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Maine Policy Review

2003

Articles 1 - 20 of 20

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Rising Prescription Drug Costs: What Is Involved And What Can Be Done?, James Carroll Jan 2003

Rising Prescription Drug Costs: What Is Involved And What Can Be Done?, James Carroll

Maine Policy Review

The rapid rise of prescription drug costs in the United States has triggered heated debate at the federal and state levels about how to control costs and expand access for those in need. In part, the United States finds itself in this situation because, unlike most countries throughout the world, the federal government thus far has refused to exact federal price restrictions on pharmaceutical products. James Carroll argues that this has left each state in the difficult position of trying to leverage lower costs and expanded access for its citizens. In this article, Carroll provides an overview of these attempts, …

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The Aging Imperative In Maine: Present Realities And Future Prospects, Helen. B. Miltiades, Lenard W. Kaye Jan 2003

The Aging Imperative In Maine: Present Realities And Future Prospects, Helen. B. Miltiades, Lenard W. Kaye

Maine Policy Review

Maine has one of the oldest populations in the United States. In this article, Helen Miltiades and Lenard Kaye, guest editor for this special issue, provide an overview of Maine’s aging population and the challenges—and opportunities—faced in the “revolution in aging” that is taking place. They point out how the growing older adult population is expected to place greater demands on family caregivers, on the health and long-term care systems, and on state and federal budgetary and policy decisions. Describing some of Maine’s innovative public and private sector responses, they note that Maine has been in the forefront in providing …

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The Human Face Of Housing Policy For Rural Elders In Maine, Sandra S. Butler Jan 2003

The Human Face Of Housing Policy For Rural Elders In Maine, Sandra S. Butler

Maine Policy Review

Sandra Butler reflects on the ways in which the older households she has been encountering in her recent in-depth research in Washington County match those described by Stephen Golant in his article in this issue on the needs of elderly homeowners and the solutions to those needs. Butler’s research is based on extensive interviews with volunteers and clients of the Senior Companion Program, which has as one of its primary purposes helping elders remain in their homes as long as possible. Butler notes that she was surprised to learn how many subsidized housing complexes exist in Washington County. A number …

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Dirigo Health: A Small Business Perspective, Deborah Cook Jan 2003

Dirigo Health: A Small Business Perspective, Deborah Cook

Maine Policy Review

In her commentary Deborah Cook, executive director of the Maine Small Business Alliance, discusses Dirigo Health from the viewpoint of small businesses, whose employees and families, along with the self-employed, represent the largest proportion of uninsured in Maine’s population. She notes that rising costs of health care and insurance are a major threat to the viability of small businesses.

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The Maine Economy—Through A Different Lens, William T. Knowles Jan 2003

The Maine Economy—Through A Different Lens, William T. Knowles

Maine Policy Review

William Knowles, a banker “from away” who has retired to Maine, gives his thoughts about the state’s economy, based on his reading, research, and conversations with a variety of Mainers. He structures his examination using four different “lenses,” which he terms: comparisons (how does Maine compare with other states and regions), cultivation (economic development), capital (especially human capital), and culture. Knowles challenges readers to think about whether Maine’s culture or belief system may be an important factor in restraining economic development.

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Potential Efficiency Gains From Consolidation Of Maine’S Educational Resources, Philip A. Trostel Jan 2003

Potential Efficiency Gains From Consolidation Of Maine’S Educational Resources, Philip A. Trostel

Maine Policy Review

Economist Philip Trostel analyzes the size of Maine’s schools and school districts and the costs and quality of education. He argues that some schools and districts may be too small to be cost-efficient; that on average education in Maine costs more per student than in the rest of the country; and that education quality may not be as high in smaller schools as in larger ones, at least based on some measures. While there may be some less-measurable benefits to small schools, Trostel suggests that declining school-age populations and increasing costs should lead policymakers to seriously consider consolidating schools and …

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The Challenge Of Preserving And Expanding Affordable Health Care In Maine, Wendy Wolf Jan 2003

The Challenge Of Preserving And Expanding Affordable Health Care In Maine, Wendy Wolf

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s health care system is in crisis. The state’s health care expenditures represent the third highest percentage of Gross Domestic Product in the nation; state health care spending is projected to top $11 billion per year, or $8,291 per person per year, over the next seven years; businesses in Maine pay 12-23% more for coverage than the national and New England state averages; and, the state’s uninsured and vulnerable populations continue to grow. In this article, Wendy Wolf charts the rising cost of health care in Maine and the implications of these costs for all Mainers. In turn, she looks …

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The Changing Nature Of Long-Term Care In Maine, Paul Saucier, Julie Fralich Jan 2003

The Changing Nature Of Long-Term Care In Maine, Paul Saucier, Julie Fralich

Maine Policy Review

The increase in the proportion of older adults, many with one or more chronic medical conditions, will increase the demand for long-term care. Paul Saucier and Julie Fralich discuss the socio-demographic factors affecting long-term care policy, and describe various state and federal options for providing and financing long-term care. They note that Maine’s long-term care system has so far been able to absorb considerable growth in people by serving increasing numbers in lower-cost settings. Cost sharing has been introduced, and tax policy has been changed to provide incentives for long-term care insurance. Policymakers must now consider whether the current balance …

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Getting Creative About Elderly Housing, Frank O’Hara Jan 2003

Getting Creative About Elderly Housing, Frank O’Hara

Maine Policy Review

In his commentary on Stephen Golant’s article in this issue, Frank O’Hara notes that Golant has very successfully identified the problems of some older homeowners. However, he suggests that the solution Golant proposes—government-assisted rental housing—may apply to only a few members of the group. Moreover, very little government-subsidized rental housing is being built or planned in Maine. Using Golant’s data, O’Hara extrapolates that affordability is the primary problem for older Maine homeowners. He notes that very few are interested in the public policy alternative that would best meet their needs, namely reverse mortgages. However, he observes that older Maine homeowners …

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Government-Assisted Rental Accommodations: Should They Accommodate Homeowners With Unmet Needs?, Stephen M. Golant Jan 2003

Government-Assisted Rental Accommodations: Should They Accommodate Homeowners With Unmet Needs?, Stephen M. Golant

Maine Policy Review

Stephen Golant, a national expert on elderly housing concerns, describes the types and seriousness of housing problems facing elders nationally and in Maine. Although older adults are predominantly homeowners, national policymakers often downplay the needs of this group and hand over responsibility to state and local governments. The author reviews arguments that cynics have offered for deemphasizing older homeowners’ needs, and discusses various solutions to meet those needs. He poses the question: Do we unrealistically romanticize aging in place? As the title of the article suggests, Golant proposes that a good solution to the needs of older homeowners is to …

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A New Look At Senior Education, Harry Sky Jan 2003

A New Look At Senior Education, Harry Sky

Maine Policy Review

Rabbi Harry Sky, founder of the senior college movement in Maine, provides his insights on the increasing desire by older adults for lifelong learning. He writes that older adults are seeking experiences to counteract the profound sense of loneliness and “disconnectedness” that often accompany retirement. Institutions such as Maine’s senior colleges provide one such kind of experience, though they are not the only answer. Rabbi Sky reflects that in this country, we have not afforded the honor to seniors seen in other parts of the world, and that we should take a page from other civilizations.

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Dirigo Health, Sharon Anglin Treat, Michael Brennan, Ann Woloson Jan 2003

Dirigo Health, Sharon Anglin Treat, Michael Brennan, Ann Woloson

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s pioneering Dirigo Health program aims at reducing health care costs, improving quality, and increasing access by providing health insurance coverage to all of Maine’s currently uninsured population. State senators Sharon Treat and Michael Brennan and co-author Ann Woloson provide an overview of the components, structure and financing of the program. They discuss some of the challenges and opportunities posed in Dirigo Health’s implementation, and give an insider’s perspective on the process by which the program was enacted.

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Dirigo Health: Its Opportunities And Obstacles, Godfrey Wood Jan 2003

Dirigo Health: Its Opportunities And Obstacles, Godfrey Wood

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.

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Revitalizing Maine’S Service Centers, John Melrose Jan 2003

Revitalizing Maine’S Service Centers, John Melrose

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s 77 “service center” municipalities account for a large proportion of all the state’s consumer retail sales, jobs, services, and tax revenues from income, sales and property taxes, and are home to most of the state’s higher education and health care institutions. However, John Melrose points out that Maine’s public policy turns “worse than a blind eye” to these communities. He presents the policy recommendations put forth in a strategic plan by the Maine Service Centers Coalition for supporting and strengthening service centers. These include leveling the financial playing field between service centers and other communities; improving local government administration …

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School Size Choices: Comparing Small And Large School Strengths, Janet C. Fairman Jan 2003

School Size Choices: Comparing Small And Large School Strengths, Janet C. Fairman

Maine Policy Review

Janet Fairman discusses the thorny issue of school quality, suggesting that small schools have certain strengths compared to larger schools. Data from her study of small high schools in Maine, as well as research literature, suggest that compared to large schools, small schools allow for greater personal attention to students, have greater flexibility in scheduling, programming and instructional decisions, and often have stronger school-community connections that support student achievement and serve important community needs. Using quantitative measures of quality, Fairman notes that school size alone explains very little of the variation in 11th grade Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) scores, while …

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Margaret Chase Smith Essay: High School Student Essay Winners, Emily Parker, Rachel Culley, Miles Kirby Jan 2003

Margaret Chase Smith Essay: High School Student Essay Winners, Emily Parker, Rachel Culley, Miles Kirby

Maine Policy Review

Maine has benefited from the public service of many well-respected and influential national leaders over the last two centuries. One of them, Senator Margaret Chase Smith, offered her reflections on leadership at a time when the United States faced a struggle for civil rights at home and the tensions of the Cold War abroad. With the country currently confronting challenges such as the threat of terrorism, ongoing tensions in the Middle East, and the taint of corporate scandals, the Margaret Chase Smith Library annual essay contest invited Maine high school seniors to reflect on the qualities leaders will need to …

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Ready Or Not—Here They Come!, Laurie Lachance Jan 2003

Ready Or Not—Here They Come!, Laurie Lachance

Maine Policy Review

Laurie Lachance, Maine’s state economist, outlines the economic implications of the “tidal wave” of aging baby boomers that will shortly be hitting Maine, and what might be done to prepare for it. She asks whether Maine has appropriate housing, transportation, and health care services to care for the needs of an aging population, and how Maine will fund the needed infrastructure with a smaller labor force. Lachance notes that there is still time to prepare. Seniors are and will be living longer, healthier lives; they are and will be increasingly engaged in social, cultural and educational activities; this and future …

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Art And Culture In An Aging Maine, Lois Lamdin, Willard J. Hertz Jan 2003

Art And Culture In An Aging Maine, Lois Lamdin, Willard J. Hertz

Maine Policy Review

Lois Lamdin and Willard Hertz, active “retirees” who have chosen to settle in Maine after long and distinguished careers, give an account of the ways in which Maine’s current senior population plays a major role in ensuring the liveliness and durability of the state’s arts and cultural organizations. They give examples of the four ways that seniors affect the well-being and economic health of these organizations: as volunteers, as financial supporters, as active producers, and as consumers. They note that the most pressing challenge is to prepare for the inevitable departure of today’s seniors, and wonder whether today’s baby boomers …

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Exceeding Expectation And The Knotty Question Of State Tourism Policy, Kathryn Hunt Jan 2003

Exceeding Expectation And The Knotty Question Of State Tourism Policy, Kathryn Hunt

Maine Policy Review

In the Margaret Chase Smith Essay, Kathryn Hunt reflects on Maine tourism policy, using as a springboard for discussion two recent events: the National Folk Festival held in Bangor and the Biathlon World Cup held at the Maine Winter Sports Center venue in Fort Kent.

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Campaign Finance Reform, Free Speech And The Supreme Court, Derek Langhauser Jan 2003

Campaign Finance Reform, Free Speech And The Supreme Court, Derek Langhauser

Maine Policy Review

In December 2003, the United States Supreme Court upheld all the key provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002. In their 5-4 decision, the justices deferred broadly to the limitations set by Congress on unregulated “soft money” and “issue ads” in political campaigns. Derek Langhauser, who worked in Senator Olympia Snow’s office as counsel in McConnell v FEC, as this case was called, gives a legal history of the challenge of balancing Congress’ interest in protecting the integrity of elections with the Constitution’s competitive rights of free speech and association. He describes in detail the Supreme …

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