Amid rising costs, lawmaker wants to restart conversation about universal health care

A November 2024 report from the Maine Center for Economic Policy found that, based on current demographics and insurance coverage, the cost of such a program would roughly equal the amount Mainers spend now, between $17.8 and $19.3 billion.

Testifying on behalf of the plan, James Myall, a policy analyst for MECEP who authored the report, said that, unlike the current system, the cost of a universal system could be offset by other revenue streams, such as federal grants or increasing taxes on the wealthiest Mainers.

Click here to read the full story, first published May 15, 2025 in Maine Morning Star.