LEWISTON — The Department of Health and Human Services has scheduled a 1 p.m. news conference Friday to present findings of the so-called Alexander report. Gary Alexander, who has been contracted by DHHS to study Maine’s welfare programs, will also attend to present his “Feasibility of Medicaid Expansion in Maine under the Affordable Care Act” […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine lawmakers to discuss MaineCare rides bills
AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine lawmakers are beginning to consider measures to overhaul the state’s MaineCare transportation rides system. The Department of Health and Human Services is taking public testimony on two measures Thursday introduced in light of problems in the current program that provides rides to appointments for MaineCare patients. Maine’s Office of MaineCare Services […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage defies Maine AG on releasing report; tells AG: ‘Sue me’
Our View: LePage won’t let public see costly report AUGUSTA — In a letter to Republican Gov. Paul LePage, the state’s top law enforcement officer demanded he follow the law and release copies of a publicly funded study of the state’s welfare system. Maine Attorney General Janet Mills on Wednesday sent LePage a terse letter regarding […]
Posted inMaine
LePage administration withholds consultant’s report on welfare reform
AUGUSTA — State officials are continuing to deny access to a publicly funded study examining Maine’s welfare system, including the possible impacts of a Medicaid expansion here. The study, commissioned on a no-bid contract for $925,200 by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, is being completed by a Rhode Island-based consulting company, the […]
Posted inMaine
DHHS kept critical internal CDC review to itself
An internal review last spring by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services uncovered some of the very same problems at the Maine Center for Disease Control that were flagged last week in a state investigation. But that internal review — released this week by DHHS in response to a Sun Journal Freedom of […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage plans deeper investigation into EBT card fraud
AUGUSTA — Using existing resources within the Department of Health and Human Services, Gov. Paul LePage will launch an investigation into potential fraud of EBT cards. Speaking to State House reporters on Thursday, LePage said that initial conversations with DHHS officials and law enforcement have shown him the problem is “far bigger than I would […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Auburn woman struggles as MaineCare ride problems continue
Laurie Thomas had to see her doctor. The 51-year-old diabetic and recent amputee was battling an infection on one foot and was concerned about a cut on her other leg. She had regular medical appointments and her doctor was taking care of her. She just had to get to him. So earlier this week she […]
Posted inOur View
Ideology guides hiring at DHHS while chaos reigns
Please hop aboard the way-back machine for a short trip. It’s August 2011, and Paul LePage has been governor for seven months. After experiencing difficulty finding a director of Health and Human Services, the governor appoints Mary Mayhew, a former lobbyist for the Maine Hospital Association. Some people voice concern that she has had no […]
Posted inMaine
Maine Republicans defend $1 million no-bid welfare review contract
AUGUSTA — Republicans on the Legislature’s budget-writing Appropriations Committee on Thursday defended a controversial no-bid, $1 million contract with a Rhode Island company to study and issue an analysis of Maine’s welfare programs. The contract, issued to the Alexander Group, the group’s CEO, Gary Alexander, and Republican Gov. Paul LePage have come under withering criticism […]
Posted inMaine
Advocates say Riverview fix not working
AUGUSTA — A former chief justice for Maine’s high court told lawmakers Tuesday a bill they passed to resolve safety and funding problems at the state-run Riverview Psychiatric Center did not work. The bill, LD 1515, passed during an emergency session in August and signed by Republican Gov. Paul LePage, expanded the capacity of a […]