Health care alliance meets at North Star

Wednesday at noon at the North Star Music Cafe, small business owners and representatives of the Maine People’s Alliance, part of Health Care for America Now, will release a new report showing that Maine’s for-profit, private health care system is causing skyrocketing premiums for both patients and employers, the alliance reported.
“The report shows how a handful of private health insurance companies have built a near-monopoly in the Maine market, burdening families and businesses with premiums that grew 5.4 times faster than wages from 2000 to 2007,” the alliance reported.
Spakers include Ali Vander Zanden, Health Care Organizer for the Maine People’s Alliance; Dean Powers, small business organizer for the Maine People’s Alliance; Carson Lynch, owner of the Gorham Grind; Melanie Collins, nurse and small business owner; and other small business owners, who will be available for comments.
North Star Music Cafe is located at 225 Congress St.
Health Care for America Now is a national grassroots campaign of more than 1000 organizations representing more than 30 million people “dedicated to winning quality, affordable health care we all can count on in 2009,” the group reported. “Health Care for America Now and its principles for reform are supported by President Obama and more than 190 members of Congress.”