Governor Mills Announces Proposed Supplemental Budget

• By: Ben Hawkins
• On: 02/15/2024 15:56:39
• In: Legislative/Government Affairs

Yesterday, Governor Mills announced her proposed supplemental budget:
Governor Mills Introduces Supplemental Budget Proposal | Office of Governor Janet T. Mills (maine.gov)
 
We have reviewed the budget documents and noted that it includes funding for cost-of-living rate increases for nursing and residential care facilities and $10 million (all funds) for rate reform. This is 1/10^th of what is needed to eliminate the shortfall, based on 2022 cost report data.

The Supplemental Budget also includes language that the $29 million previously approved for rebasing of rates can be divided into two payments - with one payment may be made this summer (July 1, 2024 or thereafter), and the other half may be used for rate reform starting January 2025. 

Long term care facilities are closing and converting across the state, and this amount of funding is not enough to fix that critical issue. Entire communities are losing access to long term care services near their homes, and hospitals are backed up with people awaiting placement into the dwindling number of nursing home beds. 
 
We will be advocating for this budget to provide significantly more support for long term care, and we will need your help. As the session continues, please watch for MHCA Action Alerts and other invitations to get involved. 

Staff contact: bhawkins@mehca.org