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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 429
H.P. 283 House of Representatives, February 4, 2025
An Act to Track Certain Information Regarding and Seek Federal
Reimbursement for Medical Care Provided to Asylum Seekers
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative DRINKWATER of Milford.
Cosponsored by Senator BERNARD of Aroostook and
Representatives: BOYER of Poland, FOLEY of Wells, HAGGAN of Hampden, HALL of
Wilton, MASON of Lisbon, POIRIER of Skowhegan, QUINT of Hodgdon, THORNE of
Carmel.
Page 1 - 132LR0090(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1834 is enacted to read:
3§1834. Collection of information regarding patient immigration status
41. Information collection. A hospital licensed under this chapter shall collect
5 information from a patient seeking care regarding that patient's immigration status.
62. Asylum seeker defined. For the purposes of this section, "asylum seeker" means an
7 individual who meets the definition of "refugee" in the United States Immigration and
8 Nationality Act, Section 101(a)(42) and who:
9 A. Has applied with the United States Department of Homeland Security, United States
10 Citizenship and Immigration Services for asylum using the affirmative asylum process;
11 B. Is subject to expedited removal proceedings and found to have a credible fear of
12 persecution or torture; or
13 C. Has been placed in removal proceedings and is asserting asylum as a defense against
14 removal.
153. Required assurances. At the time a hospital requests information from a patient
16 regarding the patient's immigration status, the hospital shall inform the patient that the
17 patient is not required to provide this information and that declining to provide this
18 information does not preclude a patient from receiving medical care. The hospital shall also
19 inform the patient that the patient's immigration status does not affect the patient's ability
20 to receive medical care at the hospital.
214. Data reporting. A hospital licensed under this chapter shall, by January 1, 2027 and
22 on a quarterly basis thereafter, submit a report to the department providing the aggregate
23 cost of medical care provided to patients who are asylum seekers.
245. Department report. The department shall, by March 1, 2027 and annually
25 thereafter, submit a report to the Governor and to the joint standing committee of the
26 Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters providing
27 information on the aggregate cost of medical care provided to patients who are asylum
28 seekers.
296. Rulemaking. The department shall establish by rule guidelines necessary to carry
30 out the purposes of this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine
31 technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
327. Federal reimbursement. No later than July 1, 2027 and annually thereafter, the
33 department shall submit a written request to the United States Department of Health and
34 Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services seeking reimbursement for
35 the aggregate cost of medical care provided to asylum seekers during the prior year.
36SUMMARY
37 This bill requires a hospital to collect information from a patient seeking care regarding
38 the patient's immigration status. The hospital must inform the patient that the patient is not
39 required to provide this information and that declining to provide this information does not
40 preclude a patient from receiving medical care. The hospital must also inform the patient
41 that the patient's immigration status does not affect the patient's ability to receive medical
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Page 2 - 132LR0090(01)
42 care at the hospital. A hospital must, by January 1, 2027 and on a quarterly basis thereafter,
43 provide a report to the Department of Health and Human Services providing the aggregate
44 cost of medical care provided to patients who are asylum seekers. The department is
45 required to provide, by March 1, 2027 and annually thereafter, a report to the Governor and
46 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and
47 human services matters that provides information on the aggregate cost of medical care
48 provided to patients who are asylum seekers. The department is required to establish routine
49 technical rules to implement the requirements of this legislation.
9 The bill also requires the department, by July 1, 2027 and annually thereafter, to submit
10 a written request to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers
11 for Medicare and Medicaid Services seeking reimbursement for the aggregate cost of
12 medical care provided to asylum seekers during the prior year.
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