Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0563
Committee Amendment CA_A_H72 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/+' to H.P. 426, L.D. 563, Bill, "An 
Act To Require That Mental Health Workers with LCPC Licenses Are 
Recognized as Licensed Professionals for Purposes of Insurance 
Reimbursement" 
Amend the bill in section 1 in that part designated "§2744." 
by striking out all of subsection 3 (page 2, lines 16 to 33 in 
L.D.) and inserting in its place the following: 
'3. 
Mental 
health 
services 
provided 
by 
counseling 
professionals. 
Aa Except as provided in subsection 1 with regard 
to reimbursement of clinical professional counselors licensed in 
this 
State, 
an 
insurer 
that 
issues 
individual health 
care 
contracts providing coverage for mental health services shall 
offer coverage for those services when performed by a counseling 
professional who is licensed by the State pursuant to Title 32, 
chapter 119 to assess and treat interpersonal and intrapersonal 
problems, 
has at least a 
masters degree in counseling or a 
related field from an accredited educational institution and has 
been employed as a counselor for at least 2 years. 
Any contract 
providing coverage for the services of counseling professionals 
pursuant 
to this 
section may 
be 
subject to 
any 
reasonable 
limitations, 
maximum 
benefits, 
coinsurance, 
deductibles 
or 
exclusion provisions applicable to overall benefits under the 
contract. 
This subsection applies to all contracts executed, 
delivered, 
issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this 
State 
on 
or after 
January 
1, 
1997. 
For 
purposes of this 
subsection, all contracts are deemed renewed no later than the 
next yearly anniversary of the contract date.' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
It" 
.. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,~ to H.P. 426, L.D. 563 
Further amend the bill in section 2 in that part designated 
"§2835." by striking out all of subsection 3 (page 3, lines 48 to 
and page 4, lines 1 and 15 in L.D.) and inserting in its place 
the following: 
, 3. 
Mental 
heal th 
services 
provided 
by 
counseling 
professionals. 
AB Except as provided in subsection 1 with regard 
to reimbursement of clinical professional counselors licensed in 
this State, an insurer that issues group health care contracts 
providing 
coverage 
for 
mental 
health 
services 
shall 
make 
available 
coverage 
for 
those 
services 
when 
performed 
by 
a 
counseling professional who is licensed by the State pursuant to 
Title 32, 
chapter 119 to assess and treat interpersonal and 
intrapersonal 
problems, 
has 
at 
least 
a 
masters 
degree 
in 
counseling or a 
related field from an accredited educational 
institution and has been employed as a counselor for at least 2 
years. 
Any 
contract providing coverage for the services of 
counseling professionals pursuant to this section may be subject 
to any 
reasonable limitations, 
maximum benefits, 
coinsurance, 
deductibles 
or 
exclusion 
provl.Sl.ons 
applicable 
to 
overall 
benefits under the contract. 
This subsection applies to all 
contracts executed, delivered, issued for delivery, continued or 
renewed in this State on or after January 1, 1997. 
For purposes 
of this subsection, all contracts are deemed renewed no later 
than the next yearly anniversary of the contract date.' 
Further amend the bill by inserting after section 3 the 
following: 
'Sec. 4. Exemption from review. 
Notwithstanding the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 24-A, section 2752, this Act is enacted 
without review and evaluation by the Department of Professional 
and Financial Regulation, Bureau of Insurance.' 
Further amend the bill by relettering 
nonconsecutive 
Part 
letter 
or 
section 
consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
or renumbering any 
number 
to 
read 
This 
amendment 
retains the 
mandated offer provision in 
current law, which the bill would remove, that requires health 
insurers to make available coverage for mental health services 
provided 
by 
professional 
counselors, 
marriage 
and 
family 
therapists and pastoral counselors licensed in this State. 
The amendment also adds language exempting the bill from a 
review and evaluation by the Department of Professional 
and 
COMM/rrEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "~,, to H.P. 426, L.D. 563 
Financial Regulation, Bureau of Insurance before its enactment 
because the proposal contained in the bill was previously studied. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT