Maine House Overrides Veto of McCreight’s Health Insurance Bill

AUGUSTA, Maine, March 26 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release:

The Maine House of Representatives on Thursday overrode Governor Lepage's veto of legislation submitted by Rep. Joyce "Jay" McCreight, D-Harpswell, which would codify essential preventative health care coverage in Maine law. The override vote was 115-34.

"I'm very appreciative of the overwhelming support this bill received," said McCreight. "This was a bipartisan effort from the start, with members of the Insurance and Financial Services Committee voting unanimously for passage. I thank all my colleagues in the House who supported the veto override."

LD 1476 requires that health care coverage include essential preventative services. The bill ensures that these services continue to be covered in Maine regardless of potential changes at the federal level.

"By making sure our health plans include essential preventative services, we offer the best protection we can for individuals by contributing to their economic and personal success, to the health of their families, to the health of our communities, and we lower the human and economic damage that ill health brings," said McCreight.

"Most important to cancer prevention is the bill's requirement for coverage of all services given an A or B rating by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, or USPSTF," said Hilary Schneider, the director of government relations for the Maine Chapter of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. "This includes preventative and early detection screening for colorectal cancer, early detection screening for breast cancer, and preventive and early detection screening for cervical cancer. Access to these tests saves lives."

According to the American Cancer Society, early detection of cancer can lead to an increased life expectancy of multiple years.

The measure faces further votes in the Senate.

McCreight, a member of the Legislature's Judiciary and Health and Human Services Committees, is serving her second term in the Maine House. She represents Harpswell, West Bath and part of Brunswick.