PORTLAND (AP) – The stakes are high for insurance companies, businesses and the state-sponsored health insurance program as a deadline approaches to figure out the savings that can be attributed to the state’s Dirigo Health initiative.

Insurance companies will have a fee assessed on them to reflect the savings, and those costs are allowed to be passed on to employers. The fees will help fund the budget for the state-sponsored DirigoChoice insurance program.

With so many conflicting interests involved, consensus has been elusive.

On Monday, a 10-member group charged with developing a methodology for determining the savings issued two reports: one representing Dirigo Health interests; the other from the “payer” caucus of insurers and employers.

The two sides disagree on how to measure things such as hospital operating margins, bad debt and charity care. The payer group further says the fee should apply to only 50 percent of the calculated savings from Dirigo Health.

Karynlee Harrington, director of the Dirigo Health agency, which runs the DirigoChoice program, told the agency’s board of directors that the payers would declare “our methodologies are flawed, arbitrary and overstate savings.”

From the payer group, Dan Roet, of Bath Iron Works, contended that any attempt to measure savings is problematic, but said his group’s system makes the most sense.

He also said the “tax” would hurt employers’ ability to compete.

The next step is for the Dirigo Health board of directors to choose a methodology to present to the state Bureau of Insurance by Sept. 17. The superintendent of insurance will then hold a public hearing on Oct. 27.

DirigoChoice is a private-public program created through legislation with hopes of providing access to health care coverage to 130,000 Mainers who lack it by offering coverage at discounted rates.

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