Maine residents pay much more for health insurance policies compared to other states. Lewiston Sen. Margaret Craven voted against LD 290 — a bill that would have allowed Maine citizens to purchase health insurance across state lines. That legislation would have saved Maine families thousands of dollars per year, while significantly improving access to care.
Maine’s next Legislature should represent the will of the people, not the misguided agenda of out-of-touch elected officials.
We, as a people, need to protect the rights of those least able to fight for them. To start, all adults deserve the right to be married and to defend this country.
Dr. Joel Kase is a respected public health leader and understands the vast health care issues facing this state.
On Nov. 2, Joel Kase will have my vote.
John Comis, Lewiston
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For Ben Dare, Special Interest, Frostproof, Xavier90, etc
Even though "I got mine" (Retired Military Healthcare & treatment at the VA) I would much rather pay extra taxes so that all citizens could have the benefit of universal single payer health care in the United States.
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How about repealing the federal antitrust laws for health insurers? If you want free market competition, make them compete.
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The point is that these out of state plans are not cheap. Also, do you think that an insurance company doing business is New Hampshire would (if allowed by the state of maine) let you by a policy for the same price as paid in NH? Of course not, the whole problem is the silly ass fees charged by our hospitals and doctors.
I love how the hospitals use "charity" cases to justify the high prices they charge those of us who pay the bills. They say they have to overcharge us because of all the charity cases. then it ain't charity if they make up for it by screwing me over!
Hospitals also use the Maine care non repayment/low repayment issue as a reason for charging higher prices. It's a case of the chicken vs the egg. The high prices came first, that's why the re-imbursement is low or late, and also why I end up getting it you know where.
To those of you who think you can negotiate a fee for service at your hospital or doctor,,,,very funny. If you pay $50 for a service that is charged at a rate of $400 then you are not paying your bill. There is not wheeling and dealing there. Getting a blood test or an MRI is not like buying a used subaru.
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Doesn't it make you wonder when the same policy/coverage from the same company in Maine costs nearly 3 times what it costs in NH and almost 5 times what it costs in MA? I mean this really is not rocket science folks. Maine's government is doing something very wrong for our direct neighbors to be having this much of a better deal than someone in Maine.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.So who does insurance across state lines?
So I took the advice listed here, and looked out of state. Yup, If I lived in New Hampshire I could get some health insurance there, from just one company, Anthem. How about $450 a month for a $10,000 deductible policy, great deal there.
Looked at Massachusetts, $4000 deductible HMO for $750 a month.
Where are all these great deals across state lines I keep hearing about?
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.And how much was it in Maine?
And how much was it in Maine? About $2000 grand a month. Lets see, Maine $2000 a month with a $10,000 deductible and a $2 million lifetime limit, NH $450 month with $10,000 deductible, MA $750 month with $4000 deductible. Yup, Maine is a great deal in comparison. I really should just go bang my head against a brick wall, I would have less of a headache. The savings are obviously significant going out of state and staying with Anthem, did you try anyone but Anthem ripoff?
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.X- try to buy the exact
X- try to buy the exact policy in miane and see what the price is....and not what you pay from an employer...
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Buying a policy from NH of
Buying a policy from NH of Mass seems logical but the real problem is that Maine mandates would still apply if sold in maine...we need to fix some of the over regulated processes and requirements to simply MATCH what other states have...THAT would allow healthier competition aas more companies would chose to sell in Miane, and cost would go down for business to help attract more businesses. Craven has been a huge part of all these mandates as has the entire democratic party and they need to fix it or get out of the way! She better hope she AND Rotundo are re-elected because Rotundo's hand controls everything that Craven says....just meet her in public and ask her a serious question - peggy has to bail her out EVERY time. Oh and please stop takign credit for $800K in budget reductions, you passed the largest budget in state history befoe being FORCED to make cuts to meet sagging revenue...idiots! I look forward to people like Kase being elected!
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Piece o' Crap Insurance Companies are what Drove Regulation
Get rid of those Parasites, and you might see regulation ease.
But it ain't gonna happen till you recognize them for what they are.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Yep, lets punish everyone for
Yep, lets punish everyone for a few bad apples...and how did that turn out for you?
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Learn difference between "Punish' and 'Regulate' for starters...
If you want to make comparisons. Then see how that works out for you.
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Remember he and his wife don't have to worry about getting insurance in the state they have his military benefits.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.There is still the matter of the 'Supplemental'
Which one must shop for.
And it is a benefit I 'earned' for twenty years service. Was there anything to prevent you from doing the same?
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Vote for Joel Kase
Margaret Craven. Peggy Rotundo. Deb Simpson. Dick Wagner. While I'm sure they are all nice people, they have been in the Legislature for FAR too long and, along with other revolving seat Democrats, have helped bring our State to the sad condition it is in today. Borrow, tax, spend...calling all spending an "investment", which most of it clearly is not. This State has got to reduce its spending and lower taxes (and regulations) to attract businesses that offer good paying jobs and benefits, which will allow citizens to have a higher standard of living. This will be a huge challenge for the next Governor and Legislature as they grapple the underfunded State employee pension system in addition to the always-present, never-ending State budget problems. A final point: how has the constant re-election of Simpson, Rotundo, Craven, and Wagner helped L-A? I have never seen any great benefit to our area because of their seniority in the party that has ruled this State for the past 40 years.
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Going "out of state" for your health insurance needs is an over simplified answer to the cost problem in Maine. How anyone can think that the out of state companies will come into Maine and charge less for a product is beyond me. The reason the insurers here charge high rates is that the hospital and doctor charges are much higher than those outside our borders. Miles Hospital in Damariscotta is billing nearly $400 for a blood test, that's as much as 4 times the average elsewhere.
Fix the outrageous costs, then the insurance rates will follow.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond."How anyone can think that
"How anyone can think that the out of state companies will come into Maine and charge less for a product?"
Its called competition. remember back in the 70's when Ma Bell was the only phone company in town? no one called California until after 7 or weekends. when the monopoly was broken the prices came way down. let the other 1,300 or so insurance companies come into the state and have faith in our fellow citizens to make an informed choice for themselves and their families. The prices will come way down. But that is the big difference between the leftists and normal people. you think the average person is to stupid to make informed choices and needs the government to tell them what to do, but I can read, understand, evaluate and make a decision. Its like anything else, it just takes a little time and effort. have some faith in you fellow man.
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It is called competition. Maine is a CLOSED state. There is no competition for your insurance dollars only 4 companies are allowed to do business here. Go online and ask for quotes, list Maine as where you live and everything comes back as, we can't do business there, list NH or another state and you will get dozens of positive responses with quotes. Competition breeds competitive pricing which is good for the consumer. It is like the difference between buying gas in Rumford, OMG I wont eat this month because I filled the tank once, because there are only three gas stations in the entire town and getting gas in Portland where there are places where there are 4 at an intersection competing for your business with rock bottom prices. Since the state refuses to open the market internally to competition, let us go out of the state with our business where we can get a fair price because that state is open to competition. This state really is messed up.
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Until the legislature created the rules and regulations (the commission just does what it's told), there were many health insurance companies operating in Maine, competing with each other, selling reasonable policies at reasonable prices. I know because I had one from 1985 until Augusta trashed everything in 1992 or 3.
The rules and regulations killed all that, leaving just Anthem and a handful of minor players - they all sell the same thing at the same price, evil competition is not to be tolerated here in the Socialist Workers' Paradise. What some people call the wild west, others call real life.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Only four companies CHOOSE to do business here....
Our Insurance Commission sets up rules and regulations that precludes companies coming in running roughshod like the 'Wild West' over consumers by not providing adequate coverage with an inferior product.
If you sell a piece of crap, unregulated product (like Wall Street Financiers did for so long, i.e. derivatives)) - you're not going to do business here in the insurance market.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Do you pay 'Sticker Price' for everything???
They may 'Bill' at $400 - but the 'Reasonable and customery' charge for that, which they will accept, might be around $50.
One has to know these things. Do you??
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Clearly Veritas, you DO NOT KNOW....while physicians may hve been paid U & C in the old days, there is a new methodology called RVU that they are paid at. Look up Relative Value Units....RBRVS book is a great resource for you....HOSPITALS are paid on other methodology including DRG reimbursement for inpatient and at a % of charges based on contracts with various carriers....U & C is simply no longer considered in the industry, although one could argue the calculations for physicians are essentially the same, but again not for hospitals...
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have an answer on your career or area of expertise which I asked the other day. Care to share it with us?
- I appreciate the info on the RVU which you've given, and will research that. My retired military dependents insurance for wife - and supplement - have been relatively 'pain free' cost wise. Certainly happy I went back into the Reserves after my two hitches. A buddy of mine who retired with me on the Police Department is paying over $1,500/mo to stay on the City's health insurance plan with his wife until their Medicare kicks in - and that will be a few years yet. That's absolutely ludicrous!
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I agree, COBRA policies stink, they can charge you 104% of the true premiums so they have an extra administrative fee for all the extra work, wink, wink,....as to my expertise and career, what does it matter if I'm correct in what I'm saying...not everyone can base their decisions on a navy career and being a beat cop...lemme guess you got one of those facy degrees you earn in the navy right? we all know what those amount to, just ask anyone getting discharged with one today....in fact I've seem some folks her question either of those careers being in your past given your stance on certain issues, but then again, any port in a storm right?
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It's evident that in your career you never had even one significant position in the private sector so you could compare your federal/union bennies to what the rest of us get. I have a pretty fair arrangement with my employer - I pay half and he pays half, for a total of $2,700 per month. And that is better than what a lot of folks get. And it's considered a cadillac plan, so I get taxed on it as imputed income.
I agree it's ludicrous - because it's 100% caused by short-sighted politicians who will bankrupt the country in order to preserve their power.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I agree. The outrageous
I agree. The outrageous costs are to make up for the "free" care provided to the uninsured and the poor (not necessarily the same) and the "free" mandates on insurance - guaranteed issue, no pre-existing conditions, one-size-fits-all, ... The care is supposed to be reimbursed, but payment comes 5 years late and 60% or less of billed amounts. Fix the problems by going after the biggest deadbeat customer, the State of Maine, and repeal the mandates. Then pay attention to the folks who actually need help instead of trying, and failing, to do everything for everybody.
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my mistake, it wasn't a mailer, it was an ad in the sun-journal.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Yesterday Craven had a mailer
Yesterday Craven had a mailer in Lewiston that said if Mainers were allowed to purchase insurance accross state lines it would be risky since we would be the only state to do so and would be all alone. Is she stupid or does she think we are? I will admit though, she does have the perfect name for a democrat. craven n. contemptibly fainthearted.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.It's not up to Craven - Deimos - It's a 'Federal' matter.
Federal Law states that Health Insurance may be sold across state lines only to those States where the Insurer is licensed to do business in.
No use in trying to make up silly 2nd grade word games about Senator Craven's name; that doesn't reflectr on her - only your lack of maturity.
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