Here’s a look at the legislation that was part of the nursing home funding battle that consumed the State House in late April and early May:
• L.D. 1858: A bipartisan supplemental budget bill that would increase Medicaid/MaineCare reimbursements to nursing homes by $13 million in fiscal 2016 and 2017. That includes $5 million in state money and an $8 million federal match. It also provides an additional $1.1 million for nursing home reimbursements when the funding mechanism starts in the June 2015, the last month of fiscal 2015. Gov. Paul LePage vetoes the bill. The Legislature overrides.
• L.D. 1776: A bill from a long-term care study commission that provides a one-time, $4 million infusion of state money to increase Medicaid reimbursements to nursing homes in fiscal 2015. Most of the cash would come from computer-error Medicaid overpayments that the state hopes to recoup from nursing homes. With $7.6 million in federal matching funds, the bill’s total financial benefit to nursing homes is $11.6 million. LePage lets the bill become law without his signature.
• L.D. 1719: A bipartisan bill that would spend about $5 million in federal tobacco settlement money from the Fund for a Healthy Maine on a variety of health awareness and service programs, such as smoking cessation and children’s dental care. It included $330,000 for adult day care services and $275,000 to provide Medicare counseling for seniors. LePage vetoes the bill and it dies.
• L.D. 1864: An emergency bill, submitted by LePage, that would use about $5 million from the Fund for a Healthy Maine to increase nursing home reimbursements. The bill dies.
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