How is it possible that so many ignorant people have gravitated to the Republican Party? On April 11, the Maine Senate failed to override the governor’s veto of a bipartisan bill to expand Medicaid coverage for 70,000 low-income Mainers. Only Republicans lined up to give ill-informed reasons why that’s a good idea. Gov. LePage said […]
Medicaid
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State Senate sustains LePage’s veto of Medicaid expansion for third time
AUGUSTA — The Maine Legislature failed on Friday in its third attempt to overturn Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill that would expand Medicaid coverage to 70,000 low-income residents under the federal health care law — an issue that’s certain to play prominently in this year’s governor’s race. The 22-13 vote in the Senate was […]
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Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
LePage vetoes Medicaid expansion, says it would be ‘ruinous’
AUGUSTA, Maine — As expected, Gov. Paul LePage on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would expand Medicaid coverage to roughly 70,000 low-income Mainers and dramatically overhaul the administration of the program by outsourcing it to managed care organizations. The Legislature gave final enactment to the bill on March 28, starting a countdown for LePage to […]
Posted inLocal & State
GOP unlikely to back Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA — An early-morning fix Wednesday to the state’s 2015 budget shortfall, which included a way to drastically reduce the numbers on a state waiting list for Medicaid coverage, may have little effect on the ongoing debate about whether Maine should expand MaineCare, its low-income health care program. Republican Gov. Paul LePage on Wednesday afternoon […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Lawmakers vote to bridge $30 million deficit, end ‘wait lists’ just before dawn
AUGUSTA — In a unanimous vote early Wednesday, state lawmakers approved a funding plan to end controversial “wait lists” that have prevented Mainers with developmental disabilities from receiving medical and other support services, in some cases for over two years. This decision was one of dozens of unanimous votes made by the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine Medicaid expansion bill passes in Senate, goes to LePage
AUGUSTA — All eyes are on Republican Gov. Paul LePage after the state Senate on Friday granted final passage to a bill that would expand the state’s Medicaid program to roughly 70,000 low-income Mainers under the auspices of the federal Affordable Care Act. The Senate voted without a roll call or debate to enact the […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Troubled Maine transport company paid extra $1.2M last month
PORTLAND (AP) — A state lawmaker is demanding answers after a company under fire for its poor performance in providing non-emergency rides to Maine Medicaid patients was paid an extra $1.2 million last month. State Rep. Drew Gattine said he noticed that Connecticut-based Coordinated Transportation Solutions was paid $3.3 million in February while in previous […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine House passes Medicaid expansion without the votes to survive veto
AUGUSTA — Maine’s Democratic-led House gave initial approval Tuesday to a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income residents under the federal health care law, but the bill crafted by two moderate Republican senators will need to garner more support in both chambers to survive a future veto from Republican Gov. Paul LePage. The proposal, […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine House takes up struggling Medicaid expansion bill
AUGUSTA — About a week after it passed the Senate, but with less than the two-thirds support needed to muscle past a certain gubernatorial veto, the Maine House of Representatives on Tuesday will consider a bill aimed at expanding Medicaid to more than 70,000 low-income Mainers as part of the federal Affordable Care Act. The […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
LePage, Democrats blame each other for hold-up of voter-approved bonds
AUGUSTA — Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Paul LePage traded barbs Thursday about who’s to blame for the hold-up of voter-approved bonds. LePage has refused to issue the bonds until the Legislature replenishes the state’s budget stabilization fund, which lawmakers from both parties agreed to use $21 million from last month as part of a measure […]