Maine Revised Statutes Title 22. Health and Welfare § 1714-E. Credible allegations of fraud; provider payment suspensions

1. Suspension of payments. The department shall suspend payment in whole or in part to a MaineCare provider when a suspension is necessary to comply with Section 6402(h)(2) of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148 and 42 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 455.

2. Administrative appeal; scope. A MaineCare provider may administratively appeal the department's decision to suspend payment under subsection 1.

3. No stay during administrative appeal. A suspension of payments under subsection 1 may not be stayed during an administrative appeal of the department's decision to suspend payment. The department may provide a fair opportunity for appropriate expedited relief from a suspension of payments consistent with federal law.

4. Final determination; offset. Upon a final determination that fraud has occurred and that money is owed by the MaineCare provider to the department, and 31 days after exhaustion of all administrative appeals and any judicial review available under Title 5, chapter 375, the department may retain and apply as an offset to amounts determined to be owed to the department any payments to the provider that were suspended by the department pursuant to this section. The amount retained pursuant to this subsection may not exceed the amount determined finally to be owed.

5. Confidentiality. Except as necessary for purposes of the investigation of fraud or the administration of the MaineCare program, the department's records regarding a determination of a credible allegation of fraud are confidential until the relevant MaineCare provider has been given notice of a suspension of payments under subsection 1.

6. Rules. The department shall adopt rules to implement this section, including rules to define “credible allegation of fraud” and to provide exception and appeal procedures as required by and in accordance with the requirements of federal law and regulations. If the department provides a procedure for expedited relief from suspension of payments, as authorized in subsection 3, the rules must include that procedure. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

7. Repeal. This section is repealed if Section 6402(h)(2) of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148 and 42 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 455 are invalidated by the United States Supreme Court. The department shall notify the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Senate, the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Revisor of Statutes if the section of law and the regulation are invalidated.