It seems unwise to cede control of our health-care funding to the state of Maine at this time. Given the financial scandals at DHS and the Department of Education, the state should wait for the report of the outside auditors before confiscating millions of dollars intended to provide quality health care for Mainers.

I know little about the plan presented by Gov. Baldacci because I have yet to see it in plain English. I have not heard from the folks who served on the task force that developed the plan. Yet they want to push it through the Legislature in a couple of weeks. That makes the entire plan suspect.

I disagree that hospitals drive health-care costs. Who drives the cost of health care? We do.

When we are injured, we need speedy access to help. LifeFlight and trauma centers are costly.

When we are sick, we want accurate diagnosis and expect our doctors to use state of the art tests and equipment to implement a treatment plan. When it is time to die, we count upon our medical caregivers to help us do it in peace.

We want and deserve medicines that allow us to live usefully. As I understand it, this proposal does not address pharmacy coverage.

Let’s bring this proposal into the light of day. An informed electorate will make their wishes known to their legislators. Only then will legislators be in a position to represent the citizens of Maine.

Susanne Hagen, Auburn

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