The state isn’t sure how much it has paid some MaineCare service providers.

It’s not sure how much it owes some MaineCare service providers.

It’s not sure, but it might be missing $50 million, maybe in overpayments or maybe because of increased service delivery.

And now the state is asking service providers to send back money that they were overpaid or there won’t be enough money to meet MaineCare obligations until the end of the fiscal year on June 30.

The problems began when the state switched computer systems used to track and pay MaineCare bills. It was compounded when the Bureau of Medical Services starting sending out payments – with the noble intention of keeping service providers open – without properly tracking what was being paid for.

Consumers who use online banking might be able to relate. By setting up a recurring car payment for every month, they don’t have to worry about individual bills. What difference does it make, after all? The bill doesn’t change from month to month, and there’s a record of the payment being made. But instead of setting up a car payment, the consumers decided to pay the electric bill that way, without regard to how much was actually being used; sometimes they pay too much, sometimes too little and, in the end, they hope it all works out. That’s what the state did.

But instead of a $70-a-month electric bill between one household and one electric company, the state went on autopay with hundreds of nursing homes and mental health providers serving thousands of individuals.

The state is trying desperately to account for the missing money and get back any overpayments. According to the Bangor Daily News, 137 letters had been sent out by the end of last week hoping to recoup overpayments. Of those, at least 60 have said they weren’t overpaid.

We don’t know where the money went, and we don’t know where money to pay for services between now and the end of June will come from.

The state’s first priority must be to sort this mess out. Then, it’s time to hold someone accountable and make sure this never happens again.