An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Insurance and Financial Services Regarding Reporting on Lyme Disease and Other Tick-borne Illnesses
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 2157
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services
Amends: 24-A MRSA §4302

Legislative Document 
No. 2157 
S.P.825 
January 17,2008 
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Joint Standing 
Committee on Insurance and Financial Services Regarding 
Reporting on Lyme Disease and Other Tick-borne Illnesses 
Reported by Senator SULLIVAN of York for the Joint Standing Committee on Insurance 
and Financial Services pursuant to Joint Order 2007, S.P. 813. 
Reference to the Committee on Insurance and Financial Services suggested and ordered 
printed under Joint Rule 218. 
Pnntn!ll!1 ff:t:yt:leJ paper 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA c. 266-B is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 266-B 
LYME DISEASE AND OTHER TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES 
§1645. Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses; annual report 
1. Report contents. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall, on 
an ongoing basis, monitor, review and evaluate Lyme disease and other tick-borne 
illnesses in this State and shall submit an annual report in accordance with this subsection 
and subsection 2. The report must include at a minimum and to the extent information is 
available: 
A. The incidence of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses in this State; 
B. The treatment guidelines for Lyme disease recommended by the Maine Center for 
Disease Control and Prevention and the federal Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention; 
C. 
A scientific review of peer-reviewed medical literature and studies for the 
treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, including, but not limited 
to, the recognition of chronic Lyme disease and the use of long-term antibiotic 
treatment; 
D. The education, training and guidance provided by the Maine Center for Disease 
Control and Prevention to health care professionals on the current methods of 
diagnosing and treating Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses; 
E. The education and public awareness activities conducted by the Maine Center for 
Disease Control and Prevention for the prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-
borne illnesses; and 
F. The laws of other states related to the diagnosis, treatment and insurance coverage 
for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. 
2. 
Annual report. Beginning February 1, 2009 and annually by February 1st 
thereafter, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall submit a report to 
the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human 
services matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over health insurance matters. In addition to the information required under subsection 1, 
the report may include recommendations for legislation to address public health programs 
for the prevention and treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses in this 
State. 
Sec. 2. 24-A MRSA §4302, sub-§5 is enacted to read: 
5. Annual report; claims for treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne 
illnesses. By February 1st of each year, all carriers shall file with the superintendent for 
the most recent calendar year for all covered individuals in the State the total claims made 
for the treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. The filing must include 
information on the number of claims made for the treatment of Lyme disease and other 
tick-borne illnesses, the total dollar amount of those claims, the number of claim denials 
and the reasons for those denials, the number and outcome of internal appeals and the 
number of external appeals related to the treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne 
illnesses. The superintendent shall compile from all carriers this data in an annual report 
and submit the report by March 15th of each year to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over health insurance matters. 
SUMMARY 
This bill is a recommendation of the majority of the Joint Standing Committee on 
Insurance and Financial Services, and is the result ofthe committee's study and review of 
issues regarding Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, which took place between 
the First Regular Session and Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature. The bill 
requires the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease 
Control and Prevention to report annually beginning February 1, 2009 to the Legislature 
on the incidence of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses in the State, the 
recommended treatment guidelines for Lyme disease, medical studies on the treatment of 
Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses and the activities of the Maine Center for 
Disease Control and Prevention focused on education, prevention and treatment of Lyme 
disease and other tick-borne illnesses. The bill also requires that health insurers and the 
Superintendent of Insurance report annually on health insurance claims for the treatment 
Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, including information on the number of 
approved claims, claim denials and the outcome of both internal and external appeals 
processes.