AUGUSTA - Today, Rep. Michael Brennan, D-Portland, introduced LD 1161 before the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee, which would provide $500,000 in funding over the next two years to Maines free clinics, distributed by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
Free clinics provide low- and no-cost care to Mainers who are uninsured. This often includes physician exams, basic lab testing and x-rays, routine health care, assistance programs and social services.
"Maine's free clinics are a very efficient means of providing health care to a population that really needs it, and whose needs and numbers have grown due to the pandemic," said Brennan. "Traditionally, the population served at free clinics earns too much to qualify for MaineCare, but not enough to afford effective health insurance without a large deductible. Without employer-provided health insurance, they are at a major loss."
The Legislature's Health and Human Service Committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming weeks.
Brennan is serving his third consecutive term in the Maine House, having previously served four terms in the House and three in the Senate. He represents House District 115, which includes a portion of Portland, and serves as House chair of the Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Brennan], 305-965-2744