MMA Legislative Committee Chairs Jay Mullen, M.D. and Lindsey Tweed, M.D. welcome you to participate in the weekly conference calls of the MMA Legislative Committee.

The last MMA Legislative Committee weekly conference call for the First Regular Session of the 129th Maine Legislature will take place Tuesday, March 12th, at 8:00 p.m.

Legislative Committee members and specialty society legislative liaisons are strongly encouraged to participate. Any physician, practice manager, or other staff member who is interested in the MMA's legislative advocacy also is welcome to participate. It is not necessary to RSVP for the calls.

Please use the following conference call number and passcode. These will remain the same for every weekly call during the session.

Conference call number: 1-603-766-5646

Participant ID - 699139#

The purpose of the weekly conference calls is to discuss the MMA's position on bills printed the previous week, to hear the views of specialty societies on the new bills or their concerns about any current health policy issues, and to discuss the highlights of legislative action of the week. The calls rarely last longer than an hour.

The following are bills of interest to the physician community printed last week. (For those not familiar with the term, a "concept draft" is a bill that contains only a title and a brief description of what it is intended to do. It does not contain the actual bill text.) We will discuss the priority bills marked with an asterisk (*) first. This will be important when the list grows in the next few weeks.

Following are the bills of the week: 

March 19, 2019

LD 1225,  An Act To Increase Funding for Home Visiting Programs. As stated, for foster families caring for infants.

LD 1228,  Resolve, Requiring the Department of Health and Human Services To Create a Limited Benefit MaineCare Card for Individuals Eligible for the Medicare Savings Program. As stated.

LD 1229,  Resolve, To Establish the Committee To Study and Develop Recommendations To Address Guardianship Challenges That Delay Patient Discharges from Hospitals. As stated, in cases involving guardianship, conservatorship and authorization of transaction challenges for persons clinically authorized for discharge.

LD 1235,  An Act To Increase Safety in Health Care Facilities. Requires all health care facilities (not just hospitals) to adopt annually a safety and security plan addressing aggressive or violent behavior.

LD 1236,  An Act To Clarify the Laws Governing the Licensing of Paramedics. Defines paramedic, authorizes supervision by physicians, NPs, and PAs.

LD 1239,  An Act To Mandate Paid Maternity and Parental Leave. Employer-paid 2 weeks (1-49 employees) or 4 weeks (>49 employees) for persons employed over 12 months, plus right of rehire.

LD 1243,  An Act To Assist Small Businesses in Providing Health Care for Their Employees. Requires Bureau of Insurance to assist small (<51) employers to understand and obtain health care coverage for their employees.

LD 1249,  An Act To Prohibit the Abuse and Isolation of Older and Dependent Adults. Applies to persons having responsibility for care, custody, or control. Felony. Based on RI law.

LD 1255,  RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Require Referenda To Receive 60 Percent of the Vote To Become Law. As stated.

*LD 1256,  An Act To Provide a Health Care Preceptor Tax Credit. Up to $1500 per year total credit ($500 per student) for APRN, physician, or PA unpaid preceptors for APRN students only.

LD 1259,  Resolve, Directing the Department of Health and Human Services To Adopt Rules To Streamline and Remove Barriers for Reimbursement for Providers of Dental Care Services. Removes “written agreement with 2 dentists” requirement re: temporary fillings and radiograph interpretation, adds services of diagnosis, tobacco use counseling, and other dental services.

LD 1260,  An Act Regarding Short-term, Limited-duration Health Plans. Limits issuance of policies over 3 months, requires disclosures.

*LD 1261, An Act To Authorize Certain Health Care Professionals To Perform Abortions. Adds APRNs and PAs to DOs and MDs.

LD 1263,  An Act Regarding Telehealth. Require coverage for telehealth if those services would have been covered in person.

*LD 1264,  An Act Relating to Insurance Coverage for Screening Mammograms. Amends the definition of "screening mammogram" to include 3-dimensional tomosynthesis for purposes of coverage.

LD 1269,  An Act To Update the Laws Governing Child Safety Seats and Seat Belts. Amends law to include various types of child restraint systems and bases requirements on child’s age, height, and weight. Changes legal consequences of violation.

*LD 1272,  An Act To Increase Access to Low-cost Prescription Drugs. Allows importation of drugs from Canada by or oh behalf of State. Calls for designation of state agency to become licensed drug wholesaler to provide cost savings to consumers.

LD 1275,  An Act To Support Access to Health Services for Homeless Youth in Maine. Allows minors to consent if living separately and independent of parent support. Eliminates 60-day requirement.

*LD 1276,  An Act To Better Enforce the Prohibition against Dangerous Persons Possessing Firearms. Requires dealer background checks for private sales at gun shows when 25 or more firearms offered for sale and 3 or more vendors involved in event, or resulting from advertising or marketing (e.g., Craigslist, Uncle Henry’s, Facebook).

*LD 1277,  An Act To Require the Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention To Be Credentialed. Sets qualifications (Physician or APRN, public health degree or equivalent education & experience, public health or human services administration experience). Requires annual report to HHS Committee.

LD 1281,  Resolve, To Create a Committee To Explore Regional Cooperation for Affordable Health Insurance. Explore New England health insurance cooperative.

*LD 1289,  Resolve, To Reduce the Incidence of Infants Exposed to Illegal Substances. Community based outreach for family planning options for certain women & adolescents (SUD, homeless, etc).

LD 1295,  An Act To Determine the Need To Increase the Number of Forensic Emergency and Crisis Beds. Concept draft, as stated.

LD 1296,  An Act To Clarify the Scope of Practice of Certain Licensed Professionals Regarding Conversion Therapy. Minority position from last year’s bill, limits prohibition to aversive practices. Excludes talk therapy. (See LD 1025)

LD 1297,  An Act To Reduce Youth Cancer Risk. Prohibits use of commercial tanning facilities by persons under 18, requires warnings, instruction, sanitization, protective eyewear, etc..

LD 1303,  An Act To Establish the State Board of Dental Hygiene. Concept draft, establishes board separate from dental board.

LD 1308,  An Act To Better Fund Nursing Homes in the State To Better Help the Elderly and Disabled. Concept draft, as stated.

LD 1309,  An Act To Index MaineCare Reimbursement to Nursing Homes and Other Adult Care Facilities to Increases in the Minimum Wage.As stated.

*LD 1312,  An Act Regarding Access to Firearms by Extremely Dangerous and Suicidal Individuals. Detailed “red flag” bill. Restrictions from 14 to 365 days (temporary and extended orders) with Court order. Petition may be filed by law enforcement or family or household member. Same day, ex parte orders available. Hearings required, “clear and convincing evidence” standard.

*LD 1313,  An Act To Enact the Maine Death with Dignity Act. Physician assisted death bill. Detailed consultation and notification requirements, waiting period, residency requirement, unused medication disposal. Health care providers may prohibit employees from participating.

*LD 1314,  An Act To Extend Protections for Genetic Information.Prohibits insurers from discriminating in issuing, renewing policies based on genetic information. Applies to life, credit life, disability, long-term care, accidental injury, specified disease, hospital indemnity or credit accident insurance or annuities.

LD 1315,  An Act To Support Medically Monitored Crisis Support and Intervention. Enhanced crisis stabilization MaineCare rates, applies to adults with mental health or co-occurring SUD who voluntarily seek treatment.

LD 1317,  An Act To Restore Services To Help Certain Noncitizens Meet Their Basic Needs. Provide MaineCare coverage (and SSI & food assistance) to lawful immigrant noncitizens.

LD 1325,  An Act To Allow Workplace Substance Use Testing for Fentanyl, Hydromorphone, Hydrocodone, Oxycodone and Oxymorphone Use at the Employer's Discretion. Allows any employer to test employees or applicants to test for these substances “during any substance use test.”