Whereas, group health plans sponsored by agricultural associations located outside of this State provide health insurance to enrollees living in this State; and

Whereas, changes to the law are necessary to prevent enrollees living in this State from losing their health insurance coverage; and

Whereas, this legislation clarifies the grievance procedure that must be available to enrollees in this State who have coverage through out-of-state agricultural cooperative association group health plans; 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,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 24-A MRSA §4303, sub-§4, ¶D is enacted to read:

D.__Notwithstanding this subsection, a group health plan sponsored by an agricultural cooperative association located outside of this State that provides health insurance coverage to members of one or more agricultural cooperative associations located within this State may employ a grievance procedure for enrollees in the group health plan that meets the requirements of the state in which the group health plan is located if enrollees in the group health plan that reside in this State have the right to independent external review in accordance with section 4312 following any adverse health care treatment decision.__ Enrollees in the group health plan that reside in this State must be notified as to the grievance procedure used by the group health plan and their right to independent external review in accordance with section 4312.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill allows a group health plan sponsored by an agricultural cooperative association located outside of Maine