Like the rest of the country, the pandemic hit Maine hard — in more ways than one. Not only did it highlight the need for access to high-quality health care, but it also caused the most significant economic hardship our state’s families and businesses have seen in years.

Our health care system must be improved, but Mainers should not face increased costs for a government-controlled “public option” system that may also decrease access to care.

Unfortunately, the evidence shows that the “Medicare-X” legislation proposed by politicians in Washington would do just that. Recent studies have found that public option systems similar to this proposal could increase the federal deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars and raise taxes on families by several thousand dollars. With so many families and businesses facing new financial difficulties after an economically bruising year, additional expenses are the last thing Mainers can afford.

A new government-controlled health insurance system like the Medicare-X plan could also decrease access to health care for many residents of rural Maine, creating the opposite of its intended effect. Research finds that because of the potential for revenue losses of more than 40% under a system like this, local hospitals and health care providers could see increased financial strain. This in turn would lead to a decrease in access to care, especially in rural areas, meaning patients would have to travel longer distances to receive medical care.

We can do better than a one-size-fits-all health insurance system controlled by politicians that would increase financial burdens and decrease access to care for hardworking Mainers. I urge Maine’s lawmakers in Washington to instead focus on how private coverage and existing public programs like Medicare and Medicaid can work together to increase access to high-quality, affordable health care.

John Picchiotti

Fairfield