Claxton bill to protect access to care for rural and low-income Mainers receives unanimous committee support

AUGUSTA – On Friday, March 11, a bill from Sen. Ned Claxton, D-Auburn, received unanimous, bipartisan support in the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee. As amended, LD 1787, “An Act To Improve the Quality and Affordability of Primary Health Care Provided by Federally Qualified Health Centers,” would protect rural and low-income Mainers’ access to health care by preserving funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).

“FQHCs provide crucial health care services to folks in Maine regardless of their ability to pay for care,” said Sen. Claxton. “This bill simply ensures that these centers can continue to provide these services for years to come, and that they can remain financially viable. I want to thank the stakeholders and DHHS for all their hard work and collaboration. At the end of the day, this is about making sure everyone can get care when they need it.”

Federally Qualified Health Centers provide health care services in underserved areas without regard to an individual’s insurance status or ability to pay. In Maine, there are a total of 144 FQHCs, with sites across the state that serve over 200,000 residents. They use federal funding, grants and donor funds to provide health care for Mainers who cannot afford care otherwise. Costs for patients who are on Medicaid, MaineCare or private insurance are paid to the clinics as usual.

Many FQHCs in Maine have struggled financially. This has been due to outdated MaineCare reimbursement rates that were set nearly 20 years ago and the efforts by the clinics to expand access and services for patients. LD 1787 would update the “base year” to 2019, providing more accurate reimbursement rates for providers. This rebasing process requires consideration of any changes in services provided, prospective rates versus actual costs, and inflation. The updated reimbursement rates will allow FQHCs to remain viable and continue providing health care services to underserved populations.

The bill faces votes before the Senate and House in the coming weeks.