Vote No on Question 1

Health coverage, quality care most important issues As a local physician, I appreciate the opportunity to address concerns about Question 1. On Election Day, Maine voters will decide what is more important to them: preserving and expanding health coverage for Maine families, children and small businesses; lowering the current assessment of health claims; providing rate reform to 40,000 Mainers who pay for their own health insurance; or pennies on a glass of wine, a beer or soda.

I think the choice is clear. And the choice became clearer last Thursday (Oct. 23).

That was when the Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit in Kennebec County Superior Court to overturn the previous funding formula for the Dirigo initiatives.

The lawsuit shows the true colors of the Yes on 1 campaign. Maine voters should be outraged that they have been deceived by the Yes on 1 side.

For months, the campaign has said no one would lose coverage if Question 1 passes because the law will revert to the previous funding by the savings offset payment. Now it has sued the state of Maine to get rid of that funding.

If successful on the ballot and in court, Maine’s noble attempt to expand coverage will be dead. It will be a sad day.

It will also be an expensive day. If health coverage suffers, everyone’s pocketbooks suffer.

At least now we see the real intention behind the campaign – to eliminate the Dirigo initiatives.

Where will those 18,000 people who are currently covered go? Where will the 700 businesses that are enrolled get insurance to cover their employees? Where will the 1,500 people waiting to get into Dirigo go?

We have been part of the political deception – another reason to vote “no” on Question 1.

The Kennebec Journal took exception to the process the Legislature used to enact the new funding, which replaces the old funding.

The beverage tax had been recommended by the 2006 Blue Ribbon Commission on Dirigo. The commission recommendations were presented by its chairwoman, Sandra Featherman, a former president of the University of New England, to the Legislature’s Insurance Committee in 2007.

The beverage company lobbyists had more than a year to lobby legislators on this issue. The Commission Report was a public document and the eight commission meetings were public and well attended.

The Legislature’s final action on the proposal should not have been a surprise to anyone.

The newspaper’s editorial took exception to the statement that the drinks being taxes are unhealthy. But you must look at the toll that alcoholism and sweetened beverages take on our health-care system. Maine spends more that $350 million treating obesity and its complications. When alcohol-related illnesses are considered, more than half a billion dollars in health-care costs are involved.

Fed Up With Taxes is a clever sound bite, but its success will put at risk health-care coverage and access to quality care will actually increase the assessment on our own premiums. I’ll gladly pay the few extra pennies.

Unfortunately, the newspaper’s editorial did not mention several benefits of the new law. The revenue generated by the legislation is dedicated funding that supports not only the Dirigo Health Program but also the changes in the individual health insurance market. About 40,000 Mainers currently pay for their health insurance because they do not get it from their employers. The new law offers them rate reductions.

So, if Yes on 1 succeeds, those 40,000 Mainers will not get their much needed reforms. If you are one of those 40,000 people, you should be upset that the national beverage industries are trying to take your rate reforms away.

Please vote “no” on Question 1. MAINE COMPASS Maroulla Gleaton, M.D., of Palermo, practices ophthalmology in Augusta. Kennebec Journal, Tuesday, October 28, 2008, page A5