When those at the helm of DirigoChoice wonder why their efforts are sometimes viewed with skepticism, one reason may be the mixed messages the public has received about the program.

For example, in a press release dated August 15 sent out by the Governor regarding a survey conducted by the Dirigo Health Agency, it said DirigoChoice was intended to provide coverage for 136,000 uninsured Mainers, with an enrollment target for the first year of 31,000. The actual enrollment, according to the press release, is now at 8,100.

The survey was to determine whether those enrolled in DirigoChoice were uninsured. It did; 72 percent of those enrolled in the first quarter of 2005 had health insurance when they enrolled, while only 28 percent reported being uninsured.

So, given the intent of the program, shouldn’t the focus now be on why the program is not reaching the uninsured rather than shifting the focus to another group of Mainers entirely – the “underinsured,” suggesting that all who opt for a “high-deductible” plan are by definition “underinsured.”

Those who buy insurance with “high deductibles” do so for many reasons; for example, being healthy and deciding that a front-end deductible is better than paying a higher premium. Is someone whose health plan provides millions of dollars in protection really “underinsured”? Is someone who undergoes an $80,000 procedure for $2,500 really “underinsured”?

Healthcare costs are crippling our economy. In 1998 we spent 15.5 percent of the Gross State Product on health expenditures; in 2004 this increased to 17.9 percent. This is an economic development problem. We need to get it right! And to get it right, we need to be working together with facts, not with spin.

Cathy Gavin

Executive Director

Maine Healthcare Purchasing Collaborative