MaineCare’s New Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)/Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT) Policy

November 30, 2012
On January 1, 2013, Maine's Medicaid program, MaineCare, released a presentation by Kevin S. Flanigan, MD, Medical Director, Office of MaineCare Services, on the MaineCare policy to end coverage of opioid addiction treatment maintenance doses of methadone and Suboxone after 24 months, unless the medications are deemed both medically necessary and effective. Suboxone is a name brand oral medication that combines buprenorphine to reduce opioid craving and withdrawal symptoms with naloxone, an opioid agonist to reduce the risk of abuse. The 24-month period is a lifetime cumulative limit, and need not be consecutive months. This . . .