DIRIGO SAVINGS AT ISSUE:

The stakes are high for Maine insurance companies, businesses and the state-sponsored health insurance program as a deadline approaches to figure out the savings that can be attributed to the state’s Dirigo Health initiative.

Insurance companies are supposed to be assessed a fee to reflect the savings, and they can pass the cost of those fees on to employers. The fees will help fund the budget for the state-sponsored DirigoChoice insurance program.

With so many conflicting interests involved, consensus has been elusive. A 10-member group charged with developing a methodology for determining the savings recently issued two reports: one representing Dirigo Health interests; the other from the “payor” caucus of insurers and employers. The two sides disagree on how to measure things such as hospital operating margins, bad debt and charity care. The payor group further says the fee should apply to only 50 percent of the calculated savings from Dirigo Health.

The Dirigo Health board of directors must choose a methodology to present to the state Bureau of Insurance. The superintendent of insurance will then hold a public hearing on Oct. 27.

DirigoChoice is a private-public program created through legislation with hopes of providing access to health care coverage to 130,000 Mainers who lack it by offering coverage at discounted rates.