Maine AllCare Press Conference
When: Tuesday October 19th, 11:15 a.m.(approx.) immediately following testimony before the Joint Select Committee on Health Care Reform Opportunities and Implementation
Where: Welcome Center, Maine State House, Augusta
Subject: Health Care Reform - Lessons and Challenges for Maine
Video: Watch a video of the press conference
On Tuesday, October 19th 2010 Dr. Phil Caper of Portland, Maine and Alice Knapp, Esq. of Richmond, Maine, together with Professor William Hsiao of Harvard University, testified before the Maine Legislature's Joint Select Committee on Health Care Reform Opportunities and Implementation in Augusta on ways to improve, at the state level, the newly passed national health care law.
Dr. Hsiao (pronounced "shao") is an internationally recognized authority on health care financing. He was the chief architect of the Taiwan National Health System, implemented in 1995. The percentage of those covered by the Taiwan health care system exceeds 99 percent and costs in per person spending are one third of costs in the United States. The Health Care Reform Commission of Vermont has chosen Dr. William Hsiao to design options for a Vermont state healthcare system that includes a single-payer option.
After Dr. Hsiao's testimony, Maine AllCare held a press conference about the health care reform challenges and prospects in Maine.
Participants included the following. To read their statements, click on their names:
- William Hsiao, Ph.D.: Dr. Hsiao spoke on the lessons that Taiwan's health reforms hold for Maine.
- Ms. Donna Smith: Donna was featured in Michael Moore's movie SiCKO, when health care bills brought her family to financial ruin, even though they were fully insured. She spoke on behalf of the Maine State Nurses Association.
- Philip C. Caper, M.D.: Dr. Caper is a physician and health care policy analyst. He spoke about the promise and the shortcomings of PPACA, with a road map for further reform.
- Alice Knapp, Esq.: Ms. Knapp is an attorney in solo practice in Richmond, and former state health insurance regulator. She spoke about those left behind by PPACA reforms, and about the inequities of Maine's present insurance system.
- Mr. Jim Miller: Jim is the general manager of Wooden Boat Publications, a small business with 33 employees in Brooklin, Maine. He spoke on the effects of the uncontrolled costs of health insurance on Maine's small business community.
- Mr. John Newton: John spoke on behalf of the Maine AFL-CIO, which has been a supporter of a universal publicly financed health system for over 30 years, national leader in the movement for single payer health care.