Top 10 Legislative Successes

123rd Maine Legislature - 2007-2008

  1. Secured the second $3 million General Fund increase in MaineCare (Medicaid) reimbursement for physicians within 5 years! This will increase the MaineCare Primary Care Case Management (PCCM) fee from $2.50 pmpm to $3.50 pmpm and bring MaineCare rates up to approximately 57% of Medicare rates effective August 1, 2008 (L.D.s 499 and 2289). Promoted stronger care management for MaineCare beneficiaries (L.D. 723) and the patient-centered medical home concept (L.D. 2286).

  2. Banned smoking in vehicles where children under age 16 are present (L.D.2012) and restricted the sale of flavored cigarettes and cigars (L.D. 1361).

  3. Worked to ensure the successful continued evolution of the Dirigo Health Program health care reform intiative through legislative to enable it to self-insure (L.D. 431) and to secure a more stable funding mechanism as an alternative to the "savings offset payment" (L.D. 2247), subject to the results of Ballot Question 1.

  4. Enhanced the safety of Maine drivers by adopting primary enforcement of the seat belt law (L.D. 24).

  5. Expanded the scope of work of the MMA's Physician Health Program, now called the Medical Professionals Health Program, by permitting licensees of the Maine Board of Pharmacy to participate in the Program (L.D. 1575).

  6. Maintained a provision of the Dirigo Health Program law setting aside 12.5% of the Capital Investment Fund (CIF), the annual cap on spending for health care projects subject to certificate-of-need (CON) review, for non-hospital projects (L.D. 436).

  7. Promoted healthy weight initiatives for Maine children by limiting advertising on school grounds (L.D. 184) and developing a comprehensive plan for physical education in Maine schools known as "PE4ME" (L.D. 1442).

  8. Amended Maine's HIV testing laws in an effort to meet recent guidelines of the federal Centers for Disease Control & Prevention by eliminating the requirement for pre-test counseling and providing more flexibility in the documentation of informed consent to the HIV test (L.D. 429).

  9. Shortened the timeframe from 18 months to 12 months in which a health insurance carrier may deny retrospectively a health insurance claim submitted by a health care provider and processed and paid in accordance with the standards in effect at the time of submission (L.D. 1218).

  10. Prevented State endorsement, through licensure, of home births and the services of "certified professional midwives" who have little or no medical training (L.D. 2253).