Read the full stored bill text
Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 896
S.P. 385 In Senate, March 11, 2025
An Act to Provide Young Children Stable Access to Health Care
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on March 5, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative MEYER of Eliot and
Senators: BRENNER of Cumberland, INGWERSEN of York, Representatives: BOYER of
Cape Elizabeth, DEBRITO of Waterville, LEE of Auburn, MURPHY of Scarborough,
SHAGOURY of Hallowell.
Page 1 - 132LR0993(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3174-G, sub-§5 is enacted to read:
35. Continuous coverage of children under 6 years of age. Upon the approval of the
4 federal Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
5 Services, the department shall adopt rules to establish the continuous eligibility of a child
6 from birth through 5 years of age. A child who is eligible for and enrolls in Medicaid or the
7 Children's Health Insurance Program established in section 3174-T is eligible to receive
8 continuous coverage through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program,
9 regardless of the family's change in income. Continuous eligibility must be maintained
10 through the end of the month in which the child attains 6 years of age.
11 A child's eligibility to receive continuous coverage under this subsection must be
12 redetermined or terminated if:
13 A. The child is no longer a resident of the State;
14 B. The child's parent or legal guardian requests termination of the child's eligibility;
15 C. The child dies; or
16 D. The department determines that the child's eligibility was erroneously granted at
17 the most recent determination, redetermination or renewal of eligibility because of
18 agency error, fraud, abuse or perjury.
19 Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5,
20 chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
21Sec. 2. Department to apply for federal approval. The Department of Health
22 and Human Services shall, by December 31, 2025, apply to the federal Department of
23 Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a waiver or
24 demonstration project or to amend a pending or current waiver or demonstration project to
25 provide continuous eligibility for a child from birth through 5 years of age who is eligible
26 for and enrolls in the MaineCare program.
27SUMMARY
28 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to apply, by December
29 31, 2025, to the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare
30 and Medicaid Services for a waiver or demonstration project or to amend a pending or
31 current waiver or demonstration project to provide continuous eligibility to a child from
32 birth through 5 years of age who is eligible for and enrolls in the Medicaid program. Upon
33 the approval of such a waiver or demonstration project, it requires the department to adopt
34 rules to establish the continuous eligibility of a child from birth through 5 years of age who
35 is eligible for and enrolls in the Medicaid program, regardless of the child's family's change
36 in income. Continuous eligibility must be maintained through the end of the month in which
37 the child attains 6 years of age, but a child's eligibility to receive continuous coverage must
38 be redetermined or terminated if the child is no longer a resident of the State, the child's
39 parent or legal guardian requests termination of the child's eligibility, the child dies or the
40 department determines that the child's eligibility was erroneously granted at the most recent
41 determination, redetermination or renewal of eligibility because of agency error, fraud,
42 abuse or perjury.
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42