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Full-Text Articles in Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

An Interview With Commissioner Peet: Mental Health System Reform, Melodie Peet Jan 1996

An Interview With Commissioner Peet: Mental Health System Reform, Melodie Peet

Maine Policy Review

Commissioner of the Maine Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Melodie Peet, stands at the center of a revolution in how mental health services are organized, administered, and delivered. Since February, 1995 Peet has been working with providers, families, and consumers throughout Maine to reinvent the state’s mental healthcare system from one that is dominated by state government and large institutions to one largely comprised of community-based systems of care. These changes match national trends yet have stirred great controversy in Maine. In an interview with Maine Policy Review, Commissioner Peet discussed the changing role and shape of …


Reaction To The Mhcrc Draft Report, David F. Wihry Jan 1996

Reaction To The Mhcrc Draft Report, David F. Wihry

Maine Policy Review

The final report of the Maine Health Care Reform Commission (MHCRC) was submitted to Governor Angus King in November, 1995. Given the complexity of what we call the healthcare system as well as the moving targets of federal and state incentives for reform, the report accomplished a great deal in a short period of time. Commission members were "mandated to offer a single payer universal coverage bill, a multiple payer universal coverage bill, and a bill to achieve reform through incremental changes to the existing system, emphasizing cost containment, managed care, and improved access. The commission was also mandated to …


Playing With A Stacked Deck: Why Was A Single Payer Plan Dealt Such Bad Cards?, Peter Millard, Clifford Rosen, Susan Thomas Jan 1996

Playing With A Stacked Deck: Why Was A Single Payer Plan Dealt Such Bad Cards?, Peter Millard, Clifford Rosen, Susan Thomas

Maine Policy Review

The final report of the Maine Health Care Reform Commission (MHCRC) was submitted to Governor Amgus King in November, 1995. Given the complexity of what we call the healthcare system as well as the moving targets of federal and state incentives for reform, the report accomplished a great deal in a short period of time. Commission members were "mandated to offer a single payer universal coverage bill, a multiple payer universal coverage bill, and a bill to achieve reform through incremental changes to the existing system, emphasizing cost containment, managed care, and improved access. The commission was also mandated to …


A Political Process That Worked: Comprehensive Healthcare Reform In Progress, Richard H. Campbell Jan 1996

A Political Process That Worked: Comprehensive Healthcare Reform In Progress, Richard H. Campbell

Maine Policy Review

The final report of the Maine Health Care Reform Commission (MHCRC) was submitted to Governor Angus King in November, 1995. Given the complexity of what we call the healthcare system as well as the moving targets of federal and state incentives for reform, the report accomplished a great deal in a short period of time. Commission members were "mandated to offer a single payer universal coverage bill, a multiple payer universal coverage bill, and a bill to achieve reform through incremental changes to the existing system, emphasizing cost containment, managed care, and improved access. The commission was also mandated to …


An Interview With Norm Ledwin: Continuous Change In Healthcare Management, Norm Ledwin Jan 1996

An Interview With Norm Ledwin: Continuous Change In Healthcare Management, Norm Ledwin

Maine Policy Review

Managed care continues to enter Maine—a trend that alarms some and is welcomed by others. Norman Ledwin, president and chief executive officer of Eastern Maine Healthcare and Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMH/EMMC), believes managed care has the potential to greatly improve the state’s ability to provide high quality, economical healthcare for its citizens. In a December, 1995 interview with Maine Policy Review Ledwin discussed managed care as well as related healthcare changes underway in Maine.


Healthcare Reform Proves Difficult At State Level, Elizabeth O. Shorr Jan 1996

Healthcare Reform Proves Difficult At State Level, Elizabeth O. Shorr

Maine Policy Review

The final report of the Maine Health Care Reform Commission (MHCRC) was submitted to Governor Angus King in November, 1995. Given the complexity of what we call the healthcare system as well as the moving targets of federal and state incentives for reform, the report accomplished a great deal in a short period of time. Commission members were "mandated to offer a single payer universal coverage bill, a multiple payer universal coverage bill, and a bill to achieve reform through incremental changes to the existing system, emphasizing cost containment, managed care, and improved access. The commission was also mandated to …


Response To Draft Recommendations For Health System Reform, Dale J. Gordon, Kimberly Boothby-Ballentyne Jan 1996

Response To Draft Recommendations For Health System Reform, Dale J. Gordon, Kimberly Boothby-Ballentyne

Maine Policy Review

The final report of the Maine Health Care Reform Commission (MHCRC) was submitted to Governor Angus King in November, 1995. Given the complexity of what we call the healthcare system as well as the moving targets of federal and state incentives for reform, the report accomplished a great deal in a short period of time. Commission members were "mandated to offer a single payer universal coverage bill, a multiple payer universal coverage bill, and a bill to achieve reform through incremental changes to the existing system, emphasizing cost containment, managed care, and improved access. The commission was also mandated to …


Start Making Sense: A Legislator Looks At Professional Licensure Reform, Dale Mccormick Jan 1996

Start Making Sense: A Legislator Looks At Professional Licensure Reform, Dale Mccormick

Maine Policy Review

This past summer, the Maine Health Professions Regulation Project and its task force released a report to Governor King and the Maine legislature. The report, "Toward a More Rational State Licensure System for Maine’s Health Professions," represents the best thinking and accomplishments of a nearly two-year project directed by Judy Kany of Medical Care Development, Inc. Dale McCormick’s commentary addresses five aspects of this project: the approach of the task force, why licensure reform is necessary, the relationship between this project and the Maine Health Care Reform Commission, the report issued by the task force, and a brief review of …


Tax-And-Match: Resolving Tension Between State Financial Pressure And Federal Public Policy Intentions, A. Mark Woodward Jan 1996

Tax-And-Match: Resolving Tension Between State Financial Pressure And Federal Public Policy Intentions, A. Mark Woodward

Maine Policy Review

How tax-and-match, a federal program designed to help states subsidize hospital care for low income patients, came into existence and how it was overexploited is recent history Mainers should pause to consider. Woodward traces Maine’s tax-and-match experience from its inception in 1991 to its repeal in 1995 and in doing so illustrates a set of larger issues related to the integrity of federal-state relations, the difficulties in developing fiscally sound health policies in a resource tight environment, and the political machinations that can lead to quick-fix solutions over long-term policy resolutions. With federal block grants looming in the future, Woodward …


One Question At A Time, Please!, Chris Spruce Jan 1996

One Question At A Time, Please!, Chris Spruce

Maine Policy Review

In the Margaret Chase Smith Essay, Chris Spruce addresses the conundrum of public referenda, championed by many as the most direct form of democracy and criticized by others for creating winners and losers without the traditional give and take of American politics. He reviews the recent history of public referenda in Maine, including the recent clear-cutting initiative. Perhaps we lose more than we gain when we oversimplify complex public issues with inherently conflicting values biases.


Charting A Course For The Future Of Maine's Fisheries: An Interview With Commissioner Robin Alden, Robin Alden Jan 1996

Charting A Course For The Future Of Maine's Fisheries: An Interview With Commissioner Robin Alden, Robin Alden

Maine Policy Review

In a January, 1996 interview, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, Robin Alden shared her concerns about the direction of federal fisheries management and her goals for building a more dynamic and self-managing system here in Maine. In particular, Alden described the recent legislation which creates zone councils and an apprenticeship system in Maine’s lobster fishery. Alden articulated a direction for Maine’s fisheries that challenges conventional fisheries management and as such, is being watched closely by fisheries managers in Maine as well as elsewhere in the U.S. and overseas.


Options For Managing Maine’S Fisheries: Fisheries Management From An Ecological Perspective, James A. Wilson Jan 1996

Options For Managing Maine’S Fisheries: Fisheries Management From An Ecological Perspective, James A. Wilson

Maine Policy Review

Jim Wilson counters the concerns raised by Ralph Townsend [this issue].The current policy course set by Marine Resources Commissioner Robin Alden is based on an approach to fisheries management which redefines the sustainability problem as an ecosystem problem. Wilson argues that, within this new paradigm, questions such as “how, when, and where” to fish (or not fish) are much more central than species-specific quota setting. These questions not only change the rules under which co-management is implemented but also may improve fisheries management in ways that quota systems have failed, that is the long term conservation of species and habitats.


Maine Implements The Clean Air Act: Federalism, Environmentalism And Interest Group Accountability, Jon Reisman Jan 1996

Maine Implements The Clean Air Act: Federalism, Environmentalism And Interest Group Accountability, Jon Reisman

Maine Policy Review

The implementation of environmental policy initiatives often brings about a complex interplay between science and policy, public opinion, interest groups, federal and state mandates, and political machination. Jon Reisman uses Maine’s recent experience of compliance with the 1990 Clean Air Act to illustrate this complexity. In doing so, he addresses several important, but often ignored, issues, such as stakeholder participation in the policy making process, interest group accountability to implementation, and the long term consequences to the environment if these issues are avoided.


Health Care Reform In Maine: Continuing The Dialogue, Robert Keller, Neil Rolde, Peter Hayes Jan 1996

Health Care Reform In Maine: Continuing The Dialogue, Robert Keller, Neil Rolde, Peter Hayes

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.


Ethics And The Election Of 1996, Steve Ballard Jan 1996

Ethics And The Election Of 1996, Steve Ballard

Maine Policy Review

In the Margaret Chase Smith Essay, Steve Ballard discusses the Maine Code of Election Ethics: its origins, its successes and failures, and how it can be improved. Pioneered by the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan, the code is a unique response to a national problem—making representative government work.


Targeted Economic Development: Its Role In Maine Economic Policy, Carla Dickstein Jan 1996

Targeted Economic Development: Its Role In Maine Economic Policy, Carla Dickstein

Maine Policy Review

Targeted economic development strategies challenge traditional approaches to economic development by making explicit the recipients of job growth and job creation. They link economic development concerns such as business growth and a positive business climate to often-ignored social criteria that are reflected in the question of who wins and who loses in our present economy. Carla Dickstein brings a practitioner’s perspective to this issue by relating Coastal Enterprises Inc.’s experience in using gap financing programs to link people with low incomes to jobs created through business start-ups or expansions.


Electrical Industry Restructuring: From Policy To Implementation, Evan D. Richert Jan 1996

Electrical Industry Restructuring: From Policy To Implementation, Evan D. Richert

Maine Policy Review

Both in Maine and nationally, there is continuous evidence of fundamental transformation of the electric utility industry. Maine Policy Review continues coverage of this issue with Evan Richert’s summary of the June 1996, fifth annual conference on Public Utility Regulation and the Environment (PURE). Richert relates the conference discussions to the PUC’s July 1996 draft plan on electric utility industry restructuring and to state government’s efforts to create a comprehensive energy policy for Maine.


Commentaries On "The State Of Nebraska's Plan For The Creation Of Community-Based Technology Committees", Dianne Tilton, Harry H. Dresser Jr. Jan 1996

Commentaries On "The State Of Nebraska's Plan For The Creation Of Community-Based Technology Committees", Dianne Tilton, Harry H. Dresser Jr.

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.


Overhauling Maine's Tax System, Paula Valente Jan 1996

Overhauling Maine's Tax System, Paula Valente

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.


Common Sense Over Politics Is The Answer, Kevin Hancock Jan 1996

Common Sense Over Politics Is The Answer, Kevin Hancock

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.


An Interview With David Peterson And David Jones: Envisioning The Future Of Rural Healthcare, David Peterson, David Jones Jan 1996

An Interview With David Peterson And David Jones: Envisioning The Future Of Rural Healthcare, David Peterson, David Jones

Maine Policy Review

Managed care and other healthcare changes may impact Maine differently than more urban states. Managed care companies, striving to create economies of scale in healthcare financing, often prefer to fold rural regions into larger plans that emanate from more populous hubs. In much of Maine, many question whether this will be best for the consumers and providers of rural healthcare. Maine Policy Review interviewed David Peterson, president and chief executive officer of The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC), and family practitioner David Jones who practices at Aroostook Family Practice and is an active member of TAMC's medical staff, to obtain their …


Reflections On Economic Development In Maine: Summary Comments Delivered At The 1995 Governors' Economic Development Conference, Robert L. Woodbury Jan 1996

Reflections On Economic Development In Maine: Summary Comments Delivered At The 1995 Governors' Economic Development Conference, Robert L. Woodbury

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.


Options For Managing Maine’S Fisheries: Traditional Fisheries Management, Ralph Townsend Jan 1996

Options For Managing Maine’S Fisheries: Traditional Fisheries Management, Ralph Townsend

Maine Policy Review

Ralph Townsend discusses the historic evolution of fisheries management as well as more current trends toward co-management in Maine’s groundfisheries. Looking at successful experiences with co-management, he wonders whether current efforts in Maine’s lobster industry will be successful without tackling the tough issue of access limitation.