- Have they been able to reunite with their families?
- Have they been able to return to work?
- Have they been able to engage in social or community or recreational activities again?
- Is there a spiritual component to their life that was absent before?
- Are they no longer having difficulties with the legal system?
- Are they in constructive activities their provider has asked them to participate in?
Friday, December 28, 2012
Some MaineCare Patients will still have Access to Methadone
Portland Press Herald
By WANDA CURTIS Kennebec Journal Correspondent
A task force developed criteria for continued MaineCare coverage of certain drug treatments.
Health officials say Mainers who need certain drugs to treat addiction won't be cut off entirely, despite legislation to cut off treatment for some.
MaineCare coverage for treatment with methadone and Suboxone is due to end Tuesday for those who have been covered for at least 24 months. A bill passed by the Legislature established the 24-month lifetime limit.
But a task force of medical providers, substance abuse treatment providers, government officials and patient advocates has developed criteria for continued MaineCare coverage of medically necessary methadone and Suboxone treatments.
That may avert what was predicted to become an unprecedented drug withdrawal crisis in January. Methadone and Suboxone are used to treat opiate addiction.
The medical director of MaineCare services, Kevin Flanigan, said the task force developed guidelines for continued coverage for people who need the treatment. He said Suboxone funding will end Jan. 1 for people who have reached the two-year limit -- the 24 months don't need to be consecutive -- only if medical providers are unable to get authorization to continue the treatment before the deadline.
Flanigan said the task force has identified specific behavior that may help indicate whether Suboxone treatment has been successful. He said people reviewing authorization applications will ask questions about clients such as:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)