AUGUSTA- Gov. John Baldacci’s supplemental budget package came under a new round of criticism Friday as legislative committees issued their analyses of its provisions.

After reviewing major elements of the 2005 budget-balancing plan, the Health and Human Services Committee registered opposition to at least $40 million in proposed savings steps, according to an initial count by legislative aides.

Members of the Health and Human Services panel were the first group of lawmakers to appear before the budget-writing Appropriations Committee to outline their views.

Other committee reports followed. A Taxation Committee report is not expected until next week.

The Baldacci administration has estimated a Medicaid shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year at $128 million and proposed a benefit redesign package to help cover the gap through June 2005.

The supplemental budget package would eliminate Medicaid coverage for a variety of services for adults, including: dental services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and hearing services, social worker and attendant services, prosthetics and rehabilitative brain injury services.

On Friday, the Health and Human Services Committee came out unanimously against big pieces of the governor’s package, including $5.8 million to be generated by changes in reimbursement to nursing facilities.

Panelists, backed by former state supreme court Chief Justice Daniel Wathen, also warned against cuts that could counter efforts to comply with a court order seeking improvements within the state mental health system.

Appropriations Committee members were also awaiting some late changes to the governor’s package.

As part of the supplemental budget package, the governor has proposed repaying $10 million to a retiree health insurance fund and spending about $22 million on a variety of departments and programs, including a $9 million hike in general purpose aid for education.

Hundreds of handicapped people turned out Monday for a hearing at the Augusta Civic Center to protest program cuts.

Maine’s Medicaid program, known as MaineCare, serves 250,000 people through 7,000 providers in the state.

According to an Appropriations Committee staff analysis, the Baldacci proposal would deappropriate $73.1 million in fiscal 2005 for a number of MaineCare program areas to help offset the looming shortfall.

Potentially affecting the Department of Human Services, the package relies on $22.9 million from reductions in services for MaineCare-eligible adults, $23.1 million from an expansion in the hospital tax, $14.4 million from savings in MaineCare and elderly prescription drug programs, and a $5.8 million cut in budgeted payments to nursing homes, according to the analysis.

The analysis also pegged proposed deappropriations for the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services at $16.1 million for fiscal 2005, with cost-saving measures including the establishment of rate caps for certain services.

AP-ES-03-19-04 1639EST

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