SP0594
LD 1532
Session - 127th Maine Legislature
C "A", Filing Number S-427, Sponsored by
LR 2271
Item 2
Bill Tracking, Additional Documents Chamber Status

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,  the Maine Parentage Act goes into effect July 1, 2016, and clarification of the financial responsibility in gestational carrier agreements should be made when the Maine Parentage Act takes effect; 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 section 2 and inserting the following:

Sec. 2. 19-A MRSA §1939  is enacted to read:

§ 1939 Liability for payment of gestational carrier health care costs

1 Liability for health care costs.   The intended parent or parents are liable for the health care costs of the gestational carrier that are not paid by her health insurance. As used in this section, "health care costs" means the expenses of all health care provided for assisted reproduction, prenatal care, labor and delivery.
2 Agreement.   A gestational carrier agreement must explicitly detail how the health care costs of the gestational carrier are paid. The breach of a gestational carrier agreement by a party to the agreement does not relieve the intended parent or parents of the liability for health care costs imposed by subsection 1.
3 Effect on insurance coverage.   This section is not intended to supplant any health insurance coverage that is otherwise available to the gestational carrier or an intended parent for the coverage of health care costs. This section does not change the health insurance coverage of the gestational carrier or the responsibility of the insurance company to pay benefits under a policy that covers a gestational carrier.

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 July 1, 2016.

SUMMARY

This amendment replaces section 2 of the bill to provide that the intended parent or parents are liable for the health care costs of a gestational carrier that are not paid by the gestational carrier's health insurance. "Health care costs" is defined to mean the expenses of all health care provided for assisted reproduction, prenatal care, labor and delivery.

This amendment requires the gestational carrier agreement to provide how the health care costs of the gestational carrier are to be paid. It specifically provides that the agreement is not intended to alter any available health insurance coverage.

This amendment adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause so that the legislation takes effect on July 1, 2016, the date the Maine Parentage Act goes into effect.


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