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Two articles on the front page of the July 2 Bangor Daily News are very alarming! Northern Light Health, which owns and operates most of the hospitals in this area of Maine, has to reduce their staff, in order to deal with their growing indebtedness. The system lost $156 million in 2024, which increased its total debt to $617 million. Although they closed their Waterville hospital in June, Northern Light Health says the present cost savings plan does not include any hospital closings.
The second article informs us that President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” with its Medicaid cuts, passed the Senate and was likely to pass the House. It also states ‘Two recent studies found that its Medicaid cuts would put the Calais, Presque Isle, Caribou and Ellsworth hospitals in danger of closing.”
This “Big, Beautiful Bill” could destroy much of our area’s health system and put the lives of many people in great danger.
Donald M. Kimmelman
Blue Hill
