While Mainers face rising health care costs, leaders gather to find solutions
Posted on October 9, 2025 | News
Premiums are on the rise and subsidy cuts are looming. That’s why health care groups gathered this week to discuss how to keep coverage affordable.
Author: Drew Peters
Published: 7:49 PM EDT October 7, 2025
Updated: 8:41 PM EDT October 7, 2025
AUGUSTA, Maine — The cost of health care is rising, even for Mainers with private or public health insurance.
That’s why industry leaders, advocacy groups, and political candidates gathered at the Augusta Civic Center this week to discuss some of the most urgent issues in Maine’s health care system and work on finding possible solutions.
“We need to have folks back in this fight,” said Anthony Wright, keynote speaker and executive director at Families USA.
Among the biggest concerns: rising health care premiums, increasing provider costs, and the financial strain on many of Maine’s rural hospitals.
“The whole system is broken,” said Lee Umphrey, board chair for Consumers for Affordable Health Care. “We’re looking at spikes in premiums and health care costs, especially in rural areas.”
Adding pressure to the system is the ongoing federal government shutdown, tied to debates in Washington over extending Affordable Care Act subsidies. It’s a decision that could significantly impact thousands of Mainers who rely on those subsidies to help pay for their insurance.
“These are people who don’t have access to job-based coverage or don’t qualify for Medicaid or Medicare,” said Hilary Schneider, director of the Maine Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Without those subsidies, insurance costs could nearly double for many Mainers.
“People are going to stop getting health care because they can’t afford it,” Umphrey warned. “That’s going to lead to an unhealthy economy and unhealthy people.”
Officials with MaineCare also highlighted how federal policy changes to Medicare and Medicaid could also impact certain insured residents.
“Some of our most vulnerable immigrant groups, including refugees, asylees, trafficking survivors, their coverage is going to be eliminated,” MaineCare Director Michelle Probert said. “We estimate that will impact about 3,000 individuals here in Maine.”
During a gubernatorial forum, which was held as part of the event, several candidates and officials laid out proposals to address Maine’s health care challenges.
Hannah Pingree is running for governor and recently served as the director of the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. Pingree called for creating a state-based public health insurance option.
“It would use state authority to achieve greater affordability and better coverage for enrollees in private health plans,” Pingree explained. “And it would use the power of state government to figure out how to lower costs.”
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who is also running for governor, focused on ways she would ensure the states dwindling number of health care facilities remain open and staffed.
“We need to directly fund rural health care infrastructure,” Bellows said. “Basic services all across our state to ensure that every Mainer gets the health care they need.”
Former State Senator Troy Jackson was also in attendance and emphasized prescription drug reform, saying he would push to cap prices of medication that Mainers struggle to afford. Jackson is also a Blaine House hopeful.
“I would go after ‘Big Pharma.’ They’re doing so much to hold us back,” Jackson said.
This conversation comes at a critical time, as ongoing contract disputes between Northern Light Health and Anthem leave many Mainers unsure about the future of their coverage.
“Costs are going to increase significantly, and people are going to have to decide whether they can still afford insurance,” Schneider said.
Despite the challenges ahead, many conference leaders and attendees feel Mainers have the innovation to come up with a solution.
“We know what we have to do. We just need to do it all together,” Umphrey said.