Universal Health Care Question for Portland Voters

On November 6th, voters in Portland, Maine will be asked to decide whether or not the State of Maine should create a system of Universal Health Care.
To view the actual referendum question, click here and scroll down to page 4 of the ballot. [requires Adobe Acrobat Reader]

Voters are not being asked to create a universal health care system in Portland- they are being asked to encourage State lawmakers to create a universal health care system statewide.

A YES vote will send a clear message to Augusta that the people of Portland agree:

• Health care is a basic right for everyone, regardless of employment status, income level or health condition;
• All residents should have health care security that includes comprehensive coverage and the right to choose their own doctors;
• Insurance companies' role in health care should be eliminated; and
  
• The City of Portland should encourage the State of Maine to create such a system for Maine people.

  A YES Vote is a Vote for Health Care Security for All Maine People

Recent television ads will have you believe that Universal Health Care will cost Mainers more than we pay now for healthcare. This is not true. The truth is Universal Health Care will Save the State of Maine over $400 million.

Please consider the following facts about health care spending before you vote on the Universal Health Care Question:

• If we do nothing, total health care spending in Maine is expected to be $5.52 billion in 2001 and 165,000 people will go without coverage.
• Universal Health Care is estimated to cost $5.1 billion and everyone in the State will be covered.
• The savings will be the result of a more efficient system of administering health care dollars - private insurance companies spend approximately 25% in administrative costs while public insurance programs spend on average approximately 3%.

Contact us to get the facts about our health care system and why universal health care is a good solution to our current crisis.

If you live in Portland, Maine, flip the ballot over on November 6th and vote YES on the universal health care question!

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