AUGUSTA - On Thursday, the Maine Legislature advanced LD 1161, sponsored by Rep. Michael Brennan, D-Portland, which would provide funding for Maine's six free health clinics, including the Portland Community Free Clinic.
Free health clinics, often run by volunteer medical professionals, provide health care services including primary, dental and specialty care at little or no cost to uninsured adults. LD 1161 would provide $500,000 in funding over the next two years to support these clinics.
"Maine's free clinics are a very efficient means of providing health care to a population that really needs it, and whose needs and numbers have grown due to the pandemic," said Brennan. "In my community, the Portland Community Free Clinic provides extremely cost-effective primary care for hundreds of Mainers. It runs largely on volunteers and donations and has a very small annual budget to cover the salary of the staff who provide case management, volunteer coordination and other essential services."
According to a 2022 survey conducted by Consumers for Affordable Healthcare, rising health care costs, including those for prescription drugs, have caused more than one in three residents to skip or delay going to the doctor when sick.
"Without free health clinics, those who do not have health insurance either because they cannot afford it or are not offered it through their jobs would be left without the care they need to maintain their health," said Brennan.
The bill will receive further funding consideration by the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee in the coming days.
Brennan is serving his third consecutive term in the Maine House, having previously served four terms in the House and three in the Senate. He represents House District 115, which includes a portion of Portland, and serves as House chair of the Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Brennan], 305-965-2744