An Act To Preserve Dirigo Choice
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0773
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: BRYANT, ADAMS, CARTER, GERZOFSKY, GROSE, PATRICK, PINEAU, WHEELER
Amends: 24-A MRSA §6910

Legislative Document 
No. 773 
H.P.591 
House of Representatives, February 13, 2007 
An Act To Preserve Dirigo Choice 
Reference to the Committee on Insurance and Financial Services suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative BRYANT of Windham. 
Cosponsored by Senator BRYANT of Oxford and 
'17/~ frI· 7!ldC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: ADAMS of Portland, CARTER of Bethel, GERZOFSKY of Brunswick, 
GROSE of Woolwich, PATRICK of Rumford, PINEAU of Jay, WHEELER of Kittery. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 24-A MRSA §6910, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2005, c. 400, Pt. C, §8, is 
further amended to read: 
2. Legislative approval of nonprofit health care plan or expansion of public 
plan. If RealtR iRSl:lraHee earriers do Rot Rflpl)' to ofwr aRa aeliver Dirigo HealtR Program 
eo\'erage, tRe The board may have Dirigo Health provide access to health insurance by 
proposing the establishment of a nonprofit health care plan organized under Title 13-B 
and authorized pursuant to Title 24, chapter 19 or by proposing the expansion of an 
existing public plan. If the board proposes the establishment of a nonprofit health care 
plan or the expansion of an existing public plan, the board shall submit its proposal, 
including, but not limited to, a funding mechanism to capitalize a nonprofit health care 
plan and any recommended legislation to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over health insurance matters. Dirigo Health may not provide access 
to health insurance by establishing a nonprofit health care plan or through an existing 
public plan without specific legislative approval. 
Sec. 2. 
Propose establishment of nonprofit health plan. The Board of 
Directors of Dirigo Health, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 24-A, section 
6904, shall propose the establishment of a nonprofit health care plan organized under 
Title 13-8 and authorized pursuant to Title 24, chapter 19 that would offer consumers 
moderately priced insurance products under Dirigo Health as an alternative to those 
currently offered through an existing public plan. Notwithstanding Title 24-A, section 
6910, subsection 2, by December 28,2007 the board shall submit its proposal, including, 
but not limited to, a funding mechanism to capitalize the proposed nonprofit health care 
plan, and any recommended legislation to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and 
Human Services. The joint standing committee may submit legislation based upon the 
proposal submitted by the board to the second regular session of the 123rd Legislature. 
SUMMARY 
This bill directs the Board of Directors of Dirigo Health to propose the establishment 
of a nonprofit health care plan that would offer consumers moderately priced insurance 
products under Dirigo Health as an alternative to those currently offered through an 
existing public plan. The bill directs the board to submit, by December 28, 2007, its 
proposal, including, but not limited to, a funding mechanism to capitalize the proposed 
nonprofit health care plan, and any recommended legislation to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Health and Human Services. The bill further authorizes the joint standing 
committee to submit legislation to implement the plan. 
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