FARMINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jared Golden held a town hall-style meeting at Franklin Memorial Hospital Tuesday evening, discussing ways to improve Mainers’ access to health care and some recent developments in Washington D.C.
The Farmington meeting was the first for Golden, who said he wanted to hold a series of meetings across the 2nd Congressional District on different subjects. More than 50 people attended, asking the congressman questions as their names were pulled out of a fishbowl by Tom Saviello, who helped moderate the meeting. Dawn Caron, a nurse at Eastern Maine Medical Center, spoke briefly prior to Golden, saying that the number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States was out-of-pocket health care costs and that more had to be done to provide access to affordable care.
Golden outlined three elements he said were necessary for an efficient health care system: universal coverage for all citizens; access to primary, preventative care, particularly in rural parts of the country; and a more streamlined billing and payment system. While the United States spends more than any other industrialized nation on health care, Golden said, it lagged significantly behind in terms of efficiency.
“Everyone is looking to get paid. Nobody is looking out for the person at the center of it, which is the patient,” Golden said.
Ideas Golden discussed included opening up access to Medicare to more people, including potentially lowering the minimum age from 65 down to 50. He recalled meeting with mill workers in Rumford that told him they were ready to retire but couldn’t until they could qualify for Medicare. Allowing people to buy into Medicare at a younger age would also benefit younger people that might be waiting to step into those positions, Golden said.
In response to a question about protecting rural hospitals like FMH, Golden said that providing people with the means to access to preventative care was essential. When people couldn’t see a primary care physician, they would wait until the health issue became critical, Golden said. At that point, they would go to the hospital and be treated as a charitable care case. In many cases those costs would be eaten by the hospital, Golden said.
He said he supported allowing the purchase of prescription drugs from Canada as a “commonsense” way to give less-expensive options to Mainers that couldn’t afford medication. Along a similar vein, Golden sponsored HR 1188, the FLAT Prices Act, which would reduce the exclusionary period available to pharmaceutical companies after they introduce a new drug, depending on the price increase during what Golden termed an effective monopoly. Golden said that seniors and people on fixed incomes were being forced to reduce dosages of medication in order to stretch their coverage to the end of the year.
“There are basic essentials in life,” Golden said, “and one of them is health care.”
In response to another question, Golden said he was opposed to the concept of block grants – part of President Donald Trump’s proposed budget that would allow states to covert to a set amount of federal funding rather than meeting Medicaid’s currently, open-ended commitment. Golden said he was particularly worried about the impact on people in nursing homes and the developmentally disabled if access became limited.
Excellent discussion of what concerns many Mainers.
October 2018…… Where is Farmington? Why go there?
November 2019…..better get over to the Governor’s hometown for a heart to heart with the residents.
@Farmingtonite, you should know, Rep. Golden actually was enrolled at UMF before he dropped out and joined the Marines in 2002. So he knows where Farmington is.
Wow, how refreshing to hear an honest discussion on our heathcare an issue that prior representatives told us that competition alone would correct which is what I call lip service. Good work Jared!
You mean to tell me he didn’t go hide in a bathroom when questioned?! Indeed, a refreshing change of pace of what we’ve had in the past. Thank you Rep. Golden.
You ought to better attention, Farmingtonite. Golden held a town meeting here in late September. He had a campaign office here, and campaigned door-to-door here.
A very refreshing change over the previous so-called representative.
I was very impressed with his knowledge on a variety of issues and his commitment to work across party lines for the betterment on the people not the party.
Mr Golden hasn’t DONE anything yet folks…
Except “talk”.
Let’s hope he isn’t just a politician with a different look,,,talk talk talk.
Despite the gushing POLIQUIN hate here,, need I point out that time will be the only thing to tell us what this one really is. Sorry….
I didn’t care for the last one, I hope this one is better.
@Goo … There’s way too much of that tomfoolery around here and it doesn’t work. In hindsight: doesn’t even exist yet. I support U.S. Vets in public office over bankers any day. Golden knows what it means to serve others. Of course, anyone serving too long will eventually be susceptible to all the lobby and party temptations that corrupt good policy making but when it’s so obvious that even loyal defensive voices can’t cover it up then, bye bye. In my brief observation, Golden is a new politician holding open public forums to listen to the people that he represents. Exactly what he said he would do if elected. It seems that he is about listening to everyone and doing what is right before taking action. (Now please learn and understand the difference between holding an elected public servant accountable for their personal decisions and actual hateful comments. This goes for everyone) Making non violent but obviously snarky comments about anyone who has a history of public office and decision making that had negative effects on those that they represents okay to point out if you can back it up with proof. This is why we have free speech. Your comment included even if it is not very well considered. Back to constitutionally protected political criticism which is not same a hate by making threats or vulgar immaturity. or aggressive demeaning of groups of people… Did you ever “attend” one of Poliquin’s “phone town meetings”? Talk about not bothering to visit ME. They were a useless waste of time prerecorded self promoting speech bait that intentionally limited phone audience participation. Talk about out of touch and intentionally limiting interaction with constituents. Poliquin was not open to answering questions about his voting record on things that hurt Maine. He is now just another public office made millionaire after serving us. Sorry but R or D or I in front of your name means nothing to me. The person who chooses to truly represent us or chooses to scare voters and self promote says it all. Reps who only meet with their party supporters in private says it all. I have even less respect and loyalty for any representative who holds office in our district but doesn’t even live in our district. I don’t think the comments above are hateful since they do not sound angry or call for violence or put negative connotations on groups of people.They only point out as I have the things that one formerly elected pubic representative actually did without a doubt. I’m not angry. When the time to replace what I saw as a problem came about I voted knowing that it might or might not happen. If you call this Hate then you really need to look up the word in a dicionary or read more current events about social hate groups and how they function. Do a little more reflecting on the source of your personal definitions. Seems that calling fact based criticism “hate” it a defensive buzz word used to spin and mask real hate.
Tyler- “You mean to tell me he didn’t go hide in a bathroom when questioned?” Happened, he even almost walked in to the ladies room and then walked out with earbuds on pretending not to hear anything. Kind of strange.
Marie E.- “A very refreshing change over the previous so-called representative.” Yup, a majority of us in this district feel the same way.
Goo… Let me know (if in your opinion) missed something in the comments that you were also referring to.
I for one and excited to see what Mr. Golden can do for us while in office. Let’s hope that in a year or two he holds true to the moral and ethical values that it takes to truly serve in public office.
Have nice day.
@samo,,
You guys DO realize that POLIQUIN is gone,,,right???
Talk about beating a Dead Horse,,,
But if it gets you guys thru the night,,, have at it, who cares.
One thing I will say about the fact that Mr Golden is a Marine Corp vet,, he should have a lot thicker skin than you.
He’s going to need it. Her will be fine.
Hey, the Maine Corp recruiting office is right down town if you want to develop some thicker hide,, they can help.
You sound hysterical and out of context.
I’m sure Mr Golden will handle his critics just fine.
I’m not even one of them.
All I said was,,time will tell.
I’m standing by that fair statement.
@No One Home do you remember when Poliquin fought for Mainers and helped New Balance stay open to outfit new recruits with American made sneakers ? Or when he helped with the bill so your pharmacist could offer you a cheaper version of prescription without penalty ? Good times good times !!!! Lol
Oh wow, excuse me sirs. I stand corrected, wow I better pay closer attention like you to the local hot air.