On February 2, Dr. Geoff Gratwick, a former state senator from Bangor and prior chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, gave the first of a series of six talks sponsored by HealthCare for All Maine at Lunch and Learn conference for Maine legislators. The series is focused on “Improving Health Care in Maine: What Can We Do?”
The key points of Gratwick’s talk: The U.S. health care delivery system is sick – it is focused on profit, not patients. It is too expensive, wasteful, and confusing for patients and providers alike.
Maine spends 23-25% of its total state economic product on health care, the U.S. 18% and Canada and the E.U. 10-12%. The U.S. ranks somewhere between 21st and 35th in terms of population health.
“We are not getting our money’s worth,” said Dr. Gratwick. “And the obstacles to change are political, not economic or medical.”
View a copy of the 2-page handout accompanying Dr. Gratwick’s talk HERE.
The next Lunch and Learn is scheduled for Thursday, February 9, from 12-1 pm in the Legislative Council Chamber, Room 334 of the Maine State House. Dr. Henk Goorhuis will speak about the impacts of our health care system on businesses and municipalities.
For more information, please contact us at healthcareforallmaine@gmail.com
Healthcare for All Maine 