ME LD1606

Requires all rulemaking for the Medicaid lifespan waiver (providing home and community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, or related conditions) to be major substantive, requiring legislative approval—current law only requires initial rulemaking to be major substantive

Mandates annual data collection on unmet service needs, including the number of individuals unable to access services in their personal plans and those not receiving all authorized hours or units of service, sorted by service category

Requires tracking of shared living arrangements, including whether providers are family or nonfamily members and the ages of providers

Requires tracking of residential transitions between group homes, shared living providers, and self-directed services each year

Department of Health and Human Services must publish an annual report with collected data on its public website and submit to the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee by February 28th each year

Designated as emergency legislation, taking effect immediately upon approval