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Amend the bill by inserting after the title and before the enacting clause the following:
‘
‘Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  case management services are an essential component of serving Medicaid members; and
Whereas,  the emerging spread of COVID-19 may make it unsafe to provide in-person case management services to Medicaid members; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,’
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 2 and 3 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §3173-I, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 307, §3, is amended to read:
 
2. Meetings.   The advisory group shall hold at least one regular meeting and no more than 4 meetings each year.
Sec. 3.  24-A MRSA §4316, sub-§1, ¶A-1  is enacted to read:
 
A-1. "Medicare" means the "Health Insurance for the Aged Act," Title XVIII of the Social Security Amendments of 1965, as amended.’
Amend the bill by inserting after section 3 the following:
‘Sec. 4.  24-A MRSA §4316, sub-§9  is enacted to read:
 
9.  Medicare coverage policy.    A carrier may provide coverage for health care services delivered through telehealth that is consistent with the Medicare coverage policy for interprofessional Internet consultations. If a carrier provides coverage consistent with the Medicare coverage policy for interprofessional Internet consultations, the carrier may also provide coverage for interprofessional Internet consultations that are provided by a federally qualified health center or rural health clinic as defined in 42 United States Code, Section 1395x, subsection (aa)(1993).’
Amend the bill by adding before the summary the following:
‘Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the unanimous report of the committee, adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause to the bill. It removes the 4-meeting limit on the Maine Telehealth and Telemonitoring Advisory Group. It also provides that private insurance carriers may provide coverage for health care services delivered through telehealth that is consistent with the Medicare coverage policy for interprofessional Internet consultations and provides that if a carrier provides such coverage the carrier may also provide coverage for interprofessional Internet consultations that are provided by a federally qualified health center or rural health clinic.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)