Maine has the distinction of being the oldest state in the nation based on the median age of its residents. The rapid aging of our citizenry has been accompanied by increases in rates of chronic disease, health care spending, and, in particular, the purchase of pharmaceuticals. This policy brief considers various strategies for promoting the health of aging Mainers with an emphasis on promising approaches that can be implemented with limited use of new resources through increased coordination and communication among providers and their consumers, enhanced integration of the health and human service networks, and reductions in health care service inefficiencies and duplication.

This is one in a series of policy briefs written for the 2009 Policy Leaders Academy Health Care Forum.