State Legislative Update
Maine Cancer Consortium Annual Meeting
Presentation by Hilary Schneider,
State Director of Government Relations and Advocacy, ACS CAN
May 2, 2014
It’s not over until it’s over
• Statutory adjournment – April 16th
• Legislature worked until early AM April 18th
• Veto override day – May 1st
Unless legislation passed on emergency basis, laws will go into effect 90 days after
legislature adjourns.
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ACS CAN’s 2014 State Legislative Priorities
Accepting federal funding to provide
expanded health coverage through
MaineCare
Oral Chemo Parity
Medicaid Tobacco Cessation Coverage
Fund for a Healthy Maine
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Maine Legislative Session Highlights
126th Legislature, 2nd Session
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Good news, first…..
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Maine has the most comprehensive, barrierfree Medicaid tobacco cessation benefit in
the country
•
Cancer patients will have insurance
coverage for oral chemotherapy that is equal
to IV chemo
•
Biomedical bond bill that would provide $10
million likely to Jackson Lab will go to voters
for approval in November
Medicaid Tobacco Cessation – LD 386
Provides comprehensive, evidencebased coverage for tobacco cessation
services and medications to all adult
MaineCare members
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• All cessation meds approved by FDA or
recommended as effective by United States
Public Services Task Force Clinical
Practice Guidelines
• Individual AND group counseling
• No copays, deductibles or cost-sharing
• No annual or lifetime limits or quit
attempt limits
• Cannot require counseling to receive meds
• Must maximize all available federal
funding
Oral Chemo Parity – LD 627
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•
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Requires health insurance carriers
that provide coverage for cancer
chemotherapy to include coverage
for orally administered anticancer
medications that is equivalent to
the coverage provided for IV or
injected anticancer medications
Applies to all coverage issued or
renewed on or after January 1,
2015
An increase in patient cost
sharing may not be used to achieve
compliance
Biomedical Research Bond – LD 1756
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•
Bond bill to provide $10 million in funding
(matched by $11 million in private investment)
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Funding “to expand the State's research
capabilities in the areas of mammalian
genetics and murine biometric analytics”
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Awarded through competitive process
•
Goes to voters for approval in November
election
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Question wording: “Do you favor a $10,000,000
bond issue, to be awarded through a
competitive process and to be matched by
$11,000,000 in private and other funds, to
build a research center and to discover
genetic solutions for cancer and the diseases
of aging, to promote job growth and private
sector investment in this State, to attract
and retain young professionals and make the
State a global leader in genomic medicine?"
Other news….
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Tobacco settlement dollars
allocated to prevention programs
including tobacco and obesity
prevention (LD 1719)
• $5 million one-time funding as
a result of arbitration ruling
in favor of Maine
• Bill amended by appropriations
committee and passed out of
committee unanimously
• Passed by large supermajorities
of Legislature
• Vetoed by Governor
Federal Funds to Increase Access to
Medicaid
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Legislature passed three bills to accept federal funds to increase access to
Medicaid coverage (LDs 1487, 1578, 1640)
Bipartisan support for proposals
1 included managed care; another included using federal funds to
purchase private insurance coverage
All 3 bills vetoed by Governor
Missed opportunity to provide health coverage to 70,000 low-income Mainers,
including access to cancer screenings, tobacco cessation, and life-saving cancer
treatment
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Budget Debate
•
$1.50 increase in cigarette
excise tax and equalization of
tax on non-cigarette tobacco
products considered and
ultimately not included in
budget
•
Proposed across the board cuts
of 1% considered and rejected

•
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Would have impacted MBCHP
Unexpended tobacco settlement
funding swept into general fund
Other issues considered
Bills considered, but not passed:
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Bill to continue work of cancer commission and conduct obesity study
commission
Issue considered, passed as amended:
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Provider network disclosure (Public Law, Chapter 535) – went into law
w/o Gov’s signature
Some federal issues….
ACS CAN is currently working on a
variety of federal issues
including:
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Appropriations for cancer
research and prevention/early
detection funding
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Quality of Life/Palliative Care
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Medicare colorectal screening
coverage
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Federal tobacco tax
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FDA regulation of tobacco
products
We Need YOUR Voice
Get involved!
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Become an ACS CAN member
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Stay educated on the issues… acscan.org/me
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“Like” ACS CAN Maine on Facebook (facebook.com/acscanMaine)
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Respond to Action Alerts
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Sign petitions, contact your legislators
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Join ACS CAN’s volunteer Advocacy Committee: meets the 3rd Monday of
every month
For more information
Contact me:
Hilary Schneider
Email: Hilary.schneider@cancer.org
Phone: 207-373-3707
Thank you!
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