In the Sun Journal Perspective section, there was a guest column about “Maine’s Medicaid ‘Obesity Problem'” (Jan. 25). Unfortunately, it was an article full of dire predictions and inaccuracies. There were very few facts in this article, which was written by Sens. Ken Blais and Chandler Woodcock and Reps. Darlene Curley and Lois Snowe-Mello.

One repeated “fact” was the “$200 million Medicaid problem.” There is no reference or proof that this number is what Medicaid costs, or if that’s what they even mean.

Another idea in that article is that Gov. Baldacci is set to expand Medicaid by 78,000 adults in July. There are no other facts. The authors are trying to scare the average Maine resident with these numbers. In July 2004, the Dirigo Health plan will begin. This is not Medicaid. This is low-cost health insurance for working Maine families who do not qualify for Medicaid and do not have medical insurance.

It’s time we woke up and forced our legislators to be honest, not to rely on scare tactics to get what they and their contributors want. In my opinion, if they really feel this way, why didn’t they present a possible solution?

That column was very poorly done and not worthy of our legislators. It was simply an attack on Gov. Baldacci. Shame on them, I expected better.

Julia Simpson, Auburn