Though almost everyone in the U.S. likely has some level of PFAS in their blood, testing can show the specific level a person has. (Photo by TEK IMAGE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images)
Adam Nordell has been undergoing a new treatment to reduce the high levels of forever chemicals in his blood; the same toxins that forced him and his wife to lose their Unity farm to contamination.
Nordell said he and his doctors know the treatment is working because blood tests show his levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, are decreasing faster than they would have without the medication.
Insurance isn’t covering the cost of the medication and Nordell said he’s had some coverage for his blood tests — which he described as “a critical component of preventative care for Maine’s PFAS-exposed communities.”
Farmers like Nordell who worked on acreage historically treated with wastewater sludge are not the only populations exposed to the chemicals, which have been linked to health concerns including cancer, liver damage, pregnancy complications, increased cholesterol levels and more. Workplace exposure is high for firefighters, chemical manufacturers and ski wax technicians while communities exposed to spills also face risk.
Nordell, who now works as a campaign manager for Defend Our Health, shared his story with the Legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee during a public hearing for LD 582, which would require health insurance carriers to cover blood tests for PFAS when they are deemed medically necessary. The proposal would apply to health plans issued or renewed after Jan. 1, 2026.
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland), who introduced a similar measure in the 131st Legislature that passed in the House of Representatives but died when the session adjourned without approval from the Senate.
Awareness of the toxic chemicals has increased as the state has worked to remediate agricultural land contaminated by the state-sanctioned spreading of sludge. Meanwhile, a spill of 1,450 gallons of PFAS-laden firefighting foam concentrate in Brunswick last summer also highlighted the dangers posed to communities near airports and fire stations.
Though almost everyone in the U.S. likely has some level of PFAS in their blood, testing can show the specific level a person has. However, blood tests for PFAS can not identify a specific health problem or treatment information, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Blood tests not only help monitor the health of people exposed to PFAS who are at risk of developing complications but can also help identify the sources of exposure, said Abby Fleisch, a Portland-based pediatric endocrinologist who leads research on the health effects of PFAS. Fleisch testified in favor of the bill on behalf of the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Arguing that PFAS exposure testing is generally investigatory rather than medically necessary, the Maine Association of Health Plans opposed the bill because it sees the proposal as a public health screening program that will increase the cost of health insurance premiums.
“Maine’s insurance code is not the place to establish or fund public health initiatives,” said Executive Director Dan Demeritt in his testimony.
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield also submitted testimony against the bill.
Stacy Bergendahl, a senior staff attorney, testified on behalf of the Maine Bureau of Insurance neither for nor against the bill. She explained that mandated benefits increase costs for individuals and businesses responsible for paying health insurance premiums. Though this particular mandate wouldn’t add a significant cost, she said the cumulative cost of all state-mandated benefits can have a substantial impact.
If the committee moves forward with the bill, the bureau recommends changing the effective date to 2027 to give insurance carriers time to implement any required price changes that would result.
Bergendahl also explained that the state would be required under the Affordable Care Act to pay the cost of the mandated benefits for health plans sold through the health insurance exchange, CoverMe.gov. Brenner argued that the PFAS blood test could qualify as a preventative measure, which the state can get reimbursed, but the bureau said the test is not currently included on the list of preventative services.
PFAS blood tests generally cost between $400 and $600, according to testimony from providers. However, Brenner said that costs are coming down as the tests become more accessible.
Given that PFAS exist in a multitude of products people use every day, a member of the committee asked Brenner if she thinks coverage for the blood tests could grow beyond the group of people identified as being at higher-risk. Brenner said she would be surprised if that happened because it wouldn’t be a useful expenditure of health care dollars given the likely baseline exposure in most Americans.
“We want to support the most impacted communities so that they’re safe and the associated healthcare impacts are covered,” Brenner said.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.