently calculating the facility-specific Nursing Facility cost cap adjustments needed to support rates that continue the 125 percent of minimum wage provision in fiscal year 2023 and beyond, which will be effective July 1, 2022 as noted in the press release.

You can access your letter by logging into your Trading Partner Account on the Health PAS Online Portal and following this pathway: File Exchange > Reports > Rate Setting Letters.

The updated Nursing Facility rates will be in the system and available to bill mid next week. We will notify you through another e-message when the rates are available and provide instructions for claims adjustments.

Please note, we are finalizing the Residential Care Facility (Private Non-Medical Institution Appendix C) rate letters to issue shortly, and will notify you when they are available on the portal, and when the updated rates are in the system ready to bill. 

If you have questions about accessing the letters, please contact Provider Services at: 1-866-690-5585. If you have questions about the content of the letters, please contact Rate Setting directly by using the contact name and phone number on the letters.