An Act To Provide Education Concerning and Insurance Coverage for Lyme Disease
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1521
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: BRYANT, DIAMOND, MARRACHE, HOTHAM
Amends: 24-A MRSA §2745-H

Legislative Document 
No. 1521 
S.P.544 
March 20, 2007 
An Act To Provide Education Concerning and Insurance Coverage 
for Lyme Disease 
Reference to the Committee on Insurance and Financial Services suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Senator BRYANT of Oxford. 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Representative BRYANT of Windham and Senators: DIAMOND of 
Cumberland, MARRACHE of Kennebec, Representative: HOTHAM of Dixfield. 
Printeu l)Jl n:I.:)l.:ltd par-:r 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 24-A MRSA §2745-H is enacted to read: 
§2745-H. Lyme disease coverage 
All individual insurance policies and contracts except accidental injury, specified 
disease, hospital indemnity, Medicare supplement, long-term care and other limited 
benefit health insurance policies and contracts must provide coverage for services for the 
detection and treatment of Lyme disease. 
The requirements of this section apply to all policies, contracts and certificates 
executed, delivered, issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this State on or after 
September 1, 2007. For purposes of this section, all contracts are deemed to be renewed 
II 
no later than the next anniversary of the contract date. 
Sec. 2. 26 MRSA c. 7, sub-c. 2-B is enacted to read: 
SUBCHAPTER 2-B 
LYME DISEASE INFORMATION 
§651. Lyme disease. responsibilities of employers 
An employer whose employees are involved in any activities that the Department of 
Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and lists 
on its publicly accessible website as activities that place persons at high risk of exposure 
to Lyme disease, shall, before allowing those employees to engage in such activities, 
provide accurate information to the employees about Lyme disease, including 
information about risks of exposure, ways of reducing or preventing such risks, 
recognition of symptoms and treatment. Upon request of an employer, the Maine Center 
for Disease Control and Prevention shall supply information to the employer adequate to 
fulfill the requirements of this section. 
An employer who fails to provide information in accordance with this section 
commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 may 
be adjudged. 
Sec. 3. Lyme disease study. The Department of Health and Human Services, 
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and shall list on its publicly accessible 
website activities that it determines to place persons at high risk of exposure to Lyme 
disease. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall also study the 
incidence of Lyme disease in this State, how many cases of Lyme disease are contracted 
by employees during the course of their employment and the effects of the disease on the 
State. The center shall issue a report of its findings and any recommendations to the 
Governor and the Legislature no later than January 1, 2008. 
Page I - 123LR1490(OJ)-i 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires insurance polices to provide coverage for the treatment of Lyme 
disease. It also requires any employer whose employees are involved in activities that 
place them at high risk of exposure to Lyme disease to provide those employees with 
accurate information about Lyme disease before allowing them to engage in such 
actIvItIes. 
It directs the Maine Center for Disease Control Prevention to study the 
incidence of Lyme disease in this State, how many cases of Lyme disease are contracted 
by employees during the course of their employment, and the effects of the disease on the 
State.