|
|
For
Immediate Release
March 11,
2010 | |
Communications
Coordinator
1-800-838-0388
| | |
|
Maine House Votes to Pass Cap
Bill
Bipartisan Bill would Remove Lifetime and Annual
Caps from Health Insurance
Policies |
(Augusta) With
bipartisan support the Maine house voted to pass a
first in country law which would eliminate lifetime
and annual caps from health insurance plans in the
state. Consumers for Affordable Health Care
(CAHC) is thrilled by the House's 99-38 vote to pass
LD 1620, "An Act to Protect
Health Care Consumers from Catastrophic Medical
Debt." CAHC released a
report in January, "False Security:
Health Insurance That Doesn't Pay When You Need It
Most," which explains why
getting rid of these caps is better for Maine people and
our economy.
"To see
Maine once again lead the nation with its protections
for our people, is so exciting. It is great that
we can protect people, who have worked hard and
paid taxes and insurance premiums from losing their
homes and life savings, just because they got sick -
and at such a small cost. We don't need to wait years
for proposed federal reforms to go into effect to protect
Maine families and businesses. We hope the Senate
supports this bipartisan bill and gives
Maine people the immediate relief they need," says CAHC
Executive Director Joe Ditre.
LD 1620 is sponsored
by House Majority Whip Seth Berry and has 46 bipartisan
co-sponsors.
"No Maine family should ever have to risk losing
their homes or their life savings because a family
member has been diagnosed with cancer, hemophilia, AIDS,
multiple sclerosis - or any other illness that tends to
accrue medical bills quickly," said sponsor Rep. Seth
Berry, D-Bowdoinham. "In this tough economy, Maine
families cannot afford to wait for the federal reforms
to be enacted. It could take years and people need
our support now
Economists have proven that when people have
good health coverage and can get the care they need when
they need it, the cost to our community and health care
system is far less than when people are uninsured.
The Senate will take up the bill next
week. |
Consumers for Affordable Health Care
is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that has been
helping Maine people get quality, affordable health care
for more than 20 years.
# # #
For more information or to schedule interviews
contact: Cherilee Budrick, Communications Coordinator
Consumers for Affordable Health
Care 207-622-7083 cbudrick@mainecahc.org
Consumers for Affordable
Health Care * P.O. Box 2490 *
Augusta, ME *
04330-2490 | |
| |
| |
