Healthcare professionals are calling for Paid Family Leave!

All nurses, doctors and health care professionals swear an oath to care for their patients by aiding them when they’re sick, alleviating pain where they can, and promoting good health. So it comes as no surprise that more and more Mainers in the healthcare sector are coming together to advocate for a robust Paid Family and Medical Leave program in Maine.

SIGN HERE: Healthcare Providers in Maine support Paid Family & Medical Leave

Healthcare professionals like Emma, a postpartum nurse in Portland, are making their voices heard. "It is devastating for me to watch my patients go back to work two weeks after a C-section, when the recovery time is six weeks," she said.

Registered Nurse Sadie Tirrell also shared her thoughts on the importance of having a strong PFML policy in Maine. "Paid Leave will be a crucial part of maintaining a healthy community, especially going forward with the aging population in Maine," she said.

Are you a healthcare professional? Make your voice heard by signing on to this letter calling for PFML!

Healthcare practitioners across the state have joined our call for Paid Family and Medical Leave in Maine. That’s because the data is clear: a strong PFML policy would allow patients to live a healthier life by helping them balance work with their healthcare needs and those of their family members.

No Mainer should be forced to choose between taking care of themselves or their loved ones and making ends meet. That’s why we need our legislators and the Governor to act by supporting the creation of a robust Paid Family and Medical Leave program in Maine this legislative session.Sign here to join our petition for Paid Family and Medical Leave if you are a healthcare professional in Maine!

New bill to increase teachers’ salaries

This month, Senator Pierce introduced a bill that would allow for a steady increase in teachers' salaries over the next five years.

Here in Maine, teachers’ salaries are the lowest of any New England state. Retirements and resignations are continuing at a steady pace because our teachers are unsupported and facing increased partisan attacks daily.

The bill would increase the minimum salary of teachers yearly starting in 2024 until it reaches $50,000 in 2028. After that, the salary will be multiplied with a cost-of-living adjustment each year to ensure that the minimum salary is fair.

Our teachers are the backbones of our communities. We trust them with our children – as their educators and with their well-being throughout the day. They are more than educators. They’re therapists and role models. They give so much of themselves, and it’s time they are paid what they deserve.

Join us in calling on the Legislature to pass this critical bill!

State Legislators Look To Reduce Out-Of-Pocket Prescription Drug Prices For Mainers.

Every year, Mainers across the state are forced to forgo their prescription drugs due to the cost. As we’ve reported in the past, over 200,000 Mainers have gone without care or prescribed medication due to the cost at some point.

To help address this concern, state lawmakers have worked to pass multiple pieces of legislation in previous sessions, including one to reduce prescription drug costs by using international pricing. That bill was signed into law by Governor Mills last year.

Now, Senator Joseph Baldacci has introduced LD 759: An Act to Reduce Out-of-pocket Prescription Drug Expenses for Coinsurance. The bill is cosponsored by Senators Donna Bailey, Colleen M. Madigan, Joseph Rafferty, Daniel Shagoury, and Michael Tipping.

LD 759 would reduce the maximum out-of-pocket limit for prescription drugs subject to coinsurance from $3,500 to $1,500 per year. The proposal would create a smaller financial hurdle for the hundreds of thousands of Mainers who rely on prescription medication to remain healthy.

Last month, the bill was referred to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services in the House. Lawmakers in that chamber will have to decide whether or not to approve the measure.

Mainers For Working Families believes that every single Mainer should have access to affordable healthcare. That means no one should have to go without prescription drugs due to cost. We look forward to seeing the passage of LD759 in the Maine Legislature this session.