Maine Legislative Initiatives
Prudent Layperson Update
LD 1155 signed into law June 7, 2019. Governor Janet Mills signed LD 1155 into law. It enacts a “prudent layperson” standard for determining when an insurance carrier may not deny or reduce benefits for a patient presenting to an emergency department on the grounds that the patient’s condition turned out not to be an emergency. The law, now known as Public Law 2019 chapter 238, requires that the determination of the reasonableness of the patient’s decision, and thus the coverage for the treatment, must be based on the standard of whether a prudent layperson, not a medical expert, would believe that the situation presented a medical emergency. Emergency services must be covered without prior authorization. The law further provides that before a carrier determines the absence of an emergency, it must conduct a utilization review performed by a board certified emergency physician licensed in Maine.
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- Bill Status – click here
- Hearing and Work Session Schedule – click here
- Legislative Committees –click here (members and schedule)
- Bills of interest to Medicine – Visit MMA Summary Page
- Maine Medical Association Legislative Updates – Visit MMA Update
National Initiatives
ABMS Board Certification Update
The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) sent a letter to over 6,600 chief medical officers and executive leaders for hospitals and health care systems throughout the US. The communication provides an update on the ABMS’s recommendation for continuing board certification – its policy on the appropriate use of certification in hospital credentialing and continuing certification. Download: Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future Commission. For additional information visit the ABMS website www.abms.org
The Maine ACEP Opioid Grant Program is now online
In an effort to help the public and lawmakers understand the unique role of the emergency department team and to bolster support to overcome the many challenges we face, ACEP launched a campaign in May 2013 called “Saving Millions.” The campaign includes a series of print ads, radio messages and coordinated editorials in influential communications nationwide. To learn more, click on the “Saving Millions” banner above.