Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy

Testimony

MMA has been following almost three hundred different pieces of legislation this session. Below is MMA testimony or testimony prepared by MMA for legislative sponsors on some of the more significant health care bills presented. The MMA Legislative Committee meets regularly to deliberate on these proposals and to determine what position MMA will advocate on behalf of the physicians of Maine. Any MMA member is welcome to participate in this decision making process. If you would like to be part of this dynamic process, contact Andrew MacLean, Esq. at 622-3374.

WCB Rule Chapter 5	Proposed Amendments to WCB Rule Chapter 5, Medical Fees; Reimbursement Levels; Reporting Requirements Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 13	An Act to Expand the Diagnostic Functions of Independent Practice Hygienists Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 45	The Governor's SFY 2008-2009 Supplemental Budget Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed to Reduced Funding for Hospital-Based Physicians)
L.D. 67	An Act to Protect Beaches in Maine's State Parks Testimony of the Maine Medical Association and The Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Supported)
L.D. 98	Resolve, To Direct the Department of Education and the Department of Health & Human Services to Require the Teaching of Mental Health Awareness in Middle Schools Based Upon a National Curriculum Letter from the Maine Medical Association and Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians (Supported)
L.D. 101	An Act to Extend the Operation of the Maine Health Data Processing Center and to Amend the Maine Health Data Organization Statutes Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 136	An Act to Require the Provision of Unrestricted Recess Time for Elementary School Students Letter from the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 163	An Act to Require Health Care Practitioners to Distribute Free Samples of Medications in Certain Circumstances Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 255	An Act to Allow Persons Licensed for the Practice of Manicuring to Provide Treatment for Diabetes Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed) Testimony of Laurel Coleman, MD (Opposed)
L.D. 257	An Act to Establish the Health Technology Clinical Committee Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 319	An Act to Track the Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in Maine Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 353	FY 2010-2011 Biennial Budget Testimony of David McDermott, MD (Opposed to Proposed Reductions to Payments for Hospital-based Physicians)
L.D. 424	Resolve, Directing the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services to Adopt Rules Requiring a Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis Booster Vaccination in School-age Children Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 437 & L.D. 453	An Act to Require Persons Under 18 Years of Age to Wear a Helmet While on a Motorcycle And An Act to Require Motorcyclists to Wear Helmets Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 683	An Act to Promote Cost-effective and Broad-based Vision Care for Maine Citizens by Clarifying the Scope of Prescription Authority by an Optometrist Testimony of Lawrence Piazza, MD, President, Maine Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (Opposed) Testimony of Charles Zacks, MD (Opposed) Testimony of Samuel Solish, MD (Opposed) Testimony of Edward Jaccoma, MD (Opposed) Testimony of A Jan Berlin, MD (Opposed)
L.D. 735	An Act to Allow Unimmunized Children to Attend School Upon Parental Waiver Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 752	Resolve, to Require the Department of Health & Human Services to Request a Waiver to Prohibit the Use of Food Stamps for the Purchase of Soft Drinks Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Neither For Nor Against)
L.D. 881	Resolve, To Ensure the Health of Maine Children by Requiring a Certain Vaccination Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Neither For Nor Against)
L.D. 973	An Act to Provide for the Safe Collection and Recycling of Mercury-Containing Light Bulbs Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 975 & L.D. 1070	An Act to Establish the Maine Medical Marijuana Act and Resolve, Directing the University of Maine at Orono to Conduct a Pilot Project Regarding the Benefits of Medical Marijuana Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Neither For Nor Against)
L.D. 1116	An Act to Ensure Health Care Practitioners Understand and Screen for Domestic Abuse for Pregnant Women and New Mothers Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 1167	An Act to Limit the Work Week of Doctors and Medical Residents Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 1187	An Act to Allow the Sale and Use of Consumer Fireworks Testimony of Lawrence Piazza, M.D., for the Maine Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons and the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 1193	An Act to Establish Uniform Protocols for the Use of Controlled Substances Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 1205	An Act to Establish a Health Care Bill of Rights Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 1223	An Act to Allow Pharmacists to Administer Certain Immunizations Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Neither For Nor Against) Testimony of the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Opposed)
L.D. 1259	An Act to Increase Access to Nutrition Information Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 1264	An Act to Stabilize Funding and Enable DirigoChoice to Reach More Uninsured Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 1568	An Act to Claify Maine's Phaseout of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Testimony of Paul Averill Liebow, MD, FACEP on behalf of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 1620	An Act to Protect Health Care Consumers Against Catastrophic Medical Debt Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported) Testimony of Paul Liebow, MD (Supported)
L.D. 1671	An Act Making Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations for the Expenditures of State Government, General Fund and Other Funds, and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government for the Years Ending June 30, 2010 and June 30, 2011 Testimony of the Friends of the Fund for a Healthy Maine (Neither For Nor Against)
L.D. 1672	An Act to Require a Pharmacist to Provide Prior Notification to and Obtain Consent from the Prescribing Physician before Changing from One Formulation or Manufacturer of an Antiepileptic Drug to Another Testimony of Heidi Henninger, MD (Supported) Testimony of Patricia Locuratolo, MD (Supported)
L.D. 1676	An Act to Protect Maine Citizens' Credit Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 1687	Resolve, to Define High-Risk Populations for the Purposes of Hopsital Surveillance for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus and to Implement Public Law 2009, Chapter 346 Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 1691	An Act to Amend the Laws Governing Taste Testing of ALcoholic Beverages by Retail Licensees Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 1709	An Act Concerning the Use of Long-Term Antibiotics for the Treatment of Lyme Disease Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Opposed)
L.D. 1796	Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Chapter 881: Fees, Chemical Use in Children's Products Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 1798	An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Create Access to Dental Care Throughout the State Testimony of the Maine Medical Association (Supported)
L.D. 1811	An Act to Amend the Maine Medical Marijuana Act Testimony of behalf of the Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians and the Maine Gastroenterology Society (Supported)