In January an employee of Riverview Psychiatric Center was attacked by a resident who had been living there for the past seven years under court order, prompting federal regulators to tour the facility in March and again in May. Regulators uncovered dozens of deficiencies, some of which were so serious that the federal government is […]
Medicare
Maine hospitals face Medicare penalties for readmissions
List of penalties imposed on Maine hospitals A dozen Maine hospitals face Medicare penalties in round two of the federal government’s push to lower the number of patients who wind up back in the hospital within a month of being discharged. Compared to other states, Maine’s hospitals ranked near the top, at seventh nationally by […]
America needs cost-effective universal health care
In recent months, the people of Maine have witnessed activity by many different players in the health care system as Maine moves to implement the Affordable Care Act. We’ve seen Gov. Paul LePage veto the expansion of MaineCare, which will leave 70,000 Mainers without access to health care. We’re watching MaineHealth and Anthem try to […]
New health insurance co-op in Lewiston readies for business
LEWISTON — In a traditional insurance company, clients buy insurance. At Maine Community Health Options, they also run the place. MCHO, based in Lewiston, is the state’s first health insurance co-op, a nonprofit governed for and by members. Think credit union — but for health insurance. “The members we have may very well be tomorrow’s […]