Copyright Bangor Daily News
Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com I’ve been watching the back-and-forth for what seems like months between Northern Light Health and Anthem. From everything I’ve seen, Anthem seems to be holding the line on affordability, while Northern Light Health executives dig in their heels, demanding Anthem’s customers pay the price for the hospital’s continued financial bungling. As the Bangor Daily News laid out in a story on Oct. 14, the mismanagement has gotten so bad that even a local nonprofit has had enough and is exploring ending its relationship with Northern Light and operating independently. It’s long past time for Northern Light to stop creating health care uncertainty for Mainers. Thousands of us depend on both Northern Light and Anthem for access to doctors and care, and the longer Northern Light drags this fight on, in what seems to be an effort to force patients to make up for the hospital system’s self-inflicted problems, the more anxiety is being created in our community. I urge Northern Light to come to the table in good faith, hash out an agreement, and stop putting our access to health care in jeopardy. Robert Leathers Brewer
