Rep. Saucier seeks
more affordable health insurance
PREQUE ISLE — “A new health insurance law has led to unfair rate increases for rural and older Mainers and must be corrected,” Rep. Robert Saucier, D-Presque Isle, testified before the Legislature’s Committee on Insurance and Financial Services on April 4.
Last year, legislative Republicans passed P.L. 90, a law that allows insurance companies to dramatically raise rates on rural and older Mainers.
“All Mainers should be able to get the care they need, when they need it, without facing huge medical bills,” Saucier testified at the public hearing. “Preventing insurance companies from unfairly raising rates on certain groups of Maine people is an important step towards making health insurance more affordable.”
Saucier’s bill would prohibit unfair insurance rate discrimination based on age or geographic location.
Saucier presented several insurance invoices from Presque Isle businesses at the hearing. These showed that Bemis and Rossignol, attorneys at law in Presque Isle, saw a 99 percent rate increase, The Sled Shop’s insurance rates went up 62 percent, Rent Town’s went up 51 percent and 27 Sign Place’s rates went up 30 percent.
“In times like these, we need to partner with businesses to get our economy moving and grow Maine’s middle class,” said Saucier. “Allowing insurance companies to discriminate against rural and aging Mainers is clearly hurting our local small businesses.”
The Small Business Administration reports that small firms make up 97.2 percent of Maine’s employers.
During the public hearing, Jim Gerritsen, an Aroostook County potato farmer, voiced strong support for Saucier’s measure.
“We need to correct the premium pricing disadvantage that rural Maine now experiences,” said Gerritsen. “To do nothing would be a calamity for our businesses and citizens in Aroostook county.”
For more information about Saucier’s bill go to: http://goo.gl/xnNd8.
Saucier is serving his first term in the Maine House of Representatives and represents part of Presque Isle.
