Our laws are working against us

Certain laws passed nearly 15 years ago, although well meaning at the time, have actually made it more difficult to purchase individual insurance in Maine. Because of these laws, other insurance companies have left the market, premiums have increased, and deductibles have grown, as well.

A lot has changed in 15 years – especially when it comes to health care – but our laws have not changed with the times.

Maine is not alone – other states have fixed the problem

This problem is not unique to Maine. Other states like New Hampshire, Idaho and Kentucky have faced the same situation. Legislatures in those states and in many others with similar laws have updated their insurance laws and dramatically improved the cost and availability of individual coverage.

We can do the same thing here in Maine, but we need your help to make it happen!

Here is what Maine needs:

Working together, we can urge the Legislature to fix Maine’s insurance laws so that you and everyone one else who buys individual coverage has a choice of good, affordable health insurance products that are designed to meet your needs.

We need the Legislature to:

1. Establish a high risk pool, re-insurance pool, or some other mechanism that helps subsidize the cost of claims for a small number of people with the most expensive illnesses.

   This will lower rates for everyone else in the individual market and attract younger, healthier people to help share the risk.

2. Allow more flexibility in the pricing of premiums. Right now, insurers are forced to charge young people more than they would otherwise pay in order to subsidize older individuals enrolled in the same plan.

   Giving insurers more flexibility in setting prices will bring people back into the individual market, spreading the risk and lowering premiums.