Maine Enacts Universal Access To Health Coverage Plan
First In The Nation Law May Be A Model For Other States

by Joseph P. Ditré, Esq., Ex. Dir.,
Consumers for Affordable Health Care
Last updated on 6/1/04

Maine has a population of 1.2 million. It has the lowest per capita income of any state in New England and has an uninsured rate of 11% or about 140,000 people. Maine's non-group insurance market is monopolized (Anthem has 98% of all non-group insureds) and small group market is highly concentrated among 3 companies (Anthem, Aetna, and Cigna share 70% of the small group HMO market). Four hospital systems, three of which are the parent companies for the largest medical centers in Maine, own or control 31 of Maine's 39 non-profit hospitals, their subsidiaries and affiliates. This consolidation has driven health care prices steadily upward. These hospital systems control the delivery of in-patient and out-patient hospital, nursing home, home health, some specialty care, and pediatric services. Managed care has been an utter failure in its attempts to restrain health care costs. Most insurance carriers have simply passed costs onto consumers in the form of higher cost-sharing and fewer benefits. The deteriorating insurance market motivated the need for change.

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