AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Maine's health and human services agency is delaying a billing change that several addiction treatment agencies warned would threaten their operations.
The Bangor Daily News reports that the Department of Health and Human Services has kept current contracts with counseling, residential care and detoxification agencies in place until the start of 2019.
Then, the state will start billing for each individual service that agencies provide.
The state originally said the new payment model would change July 1.
Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services Executive Director Malory Otteson Shaughnessy had worried that the change would cut the agencies' funding.
Wellspring Executive Director Suzanne Farley said her agency now has more time to assess its operations and raise private funds.