# Maine LD 1937: An Act to Require Hospitals and Hospital-affiliated Providers to Provide Financial Assistance Programs for Medical Care Maine LD 1937, An Act to Require Hospitals and Hospital-affiliated Providers to Provide Financial Assistance Programs for Medical Care, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Rachel Talbot Ross (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-07-01 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 488); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1937-132 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maine LD 1937 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Require Hospitals and Hospital-affiliated Providers to Provide Financial Assistance Programs for Medical Care - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-05-07 - Last action: 2025-07-01, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 488 - Sponsor: Rachel Talbot Ross (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 9 - Subjects: HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, HEALTH CARE FACILITIES - HOSPITALS - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (167 yes, 162 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Free care and capped hospital payments: benefit, high. Beginning July 1, 2026, hospitals must give free, medically necessary care to state residents with family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Hospitals must also check for any insurance or public coverage when you are admitted. If you qualify for charity care, the hospital cannot… - Stronger protections from medical debt: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, if you qualify for charity care—or would have qualified but did not apply for good reason—debt collectors cannot try to collect that medical debt. If you or your creditor tell the collector you may qualify, collection must stop until the creditor later says you do not qualif… - Easier applications and clear hospital notices: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, hospitals must make it simpler to apply for financial help. They use your last 3 months of family income multiplied by 4, or your last 12 months if the 3‑month figure does not apply, and they cannot ask about assets or income that do not count for eligibility. No notarizatio… - Patient appeals and state enforcement: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, you can file a complaint with the health department if a hospital breaks these rules. The department reviews complaints within 30 days, can order fixes and bill adjustments, and may seek a civil penalty up to $1,000 for knowing or repeated violations. You must request an adm… - Start date, repeal, and state setup: mixed, low. The law takes effect July 1, 2026. It repeals the old charity‑care statute and replaces it with the new system. The state adds one enforcement position in the health department starting July 1, 2026. The state funds about $120,010 in FY 2026–27 ($40,188 General Fund and $79,822 Other Special Revenu… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Rachel Talbot Ross (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Daniel Shagoury (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Donna Bailey (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Drew Gattine (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Henry L. Ingwersen (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Holly Stover (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Joseph M. Baldacci (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Peggy R. Rotundo (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Michele Meyer (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Ryan Fecteau (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-06-17 | House | ADOPT HAH-707 TO CAS-346 | fail | 71 | 76 | | | 2025-06-17 | House | ACC MAJ OTP AS AMENDED REP | pass | 75 | 72 | | | 2025-06-12 | Senate | ACCEPT MAJORITY OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED REPORT | pass | 21 | 14 | | ## Actions (11) - 2025-07-01: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 488 - 2025-06-25: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin taken from the Special Appropriations Table PASSED TO BE ENACTED in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-17: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin PLACED ON THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE pending ENACTMENT in concurrence (Senate) - 2025-06-17: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-17: Speaker laid before the HouseSubsequently, on motion of Representative MEYER of Eliot, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.ROLL CALL NO. 543(Yeas 75 - Nays 72 - Absent 2 - Excused 2)The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-346) was READ.On motion of Representative JAVNER of Chester, House Amendment "A" (H-707) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-346) was READ.Subsequently, House Amendment "A" (H-707) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-346) FAILED ADOPTION.ROLL CALL NO. 544(Yeas 71 - Nays 76 - Absent 2 - Excused 2)Subsequently, Committee Amendment "A" (S-346) was ADOPTED.Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-346).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-16: Unfinished Business (House) - 2025-06-13: Unfinished Business (House) - 2025-06-13: Reports READ.On motion of Representative MEYER of Eliot, TABLED pending ACCEPTANCE of Either Report.Later today assigned. (House) - 2025-06-12: On motion by Senator INGWERSEN of York Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending ACCEPTANCE OF EITHER REPORT Taken from the table by the President On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-346) Report ACCEPTED PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 487 Yeas 21 - Nays 14 - Excused 0 - Absent 0 READ ONCE Committee Amendment "A" (S-346) READ and ADOPTED Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-346) Sent down for concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-05-07: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-05-07: Committee on HEALTH COVERAGE, INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES suggested and ordered printed On motion by Senator BAILEY of York REFERENCE to the Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (S-346), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0755&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0755&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0755&item=1&snum=132) ## Related bills - LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed) - LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed) - LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed) - LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed) - LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed) - LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed) ## Sources - [Amendment C-A (S-346), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0755&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0755&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0755&item=1&snum=132) ## Related - [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132) - [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132) - [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132) - [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132) - [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132) - [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132) - [Maine bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine/bills) - [Maine state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1937-132 (as of 2026-10-17).