Legislature passes Sen. Brenner bill to require insurance coverage for PFAS blood serum testing

AUGUSTA — Today, the Maine Senate passed LD 582, a bill from Sen. Stacy Brenner, D-Scarborough, to require insurance providers to cover the cost of medically necessary blood serum testing for PFAS.

“The case for PFAS blood testing is clear. We now have well-documented scientific evidence confirming the link between PFAS exposure and serious health risks, as well as established clinical guidelines for screening and monitoring affected individuals,” said Sen. Brenner. “Given that Maine law already mandates coverage for many preventative screenings and chronic disease management, incorporating PFAS blood serum testing into this framework is a logical and necessary step.”

Dubbed “forever chemicals” because they do not break down over time into less harmful compounds, PFAS are manmade chemicals linked to health concerns like cancer, liver damage, birth defects and high cholesterol. The exposure risk is particularly high among Maine’s agricultural workers due to the decades-long practice of applying PFAS-contaminated wastewater sludge to farmland as fertilizer.

Maine has taken great strides to limit the environmental and public health threat posed by PFAS contamination, developing some of the strictest regulations in the country. Maine became the first state to ban the use of PFAS in most consumer products in 2021 and the first state to ban the application of PFAS-contaminated wastewater sludge on agricultural land in 2022.

Still, many communities face high exposure to PFAS, and for many, the $450 to $600 price tag on blood serum tests is a prohibitive financial barrier to screening and preventative care. LD 582 would increase access by requiring coverage of medically necessary PFAS blood serum tests under all health plans offered in Maine, beginning January 1, 2027. By understanding PFAS exposure, patients and providers are better equipped to make informed decisions about monitoring and treatment to protect long-term health.

LD 582 now heads to the Governor’s desk for her signature. She has 10 days following Senate passage to sign the bill, veto it or allow it to become law without her signature.

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