AUGUSTA - Today, House Democrats introduced four pieces of legislation to protect and expand access to abortion care in Maine.
Together, the measures would strengthen safeguards for Maine's health care providers, ensure that every Mainer has the same rights to abortion care regardless of where they live and expand access so those who choose to exercise their right to an abortion can get the care they need. The bills were introduced on Monday alongside LD 1619, sponsored by Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland.
Rep. Amy Kuhn, D-Falmouth, presented LD 616, An Act to Protect Health Care Professionals Providing Reproductive Health Care Services, before the Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee. The bill would strengthen protections for health care providers so that they may offer abortion care for people traveling to Maine without threats to their ability to practice medicine.
"Decisions about abortion care are private and should be made between patients and their health care providers, not politicians," said Kuhn. "Last year's Supreme Court decision introduced a lot of uncertainty about how state laws will interact with each other and impact abortion care access across the country. This bill will eliminate one of those uncertainties, providing more peace of mind for patients and providers."
Rep. Laura Supica, D-Bangor, presented LD 1343, An Act to Protect the Reproductive Freedom of Maine People by Preempting the Field of Abortion Regulation, before the Judiciary Committee. The bill would prevent local municipalities from restricting access to abortion care, ensuring that every Mainer has the same rights, regardless of what town they live in.
"Mainers across the state have made it crystal clear: We don't want the government telling us what to do with our bodies or making the decision for us about if and when to start a family," said Supica. "This legislation will proactively prevent the creation of a patchwork of local restrictions and guarantee the right to abortion everywhere in Maine, regardless of where someone lives."
Rep. Matt Moonen, D-Portland, presented LD 935, An Act to Remove Barriers to Abortion Coverage in Private Insurance, before the Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee. The bill would expand abortion access by requiring insurance companies to cover abortion care without cost sharing. While current Maine law requires private insurance to cover abortion care as a part of comprehensive pregnancy care, many health insurance plans require that patients pay out-of-pocket for abortion care until they meet deductibles, causing delays in care.
"For too many Mainers, unexpected medical costs mean choosing between paying for care or covering the rent and putting food on the table," said Moonen. "Even though Maine law requires private insurers to cover abortion as part of comprehensive reproductive health care, the out-of-pocket costs are often so high that people struggle to afford them, causing delays in accessing the care they need. This bill will require abortion care to be covered without cost sharing like copays and deductibles to make sure Maine people can access care when they need it".
Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport, presented LD 263, An Act to Ensure Access to Health Care, before the Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee. The bill would increase oversight of hospital mergers to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion care, if those services are currently provided. Historically, reproductive health care has declined in cases when mergers involved organizations with religious affiliations.
"Everyone should have access to high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health services in their communities, no matter their race, income, citizenship status, type of insurance, religious beliefs or gender identity," said Sachs. "his bill will help ensure that abortion access remains intact for Mainers, regardless of the name on a medical building or the ideologies fueling big health care business deals."
Contact:
Brian Lee [Kuhn, Supica, Moonen, Sachs], 305-965-2744
Mary-Erin Casale [Talbot Ross], 415-4965