There has been quite a lot of verbal ping pong, much of it played out on the pages of the Sun Journal, about whether Medicaid should be called “welfare,” or not. What possible difference does that make to the lives of people who would or would not have access to life-saving health care depending on […]
MaineCare
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage to visit CMMC at 2 p.m. today to pay MaineCare debt
LEWISTON — Gov. Paul LePage will visit Central Maine Medical Center at 2 p.m. Wednesday to deliver the news that the state is making good on a $183 million debt it has owed the state’s 39 hospitals beginning in 2009. The state payment for past services provided under MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid system, will trigger […]
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Posted inMaine
Maine Democrats and LePage renew debate over Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA — Leaders in the Legislature’s Democratic majority renewed calls Tuesday to expand the MaineCare system to cover an additional 70,000 people, including childless adults and veterans who have non-service-related medical issues not covered by the Veterans Affairs Administration. House Speaker Mark Eves, D-North Berwick, disputed Republican claims that accepting federal funds under the Affordable […]
Posted inOur View
Ride system: State’s contract leaves few options
Legislators had a dramatic demonstration Wednesday of the state’s new transportation system for MaineCare clients. Rep. Matt Peterson, D-Rumford, picked up his cell phone during a legislative committee hearing and dialed the number provided to some MaineCare recipients. As Peterson held his cell phone to the microphone, the number rang once and a recorded voice […]
Posted inFranklin, The Franklin Journal
Board considering expansion of day-treatment program
FARMINGTON — RSU 9 school directors are considering a request to expand the day-treatment program at the high school to allow two middle school students to be served. If the district is not able to serve the students locally, they would need to be sent out of district at a cost of more than $70,000. […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine House OKs extending drug treatment coverage
AUGUSTA — The Maine House has approved a bill to extend MaineCare coverage for certain drug addiction treatments to more than two years. The House gave final approval to the bill Wednesday. It allows for the continuation of MaineCare coverage for methadone and Suboxone if a person is pregnant, has serious and persistent mental illness […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
GOP lawmaker proposes adding $75M to Medicaid expansion for disabled
AUGUSTA — A Republican representative’s proposal to provide services to hundreds of people with disabilities on waiting lists would add a $75-million-a-year price tag to a bill that would expand Maine’s Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act. Rep. Deborah Sanderson of Chelsea said Tuesday she plans to attach two amendments to the Medicaid […]
Posted inOur View
Governor should extend Medicaid to more Mainers
Our governor has a short fuse, and his anger toward Barack Obama was on display Monday in Washington when he pledged to do whatever he can to kill ObamaCare in Maine. But Gov. Paul LePage’s political differences with the president should not prevent 65,000 Mainers from receiving basic health care coverage at no additional cost […]
Posted inLetters
L. Grandmaison: Throwing elderly into the streets
My sister-in-law is 81 years old and in an assisted living facility. Being a nun, she has served others ever since joining the order of Sisters of St. Joseph’s in her teens. Nuns take the vow of poverty, never allowed to have many possessions or money. Under the letter that residents received, they cannot leave […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, River Valley, The Franklin Journal
Changes to local transportation services discussed at community network meeting
RUMFORD – The community relations director of Western Maine Transportation told the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition on Wednesday that starting June 1 a nonprofit firm will take over arranging rides for MaineCare clients. Craig Zurhorst, speaking at the Rumford Public Library, said Western Maine Transportation will turn to Coordinated Transportation Solutions, a nonprofit organization, […]