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September 18, 2017 Edition
Focus on Health Care & Wellness

As rural health care providers struggle, employers eye wider implications

Laurie Schreiber

The obstetric department at Calais Regional Hospital had 64 births in 2016, but needs close to 300 births per year to break even. It's a quick statistic that hints at a world of difficulty for health care providers trying to remain viable in rural Maine.

Today's Poll

Which of the 2026 election results will have the greatest impact on Maine's economy?
Poll Description

In 2026, Maine voters will have their say in four key elections.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is up for reelection for one of Maine's two Senate seats. (U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, will face reelection in 2030.) The November vote has added weight because Collins chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, a significant source of Maine's federal funding. 

In the House of Representatives, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, is not seeking reelection. The district includes northern and much of eastern Maine. And U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, is running for reelection. 

Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, will term out as governor. 

Individual Democrats and Republicans come and go, but the money elected officials control can be a major factor in Maine's economic prosperity. 

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