Maine Health Care Consortium Devises Program to Offer Uninsured Residents Free, Coordinated Care

A consortium of Maine health care organizations has created a new program designed to provide access to care for the state's uninsured, AP/Foster's Daily Democrat reports. The CarePartners program, founded by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Mercy Hospital and several other health care groups, offers more than $12 million in "managed health care and pharmaceutical coverage" to uninsured Maine residents who reside in Cumberland, Kennebec or Lincoln counties and do not qualify for public health insurance programs. To participate, eligible individuals pay $10 to receive a CarePartners identification card, which is then presented to providers and pharmacies at the time of service. By coordinating the charity care already offered by health providers, the program, which relies on physician-donated services, will offer patients "better, more regular care," CarePartners Director Warren Kessler said. Officials expect CarePartners to serve about 5,000 individuals over three years. Maine hospitals are giving $1 million to the program, federal and private grants are contributing $1.2 million and the consortium members are donating $10 million in care (AP/Foster's Daily Democrat, 6/12).