Dirigo Health

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The Dirigo Health Agency (sometimes known simply as Dirigo Health) is a government agency run by the state of Maine in the United States. It oversees the state's subsidized health insurance program, DirigoChoice. The program was launched in 2005, and takes its name from the state motto of Maine, Dirigo, which is a Latin phrase meaning "I Lead."

Dirigo Health was created as part of Maine Public Law 469, also known as the Dirigo Health Reform Act. It was originally presented to the Maine Legislature by Governor John Baldacci in May 2003 and became law in June 2003. The law is a comprehensive reform of the state's health care system, addressing cost, quality and access. Along with DirigoChoice, it created the Maine Quality Forum, a state health plan and put forth measures to reduce the growth of health care costs in Maine, including asking hospitals to voluntarily cap their annual cost increases at 3% per year and their operating margins at 3.5% per year. The law further expanded Medicaid program in the state.

DirigoChoice is a subsidized health insurance program available to Maine businesses with fewer than 50 employees, the self-employed, and other individuals. The program is funded through a one-time grant of $53 million from the state, employer and employee contributions, Medicaid payments, and an ongoing assessment on insurance entities known as the "Savings Offset Payment" (SOP) based on savings attributable to the operations of Dirigo.

In 2002, it was estimated that over 100,000 Maine residents were uninsured. Almost 80% of enrollees have family incomes below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. 700 small employers were enrolled in DirigoChoice, representing 2.5% of the firms that are eligible. The primary barrier for very small employers appears to be price. The revenues for the program have been lower than expected, creating political pressure to find other funding sources.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care became the insurance carrier for DirigoChoice effective January 1, 2008.

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