SLUBLOG at HotAir.com
DECEMBER 11, 2009
Lawmakers also received sobering news from administrators of the state’s Dirigo health insurance program.
Earlier this year, lawmakers extended Dirigo Health a $25 million loan to help cover costs while the program worked toward self-sufficiency. Karynlee Harrington, executive director at Dirigo Health, told the committee Thursday that the program does not expect to be able to pay back the full $25 million by June 30, as required.
“We are making progress. We have a positive cash balance,” Harrington said. While the program expects to be self-sufficient sometime in fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1, it will not likely happen before then, she said.
2011? Just over a year? Sounds great, until you consider that the program was supposed to be paying for itself a long time ago. Read this report from the Maine Heritage Policy Center (pdf) for a thorough examination of just how badly Maine’s attempt at a health care public option has failed.
The rest is here.
