LD 5 Maine Senate · 132nd Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act To Clarify The Law Regarding Prior Authorization For Air Ambulances

This bill corrects a drafting error in a 2023 law that unintentionally applied to all air ambulance providers. It clarifies that health insurance carriers cannot require prior authorization for air ambulance transport only when the service provider is a nonprofit organization. The law specifically applies to nonprofits transporting patients to or between hospitals for urgent care, as defined in Maine law. The correction is retroactive to August 9, 2024, the effective date of the original 2023 law.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Signed Apr 22, 2025
Floor votes · House Apr 10, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
24
Key actions
7
Committee
3
Apr 22, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor
executive
Apr 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
PASSED TO BE ENACTED - Emergency - 2/3 Elected Required, in concurrence.
upper
Apr 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
PASSED TO BE ENACTED.
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
On motion of Representative MATHIESON of Kittery, the Majority Ought to Pass Report was ACCEPTED.
lower
Apr 10, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (131-0-4)
house
Apr 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
On motion by Senator BAILEY of York The Majority Ought to Pass Report ACCEPTED
upper
Apr 4, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Reported Out - OTP/OTP-AM
legislature
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Donna Bailey
Donna Bailey
DDemocratic
ME
31