SUMMARY: This emergency bill establishes the right of a resident of a long-term care facility to designate a person as an essential caregiver who may visit the resident, at the request of the resident, at any time and who may not be prohibited from visiting because of an outbreak of disease or other reason. The essential caregiver is subject to the same limitations of behavior and entry as employees of the facility, including requirements for illness screening and testing and use of personal protective equipment. The facility may prevent the essential caregiver from approaching any other person in the facility except for the resident. The resident of the facility may have only one essential caregiver at a time.

Sponsored by: Rep. Laurel LIBBY of Auburn
Co-Sponsored by: EVANGELOS of Friendship (I), FAY of Raymond (D),
HASENFUS of Readfield (D), MORALES of South Portland (D), PERRY of Calais (D), WARREN of Hallowell (D), WHITE of Waterville (D).

The Bill was referred to the Committee on: Health and Human Services
Read the Full Bill HERE.

SUMMARY: This bill makes permanent the authorization for licensing out-of-state and recently retired doctors, physician assistants and nurses that was provided through executive order during the declared state of civil emergency related to COVID-19. The bill also expands the scope of health care services that can be provided though telehealth to include the use of audio-only telephone.

Sponsored by: Laurel LIBBY of Auburn
Co-Sponsored by: EVANS of Dover-Foxcroft (D), GEIGER of Rockland (D), PERRY of Calais (D), WHITE of Waterville (D), and CLAXTON of Androscoggin (D).

The Bill was referred to the Committee on: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Read the Full Bill HERE.

SUMMARY: This bill makes permanent the Governor’s Executive Order #35 dated April 6, 2020, which allows certain licensed or registered professionals under Title 32 of the Maine Revised Statutes to provide necessary health care or other services to the extent practicable through the use of all modes of telehealth, including visual and audio, audio-only or other electronic media. The bill also clarifies that these services must be covered by insurance as they would be if provided in person.

Sponsored by: Rep. Laurel LIBBY of Auburn
Lead Co-Sponsor: Sen. Trey STEWART of Aroostook (R)
Co-Sponsored by: CRAVEN of Lewiston (D), MADIGAN of Waterville (D), MORRIS of Turner (R), PERRY of Calais (D), STOVER of Boothbay (D), WARREN of Hallowell (D), ZAGER of Portland (D), BRENNER of Cumberland (D).

This Bill was referred to the Committee on: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Read the Full Bill HERE.

SUMMARY:

LD 927: An Act To Increase the Availability of Health Care Services by Eliminating the Certificate of Need for All Health Care Services
LD 931: An Act To Increase Hospital Bed Capacity by Eliminating the Certificate of Need for Outside Hospital Beds
LD 932: An Act To Increase Hospital Capacity by Eliminating the Certificate of Need for Hospital Beds
LD 935: An Act To Increase the Ability of Health Care Facilities To Respond to Health Needs by Eliminating the Certificate of Need for Health Care Facilities
LD 1004: An Act To Ensure Access to Health Care Equipment by Eliminating the Certificate of Need for Major Medical Equipment

Sponsored by: Rep. Laurel LIBBY of Auburn
Lead Co-Sponsored by: Senator MIRAMANT of Knox (D)
Co-Sponsored by: ARATA of New Gloucester (R), CAIAZZO of Scarborough (D), MORRIS of Turner (R), O’CONNOR of Berwick (R), CLAXTON of Androscoggin (D)

The Bill was referred to the Committee on: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services

SUMMARY: This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to increase its reimbursement rates to providers of home and community-based services to persons with intellectual disabilities or autism by the same amount of increase required under the minimum wage law pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, section 664, 31 subsection 1 or by a municipal ordinance. If a municipal ordinance increases other wage requirements in the ordinance, such as a requirement for time-and-a-half in certain circumstances, that amount of increase is also required in the reimbursement rates.

Sponsored by: Rep. Laurel LIBBY of Auburn
Lead Co-Sponsored by: Senator Jackson of Aroostook (D)
Co-Sponsored by: CRAVEN of Lewiston (D) , MADIGAN of Waterville (D) , POIRIER of Skowhegan (R), SYLVESTER of Portland (D), DESCHAMBAULT of York (D), MAXMIN of Lincoln (D)

The Bill was referred to the Committee on: Health and Human Services
Read the Full Bill HERE.