SP0589, LD 1546, item 4, ‘An Act To Enhance Revenues to the State from the Sale of Spirits, To Provide a Source of Payment for Maine's Hospitals and To Study the Issue of Medicaid Expansion’

Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:

‘An Act To Enhance Revenues to the State from the Sale of Spirits, To Provide a Source of Payment for Maine's Hospitals and To Study the Issue of Medicaid Expansion’

Amend the bill by striking out all of Parts C, D, E and F.

Amend the bill by inserting after Part G the following:

PART H

‘

Sec. H-1. Study group established. The Study Group To Examine the Issue of Medicaid Expansion, referred to in this Part as "the study group," is established.

1. Membership. The study group consists of 13 members appointed as follows:

A. Five members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, including at least 2 members from the party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature;

B. Five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House, including at least 2 members from the party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature;

C. One member representing the health care industry, appointed by the President of the Senate;

D. One member appointed by the Governor; and

E. The Commissioner of Health and Human Services or the commissioner's designee.

2. Chairs. The first-named Senate member is the Senate chair and the first-named House of Representatives member is the House chair of the study group.

3. Appointments; convening of study group. All appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this Part. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council once all appointments have been completed. When the appointment of all members has been completed, the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the study group. If 30 days or more after the effective date of this Part a majority of but not all appointments have been made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority for the study group to meet and conduct its business.

4. Duties. The study group shall study the issues associated with expanding Medicaid eligibility pursuant to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In conducting its review, the study group shall specifically examine:

A. The projected costs to the State associated with an expansion of Medicaid eligibility during the 10 years immediately following such an expansion;

B. The potential costs to the State associated with an expansion of Medicaid eligibility during the period following the time period described in paragraph A;

C. Limitations on the growth of MaineCare that may be implemented to ensure that the State’s other budget priorities receive adequate funding;

D. The results of the expansion of Medicaid eligibility that occurred in the State in 2002 and whether and how those results might inform the current question of expanding Medicaid eligibility;

E. The existence of less costly alternatives to expanding Medicaid eligibility that might result in a reduction in the number of uninsured individuals in the State, such as utilization of the health insurance exchange to be established under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act;

F. The possibility of obtaining from the Federal Government higher Medicaid matching rates or other benefits to citizens of the State as a result of the expansion of Medicaid as proposed in Legislative Document 1066; and

G. Any other issues the study group determines appropriate.

5. Staff assistance. The Legislative Council shall provide necessary staffing services to the study group.

6. Report. No later than December 4, 2013, the study group shall submit a report to the Legislative Council that includes its findings and recommendations, including any suggested legislation. ’

Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.

SUMMARY

This amendment removes those parts of the bill related to MaineCare expansion.

This amendment also establishes the Study Group To Examine the Issue of Medicaid Expansion to study the issues associated with expanding Medicaid eligibility pursuant to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED

(See attached)

SP0589 LD 1546	Session - 126th Maine Legislature "", Filing Number , Sponsored by Fredette		LR 2143 Item 4
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