Sec. 1. 24-A MRSA §2752, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1997, c. 616, §4, is further amended to read:

2. Procedures before legislative committees. Whenever a legislative measure containing a mandated health benefit is proposed, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over the proposal shall hold a public hearing and determine the level of support for the proposal among the members of the committee. If there is support for the proposed mandate among a majority of the members of the committee, the committee may refer the proposal to the Bureau of Insurance for review and an evaluation pursuant to subsection 3. Once a review and an evaluation has have been completed, the committee shall review the findings of the bureau. A proposed mandate may not be enacted into law unless a review and an evaluation pursuant to subsection 3 has have been completed and the rate of increase in the Consumer Price Index for medical care services meets the standard set forth in subsection 4.

Sec. 2. 24-A MRSA §2752, sub-§4 is enacted to read:

4.__Consumer Price Index for medical care services.__A proposed mandate may not be enacted into law unless the rate of increase in the Consumer Price Index for medical care services as reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics remains at zero or below zero for 2 consecutive years.__The superintendent shall file an annual report with the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health insurance matters no later than the last day of January certifying the rate of increase in the Consumer Price Index for medical services for the previous year.

SUMMARY

This bill prohibits the adoption of new health insurance mandates unless the rate of increase in the Consumer Price Index for medical care services remains at zero or less than zero for 2 consecutive years.