Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §3360-M, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 719, §1 and affected by §11, is amended to read:

§3360-M. Payment for forensic examinations for alleged victims

of rape

1. Payment. The board shall pay the costs of forensic examinations for alleged victims of gross sexual assault rape from the Victims' Compensation Fund. The board shall track expenditures for forensic examinations separately from all other expenditures. Forensic examination payments are not subject to any other provision of this chapter.

2. Forensic examination. The board shall determine by rule what a forensic examination may include for purposes of payment. An examination must include at least all services directly related to the gathering of forensic evidence and related testing and treatment for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The board shall pay a licensed hospital or licensed health care practitioner the actual cost of the forensic examination up to a maximum of $500.

3. Process for payment. A licensed hospital or licensed health care practitioner that performs forensic examinations for alleged victims of gross sexual assault rape shall submit a bill to the Victims' Compensation Board directly for payment of the forensic examinations. The hospital or health care practitioner that performs a forensic examination shall take steps necessary to ensure the confidentiality of the alleged victim's identity. The bill submitted by the hospital or health care practitioner may not identify the alleged victim by name but must be assigned a tracking number that corresponds to the forensic examination kit. The tracking number may not be the alleged victim's social security number. The hospital or health care practitioner that performs the examination may not bill the alleged victim or the alleged victim's insurer, nonprofit hospital or medical service organization or health maintenance organization for payment of the examination. The alleged victim is not required to report the alleged offense to a law enforcement agency.

4. Other reimbursement. The fact that forensic examinations are paid for separately through the Victims' Compensation Fund does not preclude alleged victims of gross sexual assault rape from seeking reimbursement for expenses other than those for the forensic examination. A victim seeking reimbursement from the Victims' Compensation Fund for expenses other than the forensic examination is subject to all other provisions of this chapter.