8
08, 2024
10
07, 2024
13
05, 2024
LD 2115
This bill, also known as the Act to Prohibit Unfair Practices Related to the Collection of Medical Debt, aims to reform the methods by which medical debts are collected. The bill mandates that a healthcare provider cannot sell or transfer a patient's medical debt to a debt collector for less than the original sum unless the patient has first been given a chance to settle the debt at the reduced rate. The bill defines "medical debt" as debt from healthcare services or healthcare goods, excluding veterinary services, debts charged to general credit cards, or [...]
13
05, 2024
LD 224
This bill, enacted by the State of Maine, prevents healthcare insurers from denying or reducing reimbursements to doctors, hospitals, or outpatient clinical practices due to their non-participation in a Maintenance of Certification Program. The Maintenance of Certification Program involves further participation beyond the ongoing medical education requirements currently established by the Board of Licensure in Medicine or Board of Osteopathic Licensure, or original board certifications from a national or regional medical specialty board. The bill, therefore, disallows any form of discrimination against these entities by insurers based on their maintenance of certification status. The [...]
13
05, 2024
LD 2271
This bill proposes new requirements for health care entities in the state of Maine relating to facility fees. The term "facility fee" refers to a fee charged or billed by a health care provider for outpatient services provided in a hospital-based facility. These fees are separate from professional fees and are typically used to help cover the operational expenses of the hospital or health system. Under the new regulations, health care entities are barred from charging facility fees for telehealth services unless the patient is physically present in a hospital-based facility. Additionally, health care [...]
13
05, 2024
LD 97
This bill represents an Act to repeal the Hospital and Health Care Provider Cooperation Act in the state of Maine. It contains provisions for the reallocation of public funds and resources that were previously set aside for implementing and maintaining the repealed Act. This includes reductions in operating expenses and job positions within the Attorney General's office and the Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Licensing and Certification. These changes are projected to result in substantial savings in public funds over the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscal years. Terms like "deallocate" refer to [...]
1
05, 2024
The Source Roundup: May 2024 Edition
Healthcare Cost and Spending Promoting Value-Based Healthcare Decisions: A Case Study of Shared Savings Programs in New Hampshire and Maine (Pepperdine Policy Review) Christopher LaCreta and Lawson Mansell Shared savings programs (SSPs) are an emerging policy solution to combatting the rise of healthcare costs. SSPs enable patients to compare prices and receive incentives for saving money on some elective services. Researchers from Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy recently published results from their case study on the disparities between SSPs in Maine and New Hampshire. Both states passed legislation to enact SSPs between the [...]
23
04, 2024
27
03, 2024
7
11, 2023