An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study Transparency, Costs and II Accountability of Health Care System Financing
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1760
Committee Amendment CA_A_S503 (Senate)
Amends: 22 MRSA §1718-C

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to S.P. 698, L.D. 1760, Bill, "An Act To 
Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study Transparency, Costs and 
II 
Accountability of Health Care System Financing" 
Amend the bill in section 1 in § 1718 in the first paragraph in the 3rd line (page I, line 
in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "licensee." the following: 'If a single medical 
encounter will involve services or procedures to be rendered by one or more 3rd-party 
health care entities as defined in section 1718-8, subsection 1, paragraph B, the hospital 
or ambulatory surgical center shall identify each 3rd-party health care entity to enable the 
individual to seek an estimate of the total price of services or procedures to be rendered 
directly by each health care entity to that individual.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 2 and 3 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §1718-C is enacted to read: 
§1718-C. Estimate of the total price of a single medical encounter for an uninsured 
patient 
Upon the request of an uninsured patient, a health care entity, as defined in section 
1718-B, subsection 1, paragraph B, shall provide within a reasonable time of the request 
an estimate of the total price of medical services to be rendered directly by that health 
care entity during a single medical encounter. If the health care entity is unable to provide 
an accurate estimate ofthe total price of a specific medical service because the amount of 
the medical service to be consumed during the medical encounter is unknown in advance, 
the health care entity shall provide a brief description of the basis for determining the 
total price of that particular medical service. If a single medical encounter will involve 
medical services to be rendered by one or more 3rd-party health care entities, the health 
care entity shall identify each 3rd-patiy health care entity to enable the uninsured patient 
to seek an estimate of the total price of medical services to be rendered directly by each 
health care entity to that patient. When providing an estimate as required by this section, 
a health care entity shall also notify the uninsured patient of any charity care policy 
adopted by the health care entity.' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~o~s 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 698, L.D. 1760 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment does the following. 
1. It adds language to section 1 of the bill requiring hospitals and ambulatory surgical 
centers to also identify each 3rd-party health care practitioner or facility that will provide 
health care services or procedures to a consumer as part of a single medical encounter to 
enable the consumer to seek an estimate of the total price of medical services to be 
rendered directly by each practitioner or facility. 
2. It removes the provision of the bill that requires health care practitioners to 
prominently display information on price transparency tools to assist consumers to obtain 
estimates of health care costs, the substance of which has been enacted into law by other 
legislation, and removes the provision of the bill requiring each health care practitioner 
and health care facility to provide an individualized cost estimate for a client's anticipated 
health care services and procedures. 
3. It requires that health care practitioners and health care facilities provide uninsured 
patients, upon request, with an estimate of the total price of a single medical encounter 
and notification of any charity care policy adopted by the practitioner or facility. If the 
practitioner or facility is unable to provide an accurate estimate of the total price because 
the amount of a medical service to be consumed during the medical encounter is 
unknown in advance, the practitioner or facility must provide a brief description of the 
basis for detennining the total price. If a single medical encounter will involve medical 
services to be rendered by one or more 3rd-party health care practitioners or facilities, the 
practitioner or facility must identify each 3rd-party practitioner or facility to enable the 
uninsured patient to seek an estimate of the total price of medical services to be rendered 
directly by each practitioner or facility. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Approved: 03117114 ;!¥ac 
LD 1760 
LR 2764(02) 
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study Transparency, Costs and 
Accountability of Health Care System Financing 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '~' (S- 5o:D 
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Additional costs to the Maine Health Data Organization are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing 
budgeted resources. 
LR2764(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1