AUGUSTA — Governor John Baldacci and several Democratic legislators gathered recently to celebrate newly enacted laws they say will improve cost, quality and access to health care in Maine, but some Republicans argue that the real story is about the legislation that failed.

Among the achievements cited by the Governor were 14 bills sponsored by Democrats, ranging from transparency laws for hospitals to a stable funding mechanism for the Dirigo Health state-subsidized insurance program.

There are some health care bills that were carried over until the next session, including one that would create a single-payer health care system, and another that calls for a feasibility study of creating a single-payer system.

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