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By Diana Bowley, Of the NEWS Staff - GREENVILLE - A health care reform initiative quickly making its way through the legislative process would have a detrimental impact upon Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital and that impact would trickle down to all sectors of the community, selectmen were told Wednesday.In his proposed Dirigo Health Care plan, Gov. John Baldacci wants to contain hospital costs and use the savings to provide health coverage for all residents. But that plan could have the potential of closing Maine's smallest hospital, Geno Murray, Dean's interim president, told the board. Primary care may be protected but it doesn't say the local hospital will not close, he said. What scares Murray and other hospital officials throughout the state is that the plan is being hustled through the legislative process without a clear understanding of its results. Greenville Town Manager John Simko and others say the plan would not work in rural parts of the state that need access to the same basic hospital resources as do people in larger communities like Portland and Bangor. The board was told that both Rep. Earl Richardson, R-Greenville, and Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, oppose the proposed plan. Selectmen on Wednesday agreed to send a letter addressed to the governor outlining their concerns and those of Dr. Steven Pound, Union 60 superintendent; Luke Muzzy, chairman of the Moosehead Development Council; and Murray. |