On Tuesday, Jan. 27, Sen. Cameron Reny, D-Bristol, introduced legislation to address the critical shortage of access to affordable medications that Mainers are facing — particularly in rural and underserved communities. LD 2151, “An Act to Improve Affordable Prescription Drugs in Underserved Areas,” was the subject of a public hearing before the Legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services Committee.

“The lack of access to affordable medications is a big problem in our state,” said Sen. Reny. “When Mainers cannot fill their prescriptions locally — especially for chronic or life-threatening conditions — their health outcomes worsen, emergency visits increase, and preventable hospitalizations rise. LD 2151 aims to address this critical shortage.”

Maine’s Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), also known as community health centers, provide high-quality, accessible primary and preventive care to more than 200,000 Maine people across more than 100 service delivery sites statewide. Together, these FQHCs form the largest independent primary care network in Maine and serve as the backbone of the health care safety net. 

This bill provides a focused and fiscally responsible solution. The bill would allocate $4 million in one-time funding to establish a grant program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Under this program, Maine’s community health centers would apply for funding to develop, or expand, in-house pharmacy capacity — a proven way to ensure patients can obtain affordable medications directly where they receive their care. 

In the coming weeks, the Committee will conduct a work session on the bill.