Maine Code § 24-A-4247

Coverage for contraceptives
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(REALLOCATED FROM TITLE 24-A, SECTION 4245)
1. Coverage requirements. All health maintenance organization individual and group health
contracts that provide coverage for prescription drugs or outpatient medical services must provide
coverage for all prescription contraceptives, nonprescription oral hormonal contraceptives and
nonprescription emergency contraceptives approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration or
for outpatient contraceptive services in accordance with the requirements of this section. For purposes
of this section, "outpatient contraceptive services" means consultations, examinations, procedures and
medical services provided on an outpatient basis and related to the use of contraceptive methods to
prevent an unintended pregnancy. This section may not be construed to apply to prescription drugs or
devices that are designed to terminate a pregnancy.

[PL 2025, c. 445, §10 (AMD); PL 2025, c. 445, §14 (AFF).]
2. Exclusion for religious employer. A religious employer may request and a health maintenance
organization shall grant an exclusion under the policy or contract for the coverage required by this
section if the required coverage conflicts with the religious employer's bona fide religious beliefs and
practices. A religious employer that obtains an exclusion under this subsection shall provide
prospective insureds and those individuals insured under its policy written notice of the exclusion. This
section may not be construed as authorizing a health maintenance organization to exclude coverage for
prescription drugs prescribed for reasons other than contraceptive purposes or for prescription
contraception that is necessary to preserve the life or health of a covered person. For the purposes of
this section, "religious employer" means an employer that is a church, convention or association of
churches or an elementary or secondary school that is controlled, operated or principally supported by
a church or by a convention or association of churches as defined in 26 United States Code, Section
3121 (w) (3) (A) and that qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under 26 United States Code, Section
501(c) (3).
[RR 1999, c. 1, §37 (RAL).]
3. Application. The requirements of this section apply to all individual and group policies,
contracts and certificates executed, delivered, issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this State.
For purposes of this section, all contracts are deemed to be renewed no later than the next yearly
anniversary of the contract date.
[PL 2003, c. 517, Pt. B, §27 (NEW).]
4. Coverage of contraceptive supplies. Coverage required under this section must include
coverage for contraceptive supplies in accordance with the following requirements. For purposes of
this section, "contraceptive supplies" means all contraceptive drugs, devices and products approved by
the federal Food and Drug Administration to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, including
nonprescription oral hormonal contraceptives and nonprescription emergency contraceptives.
A. Coverage must be provided without any deductible, coinsurance, copayment or other cost-
sharing requirement. [PL 2021, c. 609, §4 (AMD); PL 2021, c. 609, §5 (AFF).]
B. If the federal Food and Drug Administration has approved one or more therapeutic equivalents
of a contraceptive supply, a health maintenance organization is not required to cover all those
therapeutically equivalent versions in accordance with this subsection, as long as at least one is
covered without any deductible, coinsurance, copayment or other cost-sharing requirement in
accordance with this subsection. [PL 2021, c. 609, §4 (AMD); PL 2021, c. 609, §5 (AFF).]
C. [PL 2021, c. 609, §4 (RP); PL 2021, c. 609, §5 (AFF).]
D. Coverage must be provided for the furnishing or dispensing of prescribed contraceptive supplies
and nonprescription oral hormonal contraceptive supplies intended to last for a 12-month period,
which may be furnished or dispensed all at once or over the course of the 12 months at the discretion
of the health care provider for prescribed contraceptive supplies. [PL 2025, c. 445, §11 (AMD);
PL 2025, c. 445, §14 (AFF).]
E. A prescription is not required to obtain a nonprescription oral hormonal contraceptive or
nonprescription emergency contraceptive. [PL 2025, c. 445, §11 (NEW); PL 2025, c. 445, §14
(AFF).]
F. A health maintenance organization shall establish mechanisms to ensure that an enrollee who
seeks coverage for a nonprescription oral hormonal contraceptive or nonprescription emergency
contraceptive at a pharmacy has the option to obtain the nonprescription oral hormonal
contraceptive or nonprescription emergency contraceptive at the point of sale without payment of
any cost-sharing amount or to make the purchase at the pharmacy counter through an out-of-pocket

payment at the point of sale and submit a claim for reimbursement to the health maintenance
organization. [PL 2025, c. 445, §11 (NEW); PL 2025, c. 445, §14 (AFF).]
G. The superintendent shall monitor compliance with the requirements for coverage of
nonprescription oral hormonal contraceptives and nonprescription emergency contraceptives and
any rules adopted in accordance with subsection 5, including any complaints or barriers to
implementation. [PL 2025, c. 445, §11 (NEW); PL 2025, c. 445, §14 (AFF).]
[PL 2025, c. 445, §11 (AMD); PL 2025, c. 445, §14 (AFF).]
5. Rules. The superintendent may adopt rules as necessary to implement the requirements of this
section, including rules related to mechanisms to ensure coverage for nonprescription oral hormonal
contraceptives and nonprescription emergency contraceptives and rules regarding notice to enrollees
about how to access coverage for nonprescription oral hormonal contraceptives and nonprescription
emergency contraceptives. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as
described in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
[PL 2025, c. 445, §12 (NEW); PL 2025, c. 445, §14 (AFF).]

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