August 27, 2021 MaineCare Updates
Maine Department of Health & Human Services sent this bulletin at 08/27/2021 02:49 PM EDT
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In this message:
- Preparing Students for 2021-2022 School Year
- MaineCare Covers Medications to Help You Quit Tobacco
- MaineCare and Cub Care for Kids
- Child Tax Credit
- Your MaineCare Card
Preparing Students for 2021-2022 School Year
Immunization Law Change
We want you to know that as of September 1, 2021, changes to Maine’s immunization law take effect for school-aged children.
No child will be allowed to attend school without proof of immunization or proof of immunity against disease unless they meet the exceptions as defined in the law.
The changes in the law remove philosophical and religious exemptions from the exceptions to immunization requirements. A superintendent may permit a student to enroll and attend if the parent provides a written assurance the child will be immunized within 90 days by private effort or provides, where applicable, a written consent to the child's immunization by a health officer, physician, nurse or other authorized person in public or private employ. This is a one-time provision, the 90 days begins with the first occurrence of enrollment or attendance.
Students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
A student covered by an IEP on September 1, 2021 who elected a philosophical or religious exemption from immunization requirements on or before September 1, 2021, may continue to attend school under that student's existing exemption if the student’s parent or guardian provides a statement from a licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant that says the physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant has talked with that parent or guardian about the risks and benefits of immunizations.
Required for Kindergarten entry:
- 5 DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; 4 DTaP if 4th is given on or after 4th birthday)
- 4 Polio (if 4th dose given before the 4th birthday, an additional age appropriate IPV should be given on or after the 4th birthday)
- 2 MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
- 1 Varicella (chickenpox) or reliable history of disease
Required for 7th grade entry:
- 1Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis)
- 1 Meningococcal Conjugate (MCV4)
Required for 12th grade entry:
- 2 MCV4, only one dose is required if the 1st dose is given on or after 16th birthday
Vaccinations help keep your child healthy and the cost for children to receive these vaccines is covered by MaineCare. When children are vaccinated it helps to keep their peers, teachers, and other school staff healthy as well.
Recommended Vaccines
In addition to the above required vaccines, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine Centers for Disease Control (CDC) strongly encourage you to consider the following recommended vaccines, which are very important in ensuring the health and safety of your children, their peers, and the most vulnerable in the community.
Immunization “Catch-Up” Resources from the U.S. CDC:
- Catch-Up Immunizations Schedule from the CDC
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis-Containing Vaccines Catch-Up Guidance for Children 4 Months through 6 Years of Age (PDF)
- Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) (PDF)
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis-Containing Vaccines Catch-Up Guidance for Children 7 through 9 Years of Age (PDF)
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis-Containing Vaccines Catch-Up Guidance for Children 10 through 18 Years of Age (PDF)
If you have questions regarding the immunization schedule or vaccines in general, please contact the Maine Immunization Program’s Educator Line at 207-287-9972 or speak to your child’s doctor.
Questions about immunization law and its implementation in Maine schools should be directed to: DOESchoolandStudentSupports@maine.gov.
If you need help finding a health care provider, please call MaineCare Member Services at 1-800-977-6740.
MaineCare Covers Medications to Help You Quit Tobacco
Get help quitting smoking, vaping, or using other tobacco products!
The Maine QuitLink, formerly known as the Maine Tobacco HelpLine, now is easier to use and has new quit options. Recent changes allow MaineCare members to get free medications to help quit without barriers such as having to get approval from your doctor first.
The Maine QuitLink offers a variety of free programs to meet the needs of those who smoke, vape, or use other tobacco products.
Are you a Maine resident?
- You can choose options including digital and phone-based programs to meet you where you are in your quitting process.
- You can get help by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW or by visiting http://mainequitlink.com/.
Why is this important?
- There are several medicines approved for quitting tobacco that are much safer than smoking or other tobacco use.
- These medicines containing nicotine, called Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRTs), do not cause death and disease like tobacco does.
- Most of the dangers of tobacco are due to the hundreds of toxic chemicals, not the nicotine.
- NRT is much less addictive than tobacco while still helping decrease your urge to use.
- NRT reduces the uncomfortable feelings you get from nicotine withdrawal.
- Using NRT to quit smoking is usually temporary.
Tobacco quitlines and medicines are effective resources to help those who use tobacco quit. When you’re ready to quit, you don’t have to do it alone. The Maine QuitLink offers free, confidential, supportive help over the phone or online.
Quitlines are proven to increase a person’s chances of quitting successfully and staying tobacco-free.
- Tobacco users who receive support from the Maine QuitLink are two to three times more likely to successfully quit tobacco long-term than those who try quitting on their own.
- A quit coach will work with you to develop a plan that is personalized for your needs.
The Maine QuitLink believes trust is important.
- The Maine QuitLink offers free, confidential support to all people, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation.
- This support includes qualified interpreters for people whose primary language is not English, and services to assist individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- The Maine QuitLink has over 20 years of experience helping people quit tobacco.
- Give us a try, even if you’ve tried before! Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit com.
MaineCare and CubCare for Kids
MaineCare offers a range of health care coverage options for children, depending on household income levels, the child’s disability and, starting in July 2022, immigration status. We are interested in your thoughts on what name you think MaineCare should use for its children’s health insurance options.
In the coming months, we will be taking on efforts to build awareness of MaineCare coverage options to boost enrollment for kids who currently do not have other health insurance.
CubCare is the name for MaineCare’s version of the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a health insurance coverage option for children under age 19, whose family income puts them over the income level for free MaineCare. Kids covered through CubCare receive all the same benefits that are available to other MaineCare members.
We are wondering if you have heard of the name CubCare, and even if you haven’t, if you would like this to be the name for all children’s health insurance options available under MaineCare. We are inviting you to complete a very short survey to answer these questions. The survey should only take a minute or two. We appreciate your feedback, and we thank you in advance. Please note that the survey will be open until Friday, September 3rd.
Child Tax Credit
Nearly every family receiving MaineCare is eligible to receive the expanded Child Tax Credit this year, including families that haven’t filed a tax return and families that don’t have recent income. Families are eligible to receive up to $3,600 for each child under 6 years old, and $3,000 for each child between 6 and 17 years old. This includes children born in 2021.
The credit is not a loan. Families can receive half of their new credit through monthly payments in 2021 and the rest in 2022 when they file a tax return. Receiving this credit will not count against any other federally-funded public benefits, like TANF, SNAP, or MaineCare. Anyone who has a child with a Social Security number in their household can receive the credit, even if they do not have a Social Security number themselves.
If you haven’t received your credit yet, sign up now using the IRS’ non-filer portal at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool or visit https://maineequaljustice.org/toolkits/child-tax-credit/ to learn more.
Please Remember to Bring your MaineCare Card to All Health Appointments
All members get a plastic MaineCare card when they enroll in MaineCare. Please bring this card with you to your health appointments. You are the only one who can use your card It is against the law to let anyone else use it for anything but your care. Keep your MaineCare card even if your coverage ends. You may get MaineCare again. If that happens, you can use the same card. If you lose your card or need a new one, contact your local DHHS eligibility office.
