Rep. Anne Perry

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans in Maine to cover biomarker testing, a type of medical test used to identify specific health conditions. The law applies to plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, and includes funding of $170,000 to help cover the costs of this new requirement. It removes certain exceptions for specific diseases and dental procedures while extending coverage rules to nonprofit hospital organizations.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a procedural amendment that adds a fiscal note to a separate workforce development proposal. It does not create new laws or change policies on its own. The text simply directs the state legislature to include financial cost estimates for the related bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 16-member Task Force to study potential changes to the legal status of scheduled drugs in Maine. The task force will include representatives from various sectors, such as substance use disorder communities, civil rights organizations, and law enforcement, who will review other states' policies and scholarly research on decriminalization. Its specific duties involve analyzing the impacts of these changes on public health, the criminal justice system, treatment access, and child welfare, while also considering how diverting individuals from the justice system affects their outcomes. The group must submit a report with findings and legislative recommendations to the relevant committees by November 6, 2024, to inform future actions in the 2025 session.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires nonprofit health insurance plans in Maine to cover FDA-approved nonprescription oral hormonal contraceptives and emergency contraceptives without any cost-sharing fees. It mandates that these supplies be provided with the same coverage benefits as other prescription drugs, including options for a 12-month supply and the ability to purchase them at a pharmacy with reimbursement. The legislation also ensures that individuals can obtain these products without a prescription and establishes rules for insurers to notify enrollees about how to access this coverage.

Maddy summaryLD 2237 allocates $17.3 million to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to expand mental health crisis intervention services available around the clock. The funding specifically supports mobile response teams by hiring peer support specialists, recovery coaches, and behavioral health liaisons, while also covering travel costs and critical incident response. Additionally, the bill amends the text to ensure the Public Utilities Commission coordinates with relevant agencies in the implementation of these safety measures. These changes aim to provide more immediate and accessible mental health support to individuals in crisis situations across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a sponsorship program in Maine to help internationally trained physicians obtain full medical licenses, directly affecting foreign-trained doctors currently living in the state. The legislation creates a process where these physicians apply to rural graduate medical education collaboratives for screening and placement, while also funding ten annual positions at sponsoring institutions to support their employment and training. Additionally, the bill requires the state board of licensure to report biennially to the Legislature starting in 2027 on the program's progress and the number of participating physicians. The measure allocates $2.5 million in state funds for the first fiscal year to support these initiatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs state funding to help federally qualified health centers in underserved areas improve their pharmacy services and provide access to affordable prescription drugs. It establishes a grant program where health centers must submit plans detailing how they will use the money to develop or enhance drug access for their patients. The Department of Health and Human Services will manage the distribution of these funds based on the cost-effectiveness of the proposed plans and the specific needs of the communities served. Additionally, the bill allocates approximately $7.7 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year to support these initiatives and creates specific job positions to administer the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs state funding to the judicial branch specifically for hiring guardians ad litem to represent children in family court cases. The money must be used to pay for these legal representatives when at least one parent lacks a lawyer and the family qualifies as financially indigent. Additionally, the bill requires the courts to submit an annual report to the legislature detailing how the funds were spent and estimating future financial needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a procedural amendment that adds a fiscal note to a separate piece of legislation aimed at supporting rural service programs and encouraging volunteerism. The amendment itself does not introduce new policies or change the bill's content; it simply provides financial details required for the bill's consideration. As a result, the direct effects on rural communities and volunteer organizations remain those outlined in the original bill, while this specific text ensures fiscal transparency.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends state law to allow the Department of Health and Human Services to pay hospitals for days when MaineCare-eligible patients wait in the hospital before being moved to a nursing facility. The law requires these payments to start on the eleventh day of a patient's stay and sets a yearly spending cap of $500,000 using a specific calculation based on average nursing facility rates. The bill also includes a section that authorizes specific amounts of state and federal money to fund these payments for the fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25.