Maine Gov. Mills Signs Bill to Protect Patients in Insurance Reviews

AUGUSTA, Maine, May 30 -- Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, issued the following news release:

Governor Janet Mills signed into law today legislation to ensure that insurance company medical reviews are conducted by medical professionals. LD 249, "An Act to Ensure Protection of Patients in Medical Reviews by Health Insurance Carriers" sponsored by Senator Geoff Gratwick, D-Bangor, was passed unanimously by the Legislature.

"After my late husband Stan suffered a stroke, insurance companies would sometimes deny claims for care without any explanation. It is an unfair, heartless practice that puts profits ahead of the patient's wellbeing," said Governor Mills. "Medical professionals with the same training as the patient's own doctor should be conducting medical reviews for claims, not an insurance company official. By signing this legislation, we are taking steps to ensure that no family has to justify the need for their loved one's medical care to insurance company officials only looking out for the bottom line. I thank Senator Gratwick for putting this legislation forward and for securing unanimous support in the Legislature."

"When it comes to access to health care, our laws and our policies should always put patients before profits," said Sen. Gratwick, a retired doctor who practiced medicine for 40 years. "The choice of what treatment to pursue, especially when that treatment is potentially life-saving, should be between a patient and their doctor, not the patient and an insurance provider. I'm glad the governor has signed this key protection into law."

LD 249 requires that appeals of a health insurance carrier's denial of health care treatment be conducted by a licensed health care practitioner who is board certified in the same or similar specialty as the medical condition, procedure or treatment under review and whose compensation does not directly or indirectly depend upon the quantity, type or cost of the medical condition, procedure or treatment the practitioner approves or denies on behalf of a health insurance carrier.

Governor Mills also signed the following into law Thursday:

* LD 145 "An Act To Expand the Membership of the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine"

* LD 849 "An Act To Allow Chiropractic Internships"

* LD 277 "An Act To Ban Telephone Solicitations Using an Artificial or Prerecorded Voice and Enhance Caller Identification"

* LD 317 "An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Appointees to the Maine Labor Relations Board"

* LD 417 "An Act To Allow an Attorney To Copy a Driver's License"

* LD 530 "An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Subrogation Rights for Medical Payments Coverage"

* LD 1186 "An Act To Exempt Agricultural Fairs from the Assessment of Demand Charges for Electricity" (EMERGENCY)

* LD 1320 "An Act To Require the Department of Environmental Protection To Provide Natural Resources Protection Act Permits to Affected Municipalities"

* LD 1431 "Resolve, To Support Municipal Recycling Programs" (EMERGENCY)

* LD 1510 "Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 97: Private Non-Medical Institution Services and Appendices B, C, D, E and F, a Late-filed Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Health and Human Services"(EMERGENCY)

* LD 1644 "An Act To Clarify Conflict of Interest Requirements for the Board of Environmental Protection"

* LD 1015 "An Act To Support Maine Craft Distillers"

* LD 1089 "An Act To Ban Discretionary Clauses in Life and Health Insurance Policies"

* LD 1197 "An Act To Amend the Law Prohibiting the Denial by Health Insurers of Referrals by Out-of-network Providers"

* LD 1556 "An Act Regarding Filing Fees in Transmission Line Proceedings"

* LD 978 "An Act To Clarify Maine's Protection from Abuse Statutes"

* LD 771 "An Act Regarding the Cancellation of Subscription Services"

* LD 550 "An Act To Amend the Definition of "Subdivision" in the Laws Governing Planning and Land Use Regulation for Subdivisions and a Provision Excepting the Division of a New or Existing Structure from Those Laws Beginning July 1, 2018"

* LD 1619 "An Act Regarding Licenses for the Sale of Liquor for On-premises Consumption" (EMERGENCY)

* LD 1696 "Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 28: Allowances for Rehabilitative and Community Support Services for Children with Cognitive Impairments and Functional Limitations, a Late-filed Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Health and Human Services" (EMERGENCY)

* LD 1513 "An Act To Amend the Date by Which an Applicant for Funds under the Local Road Assistance Program Must Provide Certification to the Department of Transportation"

* LD 1160 "An Act To Transfer the Kim Wallace Adaptive Equipment Loan Program Fund to the Office of the Treasurer of State"

* LD 1079 "An Act To Require Public Schools To Periodically Test for Radon"

* LD 765 "Resolve, To Revise Asset Limits for Social Service Programs"

* LD 249 "An Act To Ensure Protection of Patients in Medical Reviews by Health Insurance Carriers"

* LD 198 "An Act To Require That Nonmotorized Carriages Be Equipped with Reflectors and Lights"