The special panel chaired by Collins focuses on high prescription rates for painkillers and federal survey questions that may encourage hospitals to dispense too many of them.
Joe Lawlor
Staff Writer
Joe Lawlor writes about health and human services for the Press Herald. A 24-year newspaper veteran, Lawlor has worked in Ohio, Michigan and Virginia before relocating to Maine in 2013 to join the Press Herald. He is still considered “from away” but since then, he has learned what a “dooryard” is, eaten “whoopie pies” drank Moxie and boiled some “lobstahs.” The stories he enjoys most are when he learns something and meeting inspiring people.
He lives in South Portland - aka “SoPo” - with his wife, Melanie, and two school-age children.
Posted inHealth, Local & State, News, Politics
New twists as Maine lawmakers again consider Medicaid expansion
The sixth and latest effort includes a tie to the heroin crisis and small coverage premiums for some, but many Republicans balk.
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Posted inBusiness, Health, Local & State, News
Research at Bar Harbor lab could be used to reduce nerve pain
The Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory has made advances in studies involving zebrafish under a $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
Methadone reimbursement bill meets resistance from Republican lawmakers
Skeptics on the Health and Human Services Committee question the effectiveness of the medication, which is used to treat opioid addiction.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Schools and Education
Later start times for southern Maine middle and high schools proposed
With an eye toward student health, the CDC recommends the school day start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
Gov. LePage criticized for joke about Chinese investor before a crowd in Lewiston
Pretending to sneeze while pronouncing the investor’s name is seen as offensive by some in the Chinese-American community.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
State defends letter pushing food stamp recipients to put photos on EBT cards
But the DHHS policy is under scrutiny after complaints that it appears to say photos are mandatory.
Posted inHealth, Local & State, News
Collins cites possible tie between hospital pain control surveys, overprescription of opioids
The Maine Republican leads a group of 26 senators questioning whether hospital patient surveys on pain control should be tied to federal funding.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Sen. Angus King urges CVS to make overdose antidote available over the counter
The drug store chain already offers naloxone without a prescription in 14 states, and Maine has a dire need, he says.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
Maine has big stake in Obama plan to combat heroin addiction
If Congress approves the funding, thousands could get treatment in the state, which has been hit hard by the epidemic.