Maine committee hears bill to fund HealthInfoNet, aiming to unlock 3:1 federal match
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Summary
Supporters told the Health and Human Services Committee that LD 2154 would create a state Health Information Technology Fund to sustain HealthInfoNet, eliminate provider subscription fees (about $4.3M/year) and draw a federal 3:1 match to expand access for smaller practices.
Representative Drew Coutinho introduced LD 2154 on behalf of a proposal to establish a Health Information Technology Fund within the Department of Health and Human Services to support the state's designated health information exchange, HealthInfoNet. The bill would provide a state match that witnesses say is required to draw a 3:1 federal match, maintain the HIE's operations and reduce subscription fees that providers currently pay. "HealthInfoNet collects, stores and organizes confidential medical information and records for 2,200,000 people," Representative Drew Coutinho said in opening remarks, noting that about 9,000 providers rely on the exchange daily.
Sean Alpherds, executive director and CEO of HealthInfoNet, told the committee the HIE is recognized nationally and links records from hospitals, community practices, behavioral health centers and state agencies. He said federal CMS funding for the HIE is contingent on a state-provided match and that, if the state pays, providers would no longer be charged subscription fees, a move that HealthInfoNet estimates would save the provider community roughly $4.3 million annually. "If the legislature does not establish the HIT fund, HealthInfoNet would have to continue levying subscription fees to the provider community," Alpherds said, adding that onboarding costs to connect smaller practices remain a significant barrier.
Committee members pressed witnesses on the details of provider fees and onboarding costs. HealthInfoNet described a per-patient annual fee structure (roughly $1.50–$1.80 per patient per year), a minimum fee (about $800 per year) and one-time onboarding costs that can range from $2,000 to $8,000 depending on a practice's IT capacity. Alpherds said about 90% of outpatient practices are connected and that the fund's subsidy could help bring the remaining small and rural practices online.
Clinicians and health system advocates — including the Maine Medical Association, Maine Primary Care Association, Martin's Point Health Care and the Maine Hospital Association — testified in support, stressing that near‑real‑time access to patient records improves care coordination and patient safety and reduces duplicative tests. Registered nurse Jessica Taylor gave clinical examples of avoided duplicate testing and improved emergency care when HIE data are available, saying, "This is not just a repository of data. This tells a patient's story."
The committee requested additional information from the Department of Health and Human Services about alternative seed funding options (including the Rural Health Transformation Program) and signaled it would convene a work session to discuss fiscal details. The public hearing for LD 2154 was closed with that request for follow-up.