The people of Waldo County are lucky to have excellent representation in Augusta. On behalf of the entire Coastal Healthcare Alliance Board of Trustees, I thank Senate President Michael Thibodeau, for recently sponsored legislation that reduces the regulatory burden on hospitals seeking to become more efficient through the alignment of governance and service structures. Our hospitals experienced the unnecessary delays, cost and burden that the Certificate of Need law placed on us when we sought to develop better alignment between Waldo County General Hospital and Pen Bay Medical Center. Sen. Thibodeau saw an opportunity to address this undue burden, and he stepped up to lead a successful, bipartisan effort to clarify the law.

In this time of extreme partisanship, Waldo County should be proud of the quiet, thoughtful and effective leader than we have in Sen. Thibodeau.

Mark Biscone is chief executive officer of Coastal Healthcare Alliance, Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital, and their related practices and operations.