Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3192 is enacted to read:

§3192.__Affordable Health Care Fund

The Affordable Health Care Fund is established to assist individuals with the costs of participation in community health access programs.__The fund is a nonlapsing fund and any excess funds may be used only for the purposes of this section.__The fund may be used only to subsidize the costs of community health access programs' fees.__The department shall establish subsidies on a sliding scale based on income for eligible individuals enrolled in community health access programs.__Individuals eligible for health coverage under the Medicaid or Medicare program are not eligible to receive a subsidy from this fund.

Sec. 2. Appropriation. The following funds are appropriated from the General Fund to carry out the purposes of this Act.

2001-02

HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Affordable Health Care Fund $1,500,000

All Other

Provides funds to establish the Affordable Health Care Fund to provide subsidies for individuals enrolled in community health access programs.

SUMMARY

This bill establishes the Affordable Health Care Fund to provide subsidies for individuals enrolled in community health access programs. The bill appropriates $1.5 million to the Affordable Health Care Fund.