Nurses Associations Contribute to Study on Universal Health System in Maine

Nurses associations from Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and California on May 8 donated $27,500 to help fund a study on the feasibility of a universal heath care system in Maine, the AP/Bangor Daily News reports. Although state lawmakers in November rejected a measure that would have created a single-payer health system, they authorized the study, which the state's Health Security Board is supposed to deliver Dec. 1. The Legislature appropriated $10,6000 to pay for the security board's staff and office expenses, but the funds will not cover the study, universal health advocates said. The contributions from the nurses will allow the board to expand the scope of the study, the AP/Daily News reports. "We congratulate Maine for being forward thinkers. We thank Maine for getting the ball rolling and hope the rest of us will pick it up throughout this country," Massachusetts Nurses Association President Karen Higgins said. State Rep. Paul Volenik (D) said the board plans to apply for grants to help pay for the study (Adams, AP?Bangor Daily News, 5/9).