Resolve, Establishing The Commission To Study Mainecare Estate Recovery

LD 591 establishes a 10-member commission to study MaineCare estate recovery procedures, which involve recovering costs of long-term care from a deceased MaineCare recipient's estate. The commission includes four Senate appointees (two lawmakers, an elderly rights advocate, and a long-term care attorney), four House appointees (two lawmakers, a person with estate recovery experience, and a disability rights advocate), plus the Health and Human Services Commissioner and long-term care ombudsman. It will review the history of Maine’s current system, examine other states’ models, and identify potential Medicaid waivers or best practices, with recommendations due by December 3, 2025. The study aims to inform future legislative changes to MaineCare’s estate recovery process, which directly affects elderly and disabled Mainers who use long-term care services.