Now that the election is behind us, it is time to look forward to the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 2.
With Maine State government, on all levels, under the control of the Democratic party, many have suggested that, as a Republican, clearly in the minority, we will have little to say or do during the next two years. I do not believe that to be the case. It will only be true if we, the Republican members of the Legislature, do not engage in the legislative process and reach across the aisle to our Democratic colleagues.
Over the past four years, I have established good relationships with many on both sides of the aisle while trying to create good public policy. For the most part, legislators in both the Senate and the House try to find common ground. The best legislation we can pass should have the support from both parties. We come from different parts of the state, but we all represent one state and its people who will be better served when we, the Legislature, find ways to reach consensus on important issues facing this state.
One of my key legislative objectives this term will be to tackle the health care crisis that we, as a state and nation, face. The costs of health care services, pharmaceuticals and health care insurance, that helps protect us all, are too expensive for most Mainers to afford. We can not solve one of those issues without tackling them all. Everyone must come to the table in an effort to solve these problems on behalf of the Maine people.
During my past two terms in the House, I’ve served on the Insurance and Financial Services Committee where we started the process of analyzing our current health care system. I helped write a bill that established a health care task force that has been meeting for the past year coming up with suggestions and ideas to start to address these issues.
While our task force has looked at many components of the health care cost crisis, we continue to drill down on the specific issues that drive these costs. Transparency needs to be a large factor in how we move forward. Many consumers of health care services are left in the dark as to up front costs, actual costs and out-of-pocket costs until well after the treatment or procedure has been completed. This puts the health care providers, pharmacy benefit managers and insurance carriers in the driver’s seat, while the consumer pays the price. This process must change if we are to seek real reforms to the system.
With the turmoil in Washington, D.C., and recent federal health care issues, it is imperative that Maine, and other states, design a health care system that works best for that state. One size does not necessarily fit all.
I look forward to the upcoming year as we begin a new legislative session. It is up to each of us, as elected representatives of the Maine people, to meet these challenges together, in a bipartisan effort, on their behalf. They are counting on us!
— State Senator Robert Foley, R-Wells, represents Senate District 34, which includes Acton, Kennebunk, Lebanon, North Berwick, Wells and part of Berwick. He can be reached at Robert.Foley@legislature.maine.gov
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