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An Act To Preserve Dirigo Choice
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 24-A MRSA §6910, sub-§2,  as amended by PL 2005, c. 400, Pt. C, §8, is further amended to read:
 
2. Legislative approval of nonprofit health care plan or expansion of public plan.  If health insurance carriers do not apply to offer and deliver Dirigo Health Program coverage, theThe board may have Dirigo Health provide access to health insurance by proposing the establishment of a nonprofit health care plan organized under Title 13-B and authorized pursuant to Title 24, chapter 19 or by proposing the expansion of an existing public plan. If the board proposes the establishment of a nonprofit health care plan or the expansion of an existing public plan, the board shall submit its proposal, including, but not limited to, a funding mechanism to capitalize a nonprofit health care plan and any recommended legislation to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health insurance matters. Dirigo Health may not provide access to health insurance by establishing a nonprofit health care plan or through an existing public plan without specific legislative approval.
Sec. 2. Propose establishment of nonprofit health plan. The Board of Directors of Dirigo Health, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 24-A, section 6904, shall propose the establishment of a nonprofit health care plan organized under Title 13-B and authorized pursuant to Title 24, chapter 19 that would offer consumers moderately priced insurance products under Dirigo Health as an alternative to those currently offered through an existing public plan. Notwithstanding Title 24-A, section 6910, subsection 2, by December 28, 2007 the board shall submit its proposal, including, but not limited to, a funding mechanism to capitalize the proposed nonprofit health care plan, and any recommended legislation to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services. The joint standing committee may submit legislation based upon the proposal submitted by the board to the second regular session of the 123rd Legislature.
 
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Board of Directors of Dirigo Health to propose the establishment of a nonprofit health care plan that would offer consumers moderately priced insurance products under Dirigo Health as an alternative to those currently offered through an existing public plan. The bill directs the board to submit, by December 28, 2007, its proposal, including, but not limited to, a funding mechanism to capitalize the proposed nonprofit health care plan, and any recommended legislation to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services. The bill further authorizes the joint standing committee to submit legislation to implement the plan.