Health CareAccess to quality, affordable health care is essential not only to the well-being and prosperity of Mainers and their families,but to the strength and vitality of the state’s economy. Without health care coverage, people are unlikely to have regular check-ups or to receive preventive and diagnostic care. They are more likely to postpone treatment until their health needs are more serious and more costly to treat. When they finally do seek treatment, hospital emergency rooms are their option of last resort. When patients lack insurance and the ability to pay, hospitals pass on the costs to those who are insured. Workers without health coverage have a higher absentee rate, costing their employers more in decreased productivity. MECEP research, analysis, policy development, and outreach have consistently and reliably informed the discussion of Maine’s health care priorities and the most effective means to address them. Policymakers, health care advocates, the media, and the public rely on the quality and credibility of MECEP’s work to inform the discussion and help craft and implement effective health care policies for Maine.