An Act To Preserve Jobs and Primary Care Services in Rural and Underserved Areas of Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0969
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: KATZ, MARTIN, ALFOND, ROSEN, THIBODEAU, WHITTEMORE, EVES, GATTINE, MALABY
Amends: 22 MRSA §259

Legislative Document 
No. 969 
S.P. 341 
In Senate, March 17, 2015 
An Act To Preserve Jobs and Primary Care Services in Rural and 
Underserved Areas of Maine 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator KATZ of Kennebec. 
Cosponsored by Representative MARTIN of Eagle Lake and 
Senators: ALFOND of Cumberland, McCORMICK of Kennebec, ROSEN of Hancock, 
President THIBODEAU of Waldo, WHITTEMORE of Somerset, Representatives: Speaker 
EVES of North Berwick, GATTINE of Westbrook, MALABY of Hancock. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §259, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2001, c. 667, Pt. C, §12, is 
further amended to read: 
1.  Support for federally qualified health centers.  The department shall provide 
support for federally qualified health centers as follows: 
A.  Seventy-five thousand dollars in fiscal years 2001-02 and 2002-03 as the state 
Medicaid match to contract for Medicaid outstationing services at federally qualified 
health centers; and 
B.  Six hundred ninety-nine thousand, one hundred fifty dollars in fiscal year 2001-02 
to federally qualified health centers to support the infrastructure of these programs in 
providing primary care services to underserved populations.  Forty-four thousand, 
two hundred fifty dollars must be provided to each federally qualified health center 
with an additional $8,850 for the 2nd and each additional site operated by a federally 
qualified health center.  For the purposes of this paragraph, "site" means a site or sites 
operated by the federally qualified health center within its scope of service that meet 
all health center requirements, including providing primary care services, regardless 
of patients' ability to pay, 5 days a week with extended hours.  If there is not 
sufficient funding to meet the formula in this paragraph, the $699,150 must be 
allocated in proportion to the formula outlined in this paragraph.; and 
C.  One million, five hundred thousand dollars, beginning with fiscal year 2015-16 
and continuing each fiscal year thereafter, to support access to primary medical, 
behavioral health and dental services to residents of the State in rural and underserved 
communities and to assist with provider recruitment and retention.  Twenty-five 
thousand dollars must be provided to each federally qualified health center, with an 
additional $5,000 to a federally qualified health center that has at least one site 
certified by a nationally recognized committee for quality assurance.  For the 
purposes of this paragraph, "site" means a site or sites operated by the federally 
qualified health center within its scope of service that meet all health center 
requirements, including providing primary care services, regardless of patients' ability 
to pay, 5 days a week with extended hours.  Any funds remaining from the 
appropriated $1,500,000 must be distributed among the centers proportionally, based 
on the percentage of the total number of uninsured patients served at the State's 
federally qualified health centers.  The uninsured patient information must come from 
the standard annual reporting required by the United States Department of Health and 
Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, which oversees 
federally qualified health centers. 
Sec. 2.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
Purchased Social Services 0228 
Initiative:  Provides for funding for the State's federally qualified health centers to support 
access to primary medical, behavioral health and dental services for residents in rural and 
underserved communities, as well as to assist with provider recruitment and retention. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides for the allocation of funding among Maine's federally qualified 
health centers to support access to primary medical, behavioral health and dental services 
for residents in rural and underserved communities. This funding is targeted to support 
the provision of primary care services for the uninsured and underinsured, as well as to 
assist with provider recruitment and retention. 
GENERAL FUND 
2015-16
2016-17
All Other 
$1,500,000
$1,500,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$1,500,000
$1,500,000