🚨PRESS RELEASE🚨

Closure of MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital birthing unit predictable after Democrat policies

AUGUSTA - Today, members of the 132nd Legislature sent a letter urging the MaineHealth Board of Trustees not to proceed with the proposed closure of the labor and delivery unit at MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital.

As the lawmakers noted in their letter, 11 hospital birthing units have closed across Maine since 2015. Preventing further closures and preserving access to essential health care for rural Maine families should be a bipartisan priority. We agree. Unfortunately, Democrat policies needlessly created this and other healthcare crises.

Legislative Republicans, on the other hand, have repeatedly sought to provide critical funding to Maine's hospitals, including through LD 333, "Resolve, Directing the Department of Health and Human Services to Ensure Timely Reimbursement Under MaineCare Regarding Hospital Cost Reports," and an amendment to the supplemental budget that would have required the Department of Health and Human Services to make overdue payments to hospitals. Regrettably, Democrats rejected both efforts. Ensuring hospitals receive the funding they are owed is essential to protecting labor and delivery services and maintaining access to care throughout Maine.

"Democrats have had complete control of state government for nearly eight years. During that time, they have added hundreds of thousands of residents to MaineCare without ensuring the state could afford to pay hospitals fully and on time. Hospitals have suffered because of Democrats' failure to pay, and the unfortunate but predictable result of years of mismanagement is hospital closures," said Senate Republican Leader Trey Stewart, R-Aroostook. "This trend will only persist if Democrats stay in control and continue to fail the people of Maine."

"Democrats have squandered our tax dollars on special interest groups, out-of-state profiteers and noncitizens at the expense of critical needs, like healthcare, roads, bridges and families trying to survive their spending spree," said House Republican Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor. "Total Democrat control has led to hospital, nursing home and assisted living facility closures with no end in sight."

"Legislative Democrats acting as if they care about protecting our hospitals while opposing policies to ensure they are properly funded is pure election-year theater," said Assistant Senate Republican Leader Matt Harrington, R-York. "The Legislature has had multiple opportunities to address the root causes of this crisis. Unfortunately, the majority party has repeatedly chosen to spend Mainers' tax dollars on pet projects rather than ensure hospitals receive the funding they are owed."

"Maine is the oldest state in the country and needs to promote, not prevent, young families from living here," said Assistant House Republican Leader Katrina Smith, R-Palermo. "Democrats had no problem permanently giving taxpayer dollars to fund Planned Parenthood abortions at the expense of birthing centers and people trying to create and raise families."

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