A large percentage of patients served by Central Maine Medical Center’s primary care practices are insured through MaineCare. Given the fact that so many physicians in private practice are limiting their numbers of MaineCare patients, it is particularly important that the many dedicated physicians and nurse practitioners employed by CMMC continue to provide high quality health care services to our MaineCare population.
Because of this, I wrote two of my state representatives urging them to not support a cut of MaineCare payments to hospital-based physician groups, which was recently recommended by our state’s Hospital Reimbursement Subcommittee.These proposed cuts are a 25 percent cut in the state’s current MaineCare payments.
Interestingly, the proposed Maine cuts may actually result in an increase in Maine health care costs.These proposed cuts are so deep, that some health care systems may be forced to reevaluate their delivery models and limit their ability to provide primary care access to MaineCare patients, forcing them away from prevention and into hospital emergency rooms.
Perhaps of even greater concern than the proposed cuts to future MaineCare payments is the fact that our state owes Central Maine Healthcare over $61 million dating back to 2005.We have yet to receive any of the targeted federal dollars to help our state address its MaineCare debts.
Please consider contacting your elected officials and encourage them to hold our state government responsible for paying its debt and to work with Maine hospitals on controlling health care costs for all citizens.
Kathi Schandelmeier, Greene
Primary Care Practices Director
Central Maine Medical Center

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