As legislators comb through Gov. Paul LePage’s proposed budget, they are discovering more cuts that he didn’t advertise in his budget address. Some of these cuts significantly affect low-income senior citizens and disabled people on Medicare.

Currently, Maine has a program that helps low-income Medicare patients pay for their part B and D premiums and their medications. There is also a Low Cost Drugs for the Elderly program. That program is paid for, in part, by funds from fees on gambling and money from the tobacco settlement fund. It has a 2:1 federal match. The proposed LePage budget cuts would affect 44,000 of Maine’s elderly and would result in a loss of $33 million in federal matching funds.

The LePage budget not only cuts programs for low-income senior citizens and disabled people, it also scapegoats the teachers, firefighters and state workers. What is there in return? Tax cuts for the wealthiest.

Cutting health care resources for the most vulnerable people is wrong. I don’t want to see thousands of low-income senior citizens and disabled people pushed off this program. Too many people already have to make difficult choices to pay for health care and medications. Choosing among rent, utilities, food and health care can be challenging.

What will happen if  thousands of low-income senior citizens and disabled people are added into the pool of people who can no longer afford health care? Not only will there be a lower quality of life, but long-term costs will increase.

Heidi Brooks, Lewiston