PINGREE SEEKS THREE-PEAT TO DESTROY MAINE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

AUGUSTA – The Maine Republican Party is calling out Hannah Pingree’s destructive record on health care in Maine during her time as Speaker and then as Governor Janet Mills’ top policy advisor.

“Maine’s health care system cannot afford a Pingree three-peat,” said Maine GOP Chairman Jim Deyermond. “When Hannah Pingree was Speaker of the Maine House, she worked with Gov. John Baldacci to leave Maine with $750 million in unpaid hospital bills, Maine hospitals surviving on lines of credit, and a massive state budget shortfall complicating matters,”

“Only because Governor LePage and Republicans in the Maine Legislature launched an 11^th hour rescue of our hospitals did Maine’s health care system survive intact.” said Deyermond.

After eight years away from Augusta, Hannah Pingree would then return in the administration of Janet Mills, heading up her internal policy shop that would lead the effort to expand the state’s Medicaid program to cover non-citizens among other policies. 

The result of the Pingree-Mills alliance calling the shots on health care in Maine?

Widespread instability, closures and late payments.

Health care facilities and nursing homes being shuttered.

Budget shortfalls.

Large-scale Medicaid fraud (yes, even the Mills Administration was forced to acknowledge it).

Now, rather than slinking away to let Republicans once again clean up the mess she has made, Hannah Pingree is seeking a destructive three-peat.

“Maine’s health care system can’t survive a third round of Pingree mismanagement,” said Chairman Jim Deyermond. “As it is, Hannah Pingree has made health care harder to access, created longer wait times and reduced availability. Even more Mainers are now reporting they can’t even get in to see a specialist. Maine people can’t afford to allow Hannah Pingree a third administration to continue the destruction.”