Women living in rural Maine communities are driving long distances to deliver their babies and struggling to access other care, mirroring a trend that’s expected to get worse.
hospitals
Maine hospitals launch green initiatives to offset high energy use
The changes at Northern Light Health and MaineHealth include discontinuing certain anesthetic gases and pivoting to renewable heating sources.
Northern Light Health cuts costs as Maine hospitals face workforce, financial pressures
The state’s second-largest health care system operated at a deficit the past two years and expects to do so again in 2024.
When private equity buys a hospital, assets shrink, new research finds
In buying up U.S. hospitals, private equity firms often say they are providing capital to improve patient care. A new study concludes that the opposite is true.
Last year, Maine made assaulting an emergency medical worker a felony. The problem of patient violence remains
Prior to the new law, health care workers filed 167 intentional injury lost time claims in the first 7 months of 2023; 114 were filed in the first 4 months after the law took effect.
Bill on transparency about hospital facility fees takes effect without Gov. Mills’ signature
The law, a watered-down version of the original legislation, requires health care facilities to post signs to let patients know that facility fees are being charged.
Legislation would regulate hidden medical facility fees
A proposal before the Legislature would ban so-called facility fees from being charged for telehealth appointments and require more transparency about when patients will be charged such fees.
New state law makes medical bills in Maine more transparent
Health care providers must now identify where services were provided when submitting claims.
Loophole leaves Maine patients vulnerable to hefty ambulance fees
Despite knowing how the system works, an employee of the state’s largest insurance carrier still couldn’t avoid thousands of dollars in out-of-network bills.
Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington clears up confusion on critical access hospital status
Barbara Sergio, president of Franklin Community Health Network, cleared up some misinformation for the Wilton Board of Selectpersons and town residents at the Select Board meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6.