57% of Maine Voters Would Support Legislation Creating Universal Health Care System, Survey Finds

Fifty-seven percent of Maine voters support legislation that would create a single-payer health care system in the state, according to the results of a survey released Feb. 18, the AP/Portland Press Herald reports. The survey, conducted by the South Portland-based company Market Decisions, asked 400 randomly selected Maine adults if they would support legislation creating a health care system that "provides health care services, is accountable to the public, would be publicly financed and would prohibit private insurance companies from selling coverage for services covered by the public plan." Forty-one percent of participants said they would support such legislation "a lot," 16% said they would support it "a little," 24% said they would oppose it and 18% said they were unsure. The survey, which also asked participants nonhealth-related questions, has a margin of error +/- 5%. According to Brian Robertson, director of research for Market Decisions, the survey results "echo" a referendum approved last November by 52% of Portland voters (AP/Portland Press Herald, 2/19). That ballot measure, a nonbinding resolution, called on the Portland City Council to send a resolution to the state Legislature in support of a universal health care system. In addition, the ballot initiative asked the Portland Health and Human Services Department to issue an annual report to the council about the benefits of a single-payer system. A board created by the state Legislature is expected to release the report by March (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/7/01).