4/3/09 Maine Statehouse Update

Maine Statehouse Update

April 3, 2009

Governor's Budget & Legislature Overview

No new news. 

The Federal budget resolution, has been passed by both the House and Senate.  Our members voted:

      Michaud:  yea              Collins:  nea

      Pingree:  yea               Snowe:  nea

From Dan Smith, NVP ACS CAN:

Last night the House and Senate passed budget resolutions, a blueprint for Congress to make funding decisions for the 2010 fiscal year. This year’s budget resolutions are important in laying the groundwork for the enactment of health care reform legislation later in the year. Reform is necessary if the nation is going to repair the holes in the current system and ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care.

To ensure the stage would be set for health care reform, ACS CAN advocates, in just under two weeks, sent nearly 10,000 emails and placed 1,400 phone calls to 14 members of Congress whose support was critical in just under two weeks.  Senators Collins and Snowe were among them.

It is important to note that the Budget Resolutions are a first step toward increasing funding for prevention and cancer research in the FY 2010. 

Our message to Congress on health reform is gaining traction, but our work is only just beginning.  The fight to ensure that all Americans have access to critical screenings and treatments is just beginning.  Further, we need money for research to develop tests and treatments for those deadly cancers for which we still lack answers. 

* Senator Snowe is holding listening sessions for health care experts in Portland and Bangor next week.  I have been invited to speak at both.

Priority Areas  

Lung Cancer

LD 1347:  "An Act To Deter Initiation of Tobacco Use by Increasing the Tax on Tobacco Products" was just printed.  It raises the tax on cigarettes by $1, and is the focal point of our tobacco tax campaign. 

LD 919:   "An Act To Prevent and Treat Cancer in Maine by Implementing Critical Portions of the Comprehensive Cancer Program" funds the comprehensive cancer program by increasing the taxes on non-cigarette smoking tobacco to be equivalent to cigarettes.  It is not yet scheduled for a public hearing.

Loopholes:  We have a bill in that will close several "left over" from early tobacco policy work.  It includes eliminating the smoking rooms which are allowed, although very difficult to have legally.  We know of only three in the state right now - all in new super WalMarts.  It also closes other loopholes.  It has not yet been printed.

LD 943: "An Act To Reduce Lung Cancer Rates in Maine" directs landlords to test their properties for radon.  There is no public hearing scheduled.

            LD 820: " An Act To Limit Smoking in Outdoor

                  Dining Areas" passed out of committee

                  unanimously.  It makes outdoor restaurants,

                  bars, lobster pounds, etc. smoke free! 

                  It still has to be voted in the House and Senate

                  but with a unanimous report and no (spoken)

                  opposition, we could have more great news!

Colon Cancer

The Comprehensive Cancer Plan includes a new program to screen un- and under-insured for colon cancer.  This remains our funding priority.

Access to Healthcare

LD 290: "An Act To Allow Maine Residents To Purchase Health Insurance from Out-of-state Insurers," is a bill that would hurt Maine people who actually get sick, since they would not necessarily be covered by Maine insurance laws and regulations.  The committee ended with a divided report.

LD 323: "An Act To Improve Transparency in the Health Insurance Markets" is the result of our collaboration in the Maine Voices for Coverage campaign.  It's intent is to make it easier for people buying insurance individually to understand exactly what they are buying, and how it compares to other products on the market.  It is scheduled for a public hearing April 13.

LD 1040:  "An Act Relating to Health Benefit Plan Coverage of Chemotherapy" mandates insurance carries which cover chemotherapy to cover oral dose chemotherapy at the same rate they do in-patient chemo.  Today, the committee killed the bill.

LD 1091: "An Act To Reduce the Cost of Health Insurance" makes several detrimental changes to current consumer / cancer patient and family protections.  We will testify in opposition to this bill on April 6.

Comp Cancer

LD 701: "An Act To Fund the Screening and Early Detection Elements of the Statewide Cancer Plan" funds the cancer plan with the Fund for a Healthy Maine.  The committee voted to leave the issue "on the table" until other bills which use the Fund are heard.

LD 781:  "An Act To Designate a Specialty State Lottery Ticket To Benefit Cancer Education and Awareness" creates a scratch ticket to fund the comprehensive cancer program.  The committee voted to kill it yesterday.

LD 909:  "An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Fund Research and Development for Cancer" creates a $25 million bond to fund cancer research.  It will be administered by the Maine Technology Institute.  The public hearing went well on Wednesday, and the committee still has not discussed it in detail.

LD 919:  "An Act To Prevent and Treat Cancer in Maine by Implementing Critical Portions of the Comprehensive Cancer Program" funds the comprehensive cancer program by increasing the taxes on non-cigarette smoking tobacco to be equivalent to cigarettes.  It is not yet scheduled for a public hearing.

Quality of Life / Pain Management

LD 1193: "An Act To Establish Uniform Protocols for the Use of Controlled Substances" allows only pain specialists to prescribe opioids, and allows only one prescriber per patient.  In Maine we have a very successful prescription monitoring program, and this bill would create unnecessary barriers to appropriate pain management.  We will oppose this bill April 9.

Save the Date:  Lobby Day is Tuesday, April 14, 2009!  All staff and volunteers are encouraged to attend.  We will have a briefing in the morning at 8:30, followed by the opportunity to talk to legislators until about 1:00.  RSVP to [email protected] so we have enough materials and food!

      Attached is a new tool to help you recruit volunteers to the statehouse.  It underscores the need to have people at the statehouse, and gives some information about our bills.

* The issues that directly impact the NEDiv Business Plan and/or National Scorecard measures in blue.