Partners
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Warren Kessler
Setting the Stage for a Solid Start
Imagine walking into a meeting with fifteen strangers where a prominent public official hands you a check for $82 million and tells you to use the funds wisely to address one of Maine’s most vexing issues.
Warren Kessler, retired CEO of MaineGeneral, vividly remembers that day ten years ago when Maine’s Attorney General called the first meeting of the Maine Health Access Foundation’s Board of Trustees. “There were fifteen brilliant leaders, and it was my job to get them into a cohesive group,” Kessler, who served as the founding Board Chair, recalls
He was mindful that while $82 million is a lot of money, it represented only one-tenth of 1% of all health care spending in Maine. Kessler understood the importance of using the endowment responsibly, “so we had to agree on priorities.” The Trustees agreed it was imperative to make wise investments as opposed to plugging holes
In the first year, Kessler recalled, the Board started out addressing obvious needs. “One was dental health care, which has shown up again and again as one of MeHAF’s priorities.” The Foundation also supported greater access to primary care through Maine’s network of community health centers.
Kessler cites more groundbreaking contributions such as investing in structured, systematic free care programs for low-income, uninsured Maine people. One program, CarePartners, has repeatedly demonstrated that providing guidance and answers to those who need help navigating a complex system will eventually reduce costs and emergency room use. As a founder of CarePartners, Kessler had to recuse himself from funding decisions but notes, "That population now uses services a lot like privately insured people do, whereas previously they had higher use of medical care and resources."
"THERE WERE FIFTEEN BRILLIANT LEADERS, AND IT WAS MY JOB TO GET THEM INTO A COHESIVE GROUP."
HealthInfoNet is another far reaching investment that Kessler values. "The health data system has made a significant difference and has the potential for changing the face of medicine in Maine. We are recognized as a leader in the nation in health information technology right now."
From the start, the Board encouraged the Foundation to also be a leader in its approach to philanthropy. "MeHAF has required grantees to work with other organizations… That has caused a change in behavior over time. For example, the three major health systems in the state have formed an organization to work together, and that had never happened before."
Kessler is quick to point out that all of MeHAF’s grant dollars are generated from the investment earnings of that original $82 million. Even during challenging economic times, he’s proud that careful stewardship enabled the Foundation to keep its commitments steady.
MeHAF’s ability to set priorities to guide the best minds in health care is what it takes to “work on quality issues, and deal with the cost of health care.” Warren Kessler is confident these strengths will give MeHAF what it needs to guide Maine through health care reform in the next decade.