May 2, 2014

State Legislative UpdateMaine Cancer Consortium Annual Meeting

Presentation by Hilary Schneider, State Director of Government Relations and Advocacy, ACS CAN

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It’s not over until it’s over• Statutory adjournment – April 16th

• Legislature worked until early AM April 18th

• Veto override day – May 1st

Unless legislation passed on emergency basis, laws will go into effect 90 days after legislature adjourns.

ACS CAN’s 2014 State Legislative Priorities

Accepting federal funding to provide expanded health coverage through MaineCare

Oral Chemo Parity

Medicaid Tobacco Cessation Coverage

Fund for a Healthy Maine

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Maine Legislative Session Highlights126th Legislature, 2nd Session

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Good news, first…..

•Maine has the most comprehensive, barrier-free Medicaid tobacco cessation benefit in the country

•Cancer patients will have insurance coverage for oral chemotherapy that is equal to IV chemo

•Biomedical bond bill that would provide $10 million likely to Jackson Lab will go to voters for approval in November

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Medicaid Tobacco Cessation – LD 386

Provides comprehensive, evidence-based coverage for tobacco cessation services and medications to all adult MaineCare members•All cessation meds approved by FDA or recommended as effective by United States Public Services Task Force Clinical Practice Guidelines•Individual AND group counseling•No copays, deductibles or cost-sharing•No annual or lifetime limits or quit attempt limits•Cannot require counseling to receive meds•Must maximize all available federal funding

Public Law, Chapter 444 - Law enacted when Legislature overrode Governor’s veto

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Oral Chemo Parity – LD 627• Requires health insurance carriers that

provide coverage for cancer chemotherapy to include coverage for orally administered anticancer medications that is equivalent to the coverage provided for IV or injected anticancer medications

• Applies to all coverage issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2015

• An increase in patient cost sharing may not be used to achieve compliance

Public Law, Chapter 449 - Enacted into law without Governor’s signature

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Biomedical Research Bond – LD 1756• Bond bill to provide $10 million in funding (matched by

$11 million in private investment)

• Funding “to expand the State's research capabilities in the areas of mammalian genetics and murine biometric analytics”

• Awarded through competitive process

• Goes to voters for approval in November election

• Question wording: “Do you favor a $10,000,000 bond issue, to be awarded through a competitive process and to be matched by $11,000,000 in private and other funds, to build a research center and to discover genetic solutions for cancer and the diseases of aging, to promote job growth and private sector investment in this State, to attract and retain young professionals and make the State a global leader in genomic medicine?"

Public Law, Chapter 574 – signed into law by Governor

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Other news….

Tobacco settlement dollars allocated to prevention programs including tobacco and obesity prevention (LD 1719)•$5 million one-time funding as a result of arbitration ruling in favor of Maine•Bill amended by appropriations committee and passed out of committee unanimously•Passed by large supermajorities of Legislature•Vetoed by Governor

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Federal Funds to Increase Access to Medicaid• Legislature passed three bills to accept

federal funds to increase access to Medicaid coverage (LDs 1487, 1578, 1640)

• Bipartisan support for proposals• 1 included managed care; another included

using federal funds to purchase private insurance coverage

• All 3 bills vetoed by Governor

Missed opportunity to provide health coverage to 70,000 low-income Mainers, including access to cancer screenings, tobacco cessation, and life-saving cancer treatment

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Budget Debate

• $1.50 increase in cigarette excise tax and equalization of tax on non-cigarette tobacco products considered and ultimately not included in budget

• Proposed across the board cuts of 1% considered and rejected

Would have impacted MBCHP

• Unexpended tobacco settlement funding swept into general fund

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Other issues considered

Bills considered, but not passed:

•Bill to continue work of cancer commission and conduct obesity study commission

Issue considered, passed as amended:

•Provider network disclosure (Public Law, Chapter 535) – went into law w/o Gov’s signature

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Some federal issues….

ACS CAN is currently working on a variety of federal issues including:

•Appropriations for cancer research and prevention/early detection funding

•Quality of Life/Palliative Care

•Medicare colorectal screening coverage

•Federal tobacco tax

•FDA regulation of tobacco products

And much, much more….see www.acscan.org for more information

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We Need YOUR VoiceGet involved!

• Become an ACS CAN member

• Stay educated on the issues… acscan.org/me

• “Like” ACS CAN Maine on Facebook (facebook.com/acscanMaine)

• Respond to Action Alerts

• Sign petitions, contact your legislators

• Join ACS CAN’s volunteer Advocacy Committee: meets the 3rd Monday of every month

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For more information

Contact me:

Hilary Schneider

Email: Hilary.schneider@cancer.org

Phone: 207-373-3707

Thank you!