Maine lawmakers moved closer to enacting one of the nation's most far-reaching health insurance plans Thursday, burnishing the state's reputation as a pioneer in expanding access to medical care.
Both the state House and Senate gave the bill preliminary approval.
Final approval could come by Friday, and first-year Democratic Gov. John Baldacci has already endorsed the plan, which would create a quasi-public agency to help people secure medical coverage through private insurers.
"This is the only state in the country that has a clear plan, funded to provide universal health care in five years," state Sen. Michael Brennan said.
"Maine is way out front on this stuff," agreed Arthur Levin, director of the New York-based Center for Medical Consumers. "In the absence of the feds not moving in the right direction, it falls to the states to pick up the pieces."
Under the Dirigo Health plan, all 180,000 people in Maine who cannot otherwise afford coverage would have access to it by the year 2009. Dirigo, the state motto, is Latin for "I lead."
Listening, Democrats?