Malvina Gregory
of the Maine People’s Alliance outlined Dirigo Health Plan details.
LEWISTON – It was a small turnout for the Many and One Coalition’s Sunday program on health care, but attendees voiced strong opinions about meeting Maine’s medical access needs.
Several speakers told of challenges involving culture, age and economics among people who are left outside the state’s system of medical insurance. The program sponsored by the Maine People’s Alliance was part of the 10-day celebration of community, diversity and justice. Many events through Jan. 19 are marking the first anniversary of a landmark gathering of several thousand area people who countered a rally by a white supremacist organization.
Malvina Gregory, member organizer for the Maine People’s Alliance, outlined details of the Dirigo Health Plan slated to go into effect by October. The plan should result in health care cost cuts, she said. Gregory said other benefits for Maine citizens will be public accountability and the potential for bulk purchase of prescription drugs by the state.
Gregory emphasized the need for public involvement during the plan’s development process.
In a free-wheeling discussion, audience members identified several elements that they felt should go into the Dirigo Health Plan. These included dental and eyeglass coverage, good reimbursement for physicians, standardization of rates, increased oversight of medical rates and services, and integration of primary care and mental health care.
“It’s about time that we realized we should not try to fit people into boxes anymore,” Gregory said.
She noted that “the whole country is watching what happens here.”
Abdullahi Abdulle told how he saw a need several months ago for medical interpreter services to help local Somali residents who do not speak English. As an employee of an area hospital and a speaker of Arabic, Somali and English, he was able to establish a small office to provide interpreter services. His 20 years of experience in medical fields while in Somalia gave him the right qualifications, but he still had to train in California.
Abdulle said there are several barriers to communications for non-English speaking patients. While language is a primary obstacle, he said cultural misunderstandings lead to communication difficulties for patient and physician alike.
Bob Rowe, executive director of New Beginnings, told how homeless youth in the Twin Cities have many problems in obtaining health care. He said he polled young people who are served by the emergency shelter on Lisbon Street. His survey showed that “reproductive health care is missing as a health care component for youth,” Rowe said.
Substance abuse, dental care, stress that can contribute to suicide attempts, and “a high level of social competence problems” are other issues for youth, he said.
Matt Graham, owner of Bodega El Coqui, a small Spanish-Jamaican market on Lisbon Street, described how he recently purchased the business and has not yet been able to purchase health insurance for himself or for his wife and child, and a second child is on the way.
“Small business is what makes up the personality of our cities,” Graham said. The chance of going a long time before turning a significant profit was clearly recognized when he bought the store, Graham said, “but doing it at a risk (to a family’s health) needs to be rectified.”
The program, billed as “Health Care 911 – A Maine Health Care Emergency,” took place at the Lewiston Multi-Purpose Center.
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