Pingree Urges MaineHealth to Preserve Labor and Delivery Services at Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) is urging MaineHealth to preserve labor and delivery services at Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, warning that closing the unit would have far-reaching consequences for families, health care workers, and communities throughout the Midcoast. In a letter to MaineHealth President and CEO Dr. Andy Mueller and Lincoln Hospital President Cindy McCarthy, Pingree acknowledged the challenges facing rural hospitals, while encouraging them to do everything in their power to keep the unit open. "Lincoln Hospital has a long history of providing safe and quality care to maternity patients," Pingree wrote. "I sincerely appreciate that there are structural challenges to the continued delivery of that care, but the consequences of a closure—on patients, hospital staff, and the surrounding towns—could be devastating. I urge you to explore every possible avenue to preserve access to labor and delivery services in Damariscotta." She also raised broader concerns about the steady decline of maternity care across Maine, noting that the state has lost 10 birthing units over the past decade, while warning that continued closures could jeopardize the ability of families to live and raise children in rural Maine. Maine has lost 10 of its 23 hospital-based labor and delivery units over the past decade. Nationally, a 2024 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 52.4% of rural hospitals no longer offered obstetric care in 2022, contributing to growing maternity care deserts across the country. In the U.S., maternal mortality remains far higher than in most other high-income countries, with persistent racial and geographic disparities in outcomes. Pingree acknowledged that addressing the crisis will require stronger federal support for rural health care—including protecting Medicaid, expanding the rural health care workforce, and improving reimbursement rates. She pledged to continue advocating for those priorities in Congress, while working with Maine providers to preserve access to maternity care. On Saturday , dozens of community members, health care providers, patients, and local leaders gathered outside the MaineHealth headquarters in Portland to raise awareness about the impacts of the closure. The MaineHealth Board of Trustees is expected to vote on the proposal this week. The full text of Pingree's letter is available here and copied below. +++ Dear Dr. Mueller and Ms. McCarthy, I understand that MaineHealth is currently deliberating over the future of labor and delivery services at MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital. As that process continues, I’m writing to echo the deep concerns I’ve heard from constituents about the potential impact that closing the unit would have on families and communities across the Midcoast. Lincoln Hospital has a long history of providing safe and quality care to maternity patients, guiding new parents through all kinds of childbirth experiences. I sincerely appreciate that there are structural challenges to the continued delivery of that care, but the consequences of a closure – on patients, hospital staff, and the surrounding towns – could be devastating. I urge you to explore every possible avenue to preserve access to labor and delivery services in Damariscotta. Beyond the specific circumstances at Lincoln Hospital, I fear the continued erosion of maternity care access statewide. I delivered all three of my children at hospitals in the Midcoast that no longer provide labor and delivery care. In total, Maine has lost 10 birthing units in just the past decade. We must decide to draw a line somewhere, or risk sending the message that you cannot raise a family in Maine outside of our biggest cities. Rural maternity care that is truly sustainable will require substantial policy change – from restoring the historic cuts to Medicaid in President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, to training more providers across rural settings, to boosting reimbursement rates. I’m committed to advocating for that change on the federal level, and I welcome your continued partnership in that fight. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Chellie Pingree Member of Congress ###