Maine group launches campaign to put universal health care on the ballot

With many Mainers going without health insurance and an unemployment crisis throwing even more off their plans during a pandemic, a health care advocacy group is launching an effort to gather signatures for a 2022 ballot initiative directing the legislature to establish a universal, publicly-funded health care system that will cover everyone in the state.

The initiative is being put forward by Maine Health Care Action, a campaign launched by the organization Maine AllCare. A summary of the ballot measure says it would direct state lawmakers to “develop legislation to establish a system of universal health care coverage in the State,” calling for “the joint standing committee to report out a bill to the Legislature to implement, by 2024, its proposal.”

Abbie Ryder, campaign manager for Maine Health Care Action, said the group will begin gathering signatures in January for the ballot initiative. A little over 63,000 signatures are needed to put the issue before the voters. But Ryder said the goal is to gather 80,000 given that some signatures will likely be deemed invalid.

She said once the group starts collecting signatures, they have 12 months to gather the necessary amount. If they do, the initiative will be placed on the November 2022 ballot.

Read more: https://mainebeacon.com/maine-group-launches-campaign-to-put-universal-health-care-on-the-ballot/