An Act To Expand the Opportunity for Persons To Acquire Health Care Coverage under the State's Mini-COBRA" Program
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1708
Committee Amendment CA_A_H747 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" fl" to H.P. 1209, L.D. 1708, Bill, "An Act To 
Expand the Opportunity for Persons To Acquire Health Care Coverage under the State's 
"Mini-COBRA" Program" 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 11 by striking out all of the first paragraph 
(page 1, lines 4 to 13 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'11. 
Continued gmup coverage; certain circumstances. 
Notwithstanding this 
section, if the termination of an individual's group insurance coverage is a result of the 
member or employee being temporarily laid off or losing employment because of an 
injury or disease that the employee claims to be compensable under former Title 39 or 
Title 39 A for one of the reasons listed in paragraph A-I, the insurer shall allow the 
member 01' employee to elect, within the time period prescribed by paragraph B, to 
continue coverage under the group policy at no higher level than the level of benefits 01' 
coverage received by the employee immediately before tel;mination and at the member's 
or employee's expense or, at the member's 01' employee's option, to convel1 to a policy of 
individual coverage without evidence of insurability in accordance with this section.' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 11 by inserting after paragraph A the 
following: 
'A-I. A member or employee is eligible for continued coverage under this section 
only if the member or employee's group insurance coverage terminated for one of the 
following reasons: 
(I) The member or employee was temporarily laid off; 
(2) The member 01' employee was permanently laid off on or after the effective 
date of this paragraph and is eligible for premium assistance pursuant to federal 
law providing premium assistance for laid-off employees who continue coverage 
under their former employer's group health plan as determined by the 
superintendent; 01' 
(3) The member or employee lost employment because of an injury 01' disease 
that the employee claims to be compensable under former Title 39 or Title 39-A.' 
Page I - 124LR2094(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. fl . to H.P. 1209, L.D. 1708 
SUMMARY 
Current law limits eligibility for Maine's so-called mini-COBRA law to persons who 
are temporarily laid off or who have a condition that makes them eligible for workers' 
compensation. The bill modifies Maine's so-called mini-COBRA law to make persons 
permanently laid off from their employment eligible to maintain, at their expense, 
coverage under their fonner employer's group health plan. The amendment conditions 
the eligibility for those permanently laid off on the availability of a subsidy pursuant to 
federal law. 
FISCAL :\OT£ REQL'IRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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LD 1708 
LR 2094(02) 
An Act To Expand the Opportunity for Persons To Acquire Health Care Coverage under the State's 
"Mini-COBRA" Program 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '/}" 
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Any additional costs to state agencies or programs is expected to be minor and can be absorbed utilizing existing 
budgeted resources .. 
LR2094(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1