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APPROVED CHAPTER
APRIL 22, 2025 34
BY GOVERNOR
PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
S.P. 14 - L.D. 5
An Act to Clarify the Law Regarding Prior Authorization for Air
Ambulances
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, Public Law 2023, chapter 591 prohibits a health insurance carrier from
requiring an air ambulance service provider to obtain prior authorization before
transporting an enrollee to a hospital or between hospitals for urgent care; and
Whereas, the Legislature intended to limit the application of that provision to air
ambulance service providers that are nonprofit organizations; and
Whereas, the language clarifying that the provision applied to air ambulance service
providers that are nonprofit organizations was inadvertently omitted from Public Law
2023, chapter 591; and
Whereas, this legislation corrects that omission and must take effect as soon as
possible in order to effectuate the Legislature's intent; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 24-A MRSA §4303-F, sub-§1, ¶E, as amended by PL 2023, c. 591, §3, is
further amended to read:
E. A carrier may not require a ground ambulance service provider to obtain prior
authorization before transporting an enrollee to a hospital, between hospitals or from a
hospital to a nursing home, hospice care facility or other health care facility, as defined
in Title 22, section 328, subsection 8. A carrier may not require an air ambulance
service provider that is a nonprofit organization to obtain prior authorization before
transporting an enrollee to a hospital or between hospitals for urgent care.
Sec. 2. Retroactivity. This Act applies retroactively to August 9, 2024.
Page 1 - 132LR0016(04)
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation
takes effect when approved.
Page 2 - 132LR0016(04)Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.