AUGUSTA, Maine — A mental health counselor hand-delivered to lawmakers on Wednesday a petition with the signatures of nearly 9,000 people who oppose Gov. Paul LePage’s planned MaineCare cuts.
Jennifer Lunden, executive director of the Center for Creative Healing in Portland, gave the 917-page document to Rep. Pat Flood, R-Winthrop, co-chairman of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, before the panel’s meeting on the MaineCare proposal. Lunden launched the petition online on Dec. 22 and watched it skyrocket to 8,732 signatures after sending it to her friends and email contacts.
“The voices in this petition are being listened to,” she said in an interview.
Lunden started the petition through SignOn.org, a petition service sponsored through the national liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org.
Half of Lunden’s patients are insured by MaineCare and she has seen firsthand how the coverage stabilizes their lives and helps them become productive citizens despite diagnoses including post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction, she said.
“Most legislators would not make these devastating cuts if they knew the stories of the people who are going to be affected by them,” Lunden said.
LePage’s proposal to overhaul MaineCare is designed to close an estimated $220 million shortfall in the Department of Health and Human Services budget. He has called for tightening eligibility guidelines, eliminating services and repealing coverage for 65,000 recipients to bring MaineCare closer to national averages for public health benefits.
The Appropriations Committee didn’t discuss Lunden’s petition, but she said she was heartened by Flood’s evenhanded reception of the document and his attention to her plight.
“I have new faith in Maine state government,” she said.
Lawmakers spent most of the meeting walking through optional MaineCare services slated for cuts, including physical therapy, podiatry and treatment programs for sexually transmitted diseases.
But a statement on the cuts released by the governor Wednesday briefly waylaid the panel. The statement highlighted 80 percent enrollment growth in MaineCare over the last decade, saying the “welfare” program has grown fiscally unsustainable.
“Democrats can no longer ignore this fiscal mess that they have created through the years. Tax-payer funded, government-run healthcare is not universal nor is it free — it is paid for by hardworking taxpayers — and it must be saved for Maine’s most vulnerable … Republicans have been ready and willing to solve this and it’s time Democrats stop delaying this important issue,” the statement read.
LePage has said that MaineCare, the state’s version of the federal Medicaid program, will run out of money by April 1.
Democrats fired back, saying the shortfall is not because of growing enrollment but the administration’s miscalculations in building the DHHS budget, claims-processing problems and changes to payments for providers. They also objected to his labeling of MaineCare as a welfare program, saying it serves the elderly, disabled, mentally ill and the poor.
“I’d be more than happy to assist staff in the governor’s office to draft a press release that is accurate with the facts, and then we can move forward,” said Rep. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake.
In response, Sen. Richard Rosen, R-Hancock, co-chairman of the panel, said the controversial cuts have generated a high volume of correspondence and press statements in recent days.
“It’s important for us to stay focused on our work, to keep our head down, to move ahead, to be productive and to resist any distractions that would pull us off that track,” he said.
The committee is scheduled to meet again on Thursday and Friday.
Yeah, signatures of 9,000 people that don’t want ME to stop paying for THEIR insurance, AFTER I get done paying for MINE.
Where do I sign? Yes, I want everyone who is not me to pay me….more. I also want anyone who is not me to pay for my health insurance. I also support anyone who wants everyone who is not me to pay me and pay for my health insurance. And I vote….for anyone who supports more for me….as long as anyone but me pays for it. Get the picture? Let’s separate those who need these benefits and cannot provide for themselves from those who WANT these benefits and WON’T provide for themselves. That would be a good start. We can disagree on how much should be done but not on that it absolutely needs to be done….before it is too late….if it isn’t already.
Those who can’t provide for themselves are the elderly, the disabled, the mentally ill. Perhaps we have more of them than the governor wishes to budget for. But they are the people getting MaineCare.
Yes, I want to help those people too. The truly needy, elderly and mentally ill. Can we agree that there are people using these services that shouldn’t be? Can we agree that the current system is unsustainable without major changes? Do you see a cut possible ever? These programs increase every year. Year after year. Where does it stop? How do we pay for it? I am being asked to pay more and more. How much is enough? 20 percent 50 percent 60 percent 100 percent of my earnings?
Of course there is room for efficiencies. Let ‘s all take a deep breath, admit the governor lied to us once again by fabricating a “crisis’ with phony budgets and trumped up one-off charges. Then form a bi partisan panel void of industry toadies like Mayhew to do some serious work
Another super committee? Just sit back and let the Governor and the lawmakers figure this out. Quit calling people liars and haters because you disagree with them………..sounds very adolescent.
First off the Governor did not lie. We have many more than we should have and we are attracting more every year.
Second off, while we are talking about “industry toadies” is this lady doing this work pro bono? “Jennifer Lunden, executive director of the Center for Creative Healing in Portland”
I’m willing to bet you she and her industry make a big chunk of change providing this forced charity.
We could start by ending the special tax breaks the governor loves for his millionaire buddies.
Or the money that he’s spending on things like toxic waste dumps.
Do you mean the dump Lepage allegedly bought in Millinocket or the dump Baldacci bought in Old Town, Bangorian? Let’s be specific here! No heads in the sand, please.
He’s not taking mainecare away from these groups of people is he? I thought it was the non-categories — adults without children that are not disabled or elderly.
That’s the Big Republican Lie
I’m not a Republican — I actually thought I read that somewhere. If its not true then it should be.
“The problem with socialism is that you eventually,
run out of other people’s money.”
~ Margaret Thatcher
The problem with Capitalism is that the winner takes ALL!
Same as in the board game Monopoly!
Except for the last round of Bailouts when the Banks lost the game. Instead of dividing up the money and starting over, they divided up the losses and continued the game.
look up plutocray laddie, when the right bleats about socialism, all they do is show their ignorance
Or maybe it’s the Big Liberal Democrat lie….
Your are correct. Finally, someone who has been paying attention!
Adults without children who are not disabled or elderly cant qualify for Mainecare……..
Will they qualify for Obamacare?
hopefully no one will.Just another wealth reditribution progra from the progressives.
Yes they most certainly can. Maine got a waiver during the Baldacci admin. to do just that. That’s one of the proposed changes on the table now.
they are not the only ones getting Mainecare. Many are unemployed, employable, healthy less than motivated individuals.
The Governor’s plan seems to be to remove MaineCare from the desperately needy, in order to punish the small minority of recipients who might not deserve it.
Standard issue right wing allegations. The problem is that much like the issue of voter fraud, nobody can produce hard evidence to support the paranoia.
Tough to do in either case when you and yours spent years with your eyes closed to both issues.
And those aren’t the people that the cuts are being aimed at.
you know you i call you something but it is not allowed here . these people are human beings dont forget that
So am I. What gives you the right to TAKE my hard earned money from my family to give to someone who has no family and can work for him or herself?
and if you read it, they will continue to get mainehealthcare.
Why do we have so many more of those people after a Decade since it started?
Will we have 80% more after another decade and when do you feel it becomes too much?
Where can I sign the petition saying I support the cuts and want the Gov. to hold steady. Where can I sign the one that says we should pay out the average and not pay out extra. Where do I sign saying that people the just arrive in Maine have a waiting period before they can live off the rest of us. Where do I sign to do away with welfare for people who can work but choose not too. Where do I sign to have a workfare system that can help people get back on their feet while performing services to the state for the money they get. When those petitions get delivered I bet there will be a lot more than 9,000 signatures.
There isn’t much support for these cuts, so obviously there wouldn’t be a petition.
As for your “workfare” idea…where have you been? Everyone who receives welfare has to either work full time, go to school full time, get job training and seek work full time or volunteer full time. That’s a requirement and has been for a very long time. The only exception is if the person has a disability or is caring for an infant or disabled child. Perhaps you should stop repeating talking points and start doing some research so you don’t sound like a fool when you post.
There are a lot of exceptions and there are young people in school now who stay there because you pay them to go to school and to live.
Well said, Harry.
that would be BEFORE we pay for our own.
You’re grossly ignorant “hossthehermit”. If LePage has his
way good people will die. Why don’t you get to know some people on welfare? You
will very quickly learn the majority ARE incapable of working. You seem fixated
on false stereotypes: Recipients being low life, inhuman schemers, leeching of
the government. Getting welfare is not easy. Most on welfare are justified in
having it. If you would like to prove how easy welfare is to get please enlighten
us.
Agreed, also the idea that all 9000 signatures where from welfare
recipients is laughable.
What justifies being incapable of working? Last I knew, people who were incapable of working were deemed so and approved for disability. Making them eligible for Medicare and thus, not in the population that the cuts are being aimed at. People saying they can’t work and that being confirmed by medical professionals are two seperate things.
Eventually most will be approved for disability…but it can take up to 3 years or longer to get approved. I know someone with severe lupus and it took over 3 years from the time they initially applied until they started getting disability.
My sons been waiting 2 years for the application process to go thru and because he hasnt been approved for disablility yet, he doesnt qualify for Mainecare or Medicare either. All he can get is foodstamps. By the time he gets qualified for SSDI, he’s apt to be in forclosure.
What justifies being incapable of working? – Not being able
to work. Sadly though getting qualified is, a technical, slow process known to
keep people who need it out and let people who don’t in.
It took two years for my disabled daughter to get approved for SSI, though her severe illnesses had been traced to a genetic disorder that was proved by chromosomal analysis. She needed MaineCare desperately during those years (and since). She’s now in her mid-30s and able to work part-time. I shudder to think how she would have deteriorated, had she not had MaineCare back then.
Well, “Bill Bob”, in case you hadn’t heard, good people die every day, so “grossly ignorant” may be lookin’ right back at ya in the mirror. Maybe you need to get to know some people that work for a living.
Actually you don’t pay “AFTER” you pay for your own. The money is seized from your paycheck through taxes before you get. So you actually pay for these people FIRST, and take care of your own family with what is left.
OR…you may not be able to afford it for your own family, but you are required to provide it for these people, while you go without.
Millionaires get tax breaks, thanks to the Republicans. So we pay their share on top of our own.
You don’t pay a millionaire’s share. When you start paying as much personal income taxes as a millionaire, then you can cry.
what tax breaks do millionaires get that we don’t?
The average Bush tax cut in 2011 for a taxpayer in the richest one percent is greater than the average income of the other 99 percent ($66,384 compared to $58,506). [http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/11/23/375654/bush-tax-cut-one-percent/?mobile=nc]
So for dollar to dollar taxes are the same.Some just make more income.Are you like the great divider saying we should punish success.
Dollar for dollar taxes are NOT the same. A millionaire’s tax CUTS (the tax they are not required to pay any more, thanks to the Republicans) are more money than the INCOME of a person in the upper middle class.
what tax am i required to pay that a rich person does not have to pay?I guess i just do not understand what total income has to do with tax on earning a dollar.Are you saying if a person earns one dollar than a person that is rich pays less tax on that dollar than i?If i earn that dollar through payroll i thought everyone had to pay the same amount of income taxes.If i earned it as investment than that is taxed different.
Your tax rate is higher than that of many millionaires and billionaires, plus some aspects of tax law let them shelter large parts of their income so they pay little or nothing on it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/opinion/stop-coddling-the-super-rich.html?hpw:
Warren Buffet noted–:Some of us are investment managers who earn billions from our daily labors but are allowed to classify our income as “carried interest,” thereby getting a bargain 15 percent tax rate. Others own stock index futures for 10 minutes and have 60 percent of their gain taxed at 15 percent, as if they’d been long-term investors.
“These and other blessings are showered upon us by legislators in Washington who feel compelled to protect us, much as if we were spotted owls or some other endangered species. It’s nice to have friends in high places. Last year my federal tax bill — the income tax I paid, as well as payroll taxes paid by me and on my behalf — was $6,938,744. That sounds like a lot of money. But what I paid was only 17.4 percent of my taxable income — and that’s actually a lower percentage than was paid by any of the other 20 people in our office. Their tax burdens ranged from 33 percent to 41 percent and averaged 36 percent.”
that is mixing investments with income.I have stocks that i do not pay the same
taxes on as my paycheck.I still do not believe taxing by income is going to fix the problems in the U.S has.We as a nation have lived to well to long.It is time for all to pay the fiddler.
We have not lived “too well.” America’s infrastructure (bridges etc) has been decaying for a generation. We have been sucked into two wars, one of them on false pretenses, and instead of increasing taxes to pay for them, Bush slashed the tax rate for the ultra-rich. Around 50 million Americans have no health insurance. Unemployment is higher than it’s been in many years. People are losing their homes.
The ultra rich are perhaps living quite well. The rest of us are not. Yet WE are being asked to “pay the fiddler.”
Talk to your pals Chellie Pingree and Donald $ussman… speaking of “millionaires.”
Actually, then, it’s at the same time, because MINE comes out of my paycheck, too.
You paying whose insurance? .36 cents of every dollar spent comes from Maine’s income taxes. How much of that .36 cents do you actually pay? Let’s figure out how much of your property tax rebate money will go to KVGAS when your town gets a TIFF to satisfy the governor’s thirst for natural gas, and then we can figure out how much your property taxes will rise when it’s done.
You rather windpower that feeds the democratic machine?
And you are the poster child for the Tea Party. I’m afraid that your little group is dividing the Republican party, which is good for us windpowered democrats. Watching your party is like witnessing a Keystone Cops comedy.
Well we still have a party .Between Occuppy and the Whitehouse we are watching wich one ends up in gitmo first.
I would sign it in a minute. Read this and you will understand why. This article clearly demonstrates what the governor already knows, but won’t admit. The state’s budgeting for these programs has pretty much remained the same over 4 to 5 years. And new enrollment only accounts, according to the administrations numbers, for 5% of the shortfall, and that a large amount is due to budgeting errors. And I got this article from a person that the governor follows on Twitter. Michael Cuzzi, a prominent republican strategist.
http://www.sunjournal.com/news/state/2012/01/12/increased-mainecare-enrollment-drives-small-portio/1139277
Ok….so 9,000 people signed the petition. Did any of them offer any constructive suggestions as to where the money is going to come from to continue funding for Mainecare? I’m not saying that I’m opposed to some people needing help. However, we have to face the reality of the situation; if funding for Mainecare is continued at the current level of spending, the till will soon be empty. Did the signers of the petition offer a “plan B?”
A friend of mine had informed me not too long ago that he took offense to the right wing accusing the liberals of spending money like a drunken sailor. He also added that with his speaking as a former drunken sailor (who has been clean and sober for 35 + years), the reason he took personal offense to that particular statement was that unlike some of our elected liberals, most drunken sailors stopped spending when they ran out of money.
Ok, so LePage wants to save $22 million by taking 65,000 people off Mainecare. By removing those people from Mainecare LePage will cost Maine $37 million in federal funding. Not only that, but in just 2 years the Affordable Care federal law will require Maine to insure those same 65,000 people on Maincare. So, essentially, LePage wants to throw away $15 million in federal funds just so he can appease the chest beating knuckle dragging troglodytes that still support him.
LOL…what are wenches like you gonna do when the feds stop feeding you debt dollars backed by the Chinese?
“The problem with socialism is that you eventually, run out of other people’s money.”
~ Margaret Thatcher
{Corporations are People My Friend}
Mitt Romney
Do you know what quotes are? Manufactured ideas for people who are not able to support an argument.
Yep. And Republicans like LePage are wishing away the Affordable Care Act and acting like it’s demise is a done-deal.
How is it affordable? thats the first problem!!!!
What a play on words.(affordable care act) .Those of us that go without to pay for insurance have already seen 20% increases because of this mess.National mainecare is not the answer.Everyone needs to have some skin in the health care game.We need a program that changes actual cost of health care.Ocare just changes who pays it.
please show how it will cost 37 million.That is a number tossed out to muddy the waters by liberals that started these unfunded programs.The bill has come due for these programs liberals kicked down the road for votes.Progressives start these programs pad their pockets and like Obama find someone to blame hen the money is gone.To late other peoples money has run out.
You still haven’t answered my question. The money will soon be gone. What, pray tell, do you suggest for continued funding for Mainecare in the meantime, before the Affordable Care federal law takes effect?
Basic mathematics….Maine receives $37 million in federal funds for insuring those 65,000 adults with Mainecare. It only costs $22 million to insure them. The Affordable Care Act REQUIRES states to begin insuring this population by 2014. States who comply early get the funding. States who don’t comply don’t get the funding. This effort by LePage will COST Maine $15 million. It will also cause your insurance rates to go up because these people still need medical care, which will now take place in the Emergency Room, causing longer waits for everyone with emergencies, raising costs to those who can pay, placing additional burdens on localities who will be paying out the nose for medications for all these people. That means local cuts and higher property taxes for homeowners and less money for the education of our children. Perhaps that’s the goal…if kids get a lousy education they’ll be more likely to grow up too stupid to realize what politicians like LePage are trying to do.
And where does the federal funds come from…..you sound like the people on yahoo shouting that they are going to get new houses because Obama got elected….when asked where the money was coming from…they didn’t know, didn’t care….It’s Obama’s money and they’re getting everything now
You do realize that the feds don’t have a secret money tree, and that any federal money is also our tax dollars? This notion that federal money is free money, is BS.
If the state doesn’t have the money to pay it’s portion….we aren’t going to get the federal funding. it’s that simple.
I don’t know, but is there a “plan B” for how we are going to take care of those who will be denied services and coverage after his cuts? I am talking about the growing population of elderly and those with legitimate needs – not the ones who are using and abusing the system. Cutting everyone may take care of the immediate problem as LePage sees it, but what is his plan for taking care of the “collateral damage” that will occur. Anyone? Because I’d like to know. People will suffer when they lose services that are important to their lives and well-being. There will be job losses because many of the people who provide services have positions that are dependent on Maine Care funding. Legitimate services. Legitimate people. Legitimate needs.
I agree that we need to fix this problem. I don’t agree that this kind of cutting will be effective in any good way, but I keep hoping to hear otherwise.
It will fall on local General Assistance in towns and will undoubtedly lead to a rise in local taxes, like on property and cuts in things like education.
Which means we’re robbing Peter to pay Paul, wouldn’t you say? Shifting the problem isn’t solving the problem.
9,000? L. Mitchell didn’t even get that many votes.
The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Didn’t Paul say that about state and teacher pensions as well? He lied then and he’s lying now. You know it’s not cutting services a bit or keeping great people away from careers in public service/teaching that bothers me about Paul. It’s the lying and the hateful way he and his few followers seem to go about doing it with such joy in their small hearts that really annoys me. Come next November I’m planning on casting every vote I can against every Republican/Tea Party member I can. Please help me in stomping the joy of hating people from Maine politics. Vote Democratic next November.
Sounds like voter fraud.
The sky is clearly falling for you as well. Why say or assume something “Foolishly persumptive/hateful” on something as straight forward as this? Everyone out here knows that multiple votes are cast on each ballot handed to a voter. You know what happens when you play the sky is falling game too often don’t you? With the help of Paul people are catching on quick to this childish game very fast. By the way folks if you haven’t registered to vote do so as soon as you can…but remember, thanks to the Democrats you still can do so right up to election day. Yeah!
We all understand why ” the sky is falling’ is being played. Entitlements are how the Dems get and stay elected. The moment someone try’s to control spending they are labeled ” haters ” your words not mine. Petitions gathered online sponsored by move on.org did you happen to look at the list of all the petitions listed on there. You just keep checking every name with a ” D ” by it and they will take care of you with some one else’s money. Have nice life.
Nope like the blind haters above you’ve also run off the track of the conversation. You’re gonna have to step it up a bit to get past the rhetoric that’s been spoon fed to you and clouded your mind. I’m saying it’s the people who wish nothing for others and actually demonstrate joy at the suffering of others that is about to come are the haters. If you don’t like the thought of being labeled as such perhaps you should moderate your rhetoric to show a “HINT” of compassion. Maybe mixed with some original thought for good measure. A stretch for many I know. If you can’t actually feel it (Compassion), fake it if you have to…you may be able to fool someone.
not fraud just normal democrat voting.
Problems? What problems? I don’t see any problems. There aren’t any problems because I don’t see them. Are you kidding me? We are 15 trillion dollars in debt as a nation and it is growing by leaps and bounds every day. This state spends more money than it takes in. A lot more. It is not a complex thing to understand. Less people are paying into a system that more people are living off of. You can blame the people pointing this out to you. You can blame the people trying to fix it…..but don’t pretend that there is not a problem. Your Lepage derangement syndrome is flaring up big time. Maybe we could bring back Gov. Baldacci. Those were the good times. Remember?
Who said there was not a problem? Haven’t you been paying attention? The whole world is having an economic problem. What I essentially said above is that hard times mean hard choices will have to be made. But as a human I’m not going to cheer about those choices forced upon us like you. Nor am “I” dumb enough to think that such problems are a recent development or the fault of one man or one political party.
You seem to have your own little derangement syndrome going there. I like to call your’s the “John Baldacci Deflection.” This is where silly people try to make other people think that the Governor of Maine somehow created the global economic collapse we see now. And if they aren’t dumb enough to fall for that foolishness then toss in hate for the poor, the physically or mentally ill, and what the heck, lets toss in labor as well!
Oh how fine life would be if only we could get rid of those who can’t support themselves and could abuse those who can more, more, more!!! Those would be good times for conservatives for sure. Remember living as surfs under Royals?
Wow. You got it bad. Baldacci Deflection? Weak.
Translation of your last comment: “Darn it, if I say little maybe I won’t look so weak.”
Nope. I recognize no hope and little change when I see it.
You mean the ones that put maine in this situation by using the poor for personal gain.Right lets give the keys back to a party that hands out 200 million in goodbye money.The hate and lying is the dems creating these disasters and pocketingthe money then telling the needy how much they are helping them.If the dems cared at all why after thirty years of control 50% of mainers need help?Dems care about themselves and that is it.Helping these people will be straightening out the overspending on missing millions,computer systems that does not work and padding pockets of the past.
Yes….vote democratic….after all….they got us into this mess and they’ll get us out
GW Bush got us into this mess. His lack of regulations for Wall Street and his spending billions (trillions?) on optional wars while CUTTING federal revenus (tax breaks for billionaires) brought the US economy to the brink of Depression II. Republicans have fought tooth and nail against Obama’s efforts to fix this. He’s made some progress, but it’ll take a decade at least for the economy to recover from Republicans’ efforts to destroy it.
The Republican plan has long been clear–they manufactured this financial crisis on purpose to “justify” cutting social services.
Ha Ha…well get ready Ms. Davies, because we are about to kick some Iranian butt, so there is going to be even less liberal money for you to want.
Bush was governor?this economy was manufactured by frank,dodd and the rest of the progesives to get the great divider elected. (Never want a serious crisis go to waste).
Did these petitioners come up with a solution to fund the welfare budget shortfall, or is it the typical, cut education, public safety, transportation, etc, that they’re proposing again?
I’m sure that are at least 10,000 more of the childless adults not wanting to lose this “entitlement.” But unlike the Fed government, I don’t think the state of Maine can manufacture the money to pay for 60% of Mainers being on welfare.
Since you are expert on budgeting, any idea what it will cost when we take these folks off MaineCare, in increased budgets for prisons, emergency rooms and shelters.
So Know it all…..what’s you’re plan?
Maybe they will get a job…….make money……pay taxes……rent or buy a home….. quit using drugs and alcohol and stay out of prison ……start eating right …….lose weight…….become healthier and become a active member of this society.
There are 4 or 5 people looking for work for every existing job. Most jobs don’t have health insurance (or affordable health insurance). Removing the safety net will simply make sure they don’t get preventive care, so when they do get ill we’ll be paying for crisis care in the hospital. Removing the safety net will not cure people–it will harm them.
That is simply not true in all cases. People make changes when they have to – and if young, able-bodied healthy people are encouraged to find a better job including coverage because their MaineCare coverage is eliminated, that is not a bad thing.
Who cares if 9,000 signed this petition, that means nothing. I am sure the majority do not pay for their health care and soak it from all the hard working taxpayers in this State. We will see how many people suffer when 220 million is cut from DHHS. People stop thinking your entitle to free health insurance. If you have worked you whole life and lost your job…yes. If you have not worked and put into the system and soaked the State..answer is no. You cannot spend what you do not have. I would be interested in how much money has the State collected back from the people that they catch committing fraud? I bet you that number is a big zero. BDN do a story on that!
Write this down, copy before it gets censured, and Act!
Do Your Part to Clean it Up, Reduce Costs by Reporting Fraud in Maine
Allegations of fraud or attempted fraud involving funds, including Food Stamps,
administered by the Department of Health and Human Services should be sent to:
Fraud, Investigation and Recovery
11 State House Station
Whitten Road
Augusta, Maine 04333-0011
Phone numbers for DHHS Fraud office are:
1-207-287-2409 and 1-800-442-6003
Further questions and suspicions can also be submitted by e-mail.
Fraud.Dhhs@maine.gov
Contact the Office of the Attorney General
Phone: 207-626-8800
Mailing Address:
Office of the Attorney General
6 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
http://www.maine.gov/ag/contac…
Do All three, Phone, E-mail and send a Letter.
Follow-up in 30 days with a Certified letter if no response.
Send a letter Directly to the Governor’s Office, that should get their attention.
Keep a written log of actions and attempts to notify.
Hold them Responsible!
I can see the butterflies in the mailbox now.
Well you got that wrong, I for one, sent some info into DHHS by cert. mail today.
More will follow I’m sure, plenty of targets.
You are also wrong with the “butterflies” as the image is with Moths.
And, as we all know, Two wrongs don’t make a right so you must be left.
LOL !
DHHS reform, could start by only allowing US citizens that reside in the US prferably Maine to work for the state(DHHS). Just my thoughts, and yes I have reported it on several occasions that DHHS employs candian citizens that live in Cananda and work for our state. People talk about reform, well lets talk about our foster care sysytem. Maine taxpapers pay foster care folks 16.5/day per child, plus mainecare and trip reimburesement, clothing/diaper allowance. And adopted/foster children get mainecare as the primary until 18/even though the other non/bilogical people can put children on their insurance. a corrupt program that allows the state to treat children like commodities, and to throw salt in the wound, the lady that makes life changing decisions is Candian. Our taxdollars hard at work. Oh yes, Our state has a hiring freeze-
Are you really willing to slash necessary medical care from disabled and elderly people, wholesale, just in case someone among them might have committed fraud? LePage has said NOTHING about any plans to weed out fraud and harm only the fraudsters. His plan is to harm everyone.
You need to read the Governor’s webpage, and not just the mainstream media and the readers’ comments.
The stream of convictions for welfare fraud is increasing, due to the investigations ongoing. There are plans to hire more investigators, as well. You can see more details on the Attorney General’s webpage.
The Governor has declared many times that his intention is to help those who truly need and deserve assistance, and to weed out fraud, waste and abuse from the whole DHHS system.
The process for deliberating on proposed cuts is working exactly as it should, and there will be no “wholesale” cuts.
We have an Appropriations Committee and a Legislature, with two branches. All three will vote on any proposals, before any changes and cuts are made.
Just how will the repubs fix it, I would like to hear what constructive idea they have besides raising my taxes.
not fixing it raises your taxes!
I keep hearing about all this fixing, yet not what the fix is. If there’s such a great fix, why wasn’t it utilized centuries ago?
It’s the D’s that want to take a “Comprehensive” approach and raise taxes and do across the board cuts to all departments instead of address where the problem really lies. Within the Department of Health and Human Services.
the Republicans do not want to raise taxes. They want to address the problems that create HUGE shortfalls year after year after year in the department.
Moveon.org Acorn and occupy are signing petitions.Addicts getting meth on Mainecare wonderful.Only in the progressive mind can this make sense.1/2 of her business will go away is what the story should read.
Is meth something that a person has to stay on once they are introduced to it? If it is than how is it any better, it’s still an additive drug– only they get it paid for. If it isn’t then maybe there’s another way to pay for it besides giving everyone on it free complete healthcare.
Some people do have to stay on it forever. It depends on the reason they became addicted to opiates, really. A lot of people who get addicted to opiates started off taking pain medication prescribed to them to manage pain from surgery or injury. Back injuries that leave people with pain for the rest of their lives will have to continue to take methadone, most likely forever. Most will have to take it for several years while also dealing with psychological issues and then get weaned off over time. Just quitting will lead to severe and painful withdrawl. It’s a better option than illegal drugs because you don’t have people terrified of the pain of withdrawl that are desperate for illegally obtained opiates or money to buy them. A desperate addict needing a fix to avoid the pain of withdrawl is DANGEROUS. While some will abuse the program, cutting people off these programs would be terribly dangerous for the communities the patients live in.
It seems like the state is going to have to develop avenues for these people to continue to get the help they need. That doesn’t have to mean not expecting them to go out and work as long as they are getting what they need to be a productive person.
“Meth” is short for methamphetamine. No one is getting “meth” on Mainecare. They are getting methadone.
Where is the petition for us who want more cuts???
start one!!!
Many of your comments here reflect how Maine has changed from a community of caring to a bunch of whining little brats who stamp their feet and don’t wanna pay taxes. “Because the money is MINE” Boo Hoo. Pay your taxes and shut up, or move to a different country. Part of being American is looking out for those less fortunate than yourself, if you can’t accept that you are anti-American. You are a bunch of selfish whiny little brats who were never taught to care. You are in a situation where you can afford to pay your health insurance, good for you. A lot of people aren’t. You want them to clog the emergency rooms because they can’t afford to see a doctor? No, you want them to DIE so you don’t have to deal with them. Stop being anti-American and support other Americans who’s lives turned out poorly. Stop assuming everyone who’s poor is a bum and enjoys taking tax money. Or better yet, start insisting that people who have it way way way better than you start paying their fair share.
Fair share? That is interesting. Just what is fair? That I work hard for what I have and wish to keep it to support my family instead of giving it to government or people like you to decide what is a fair way to redistribute it? To support programs that are not accountable or programs that I don’t agree with? Fair? Half the people in this country don’t pay income tax. Is that fair? If you had been around when this country was founded we would all have British accents and wear red coats.
55% of the corporations in this country pay no taxes — is that fair? 6 waltons have more wealth than the bottom 30% of the country’s population and own major coporations whose employees make up a large portion of our working poor who require public welfare assistance to support their modest existance — is that fair ?
What is not fair is that our elected representatives are not willing to address the root of our health care disaster. More and more of our citizens can not afford basic health care for them and/or their families.
35 % of my weekly income goes to state and federal taxes and I would like to pay less taxes but I still do not agree with the method being promoted by Mr LePage and crew.
We have neighbors and friends in need — is there waste and fraud ? — you bet — but just cutting to cut is not the solution — I am pleased that our legislators are more level headed and want to address our problem in a more systematic approach
For those of you who want to paste me with your liberalism and leftist tag know now that I have voted for 47 years — for more republicans than democrats — think Richard Nixon , Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were some our better Presidents
Cutting taxes to cut taxes is not kicking the can down the road — it is kicking it out of the game
Got to love those campaign slogans. ” Maine people before politics. ”
We have neighbors and friends in need–is there waste and fraud? – you bet — but just cutting to cut is not the solution……………………
But just taxing me more to tax me more is the solution??? Is that what you mean by a more systematic approach?
Cutting taxes to cut taxes is not kicking the can down the road — it is kicking it out of the game. What the heck is that???????????
I am so glad you brought up Clinton too. Nice.
Read your history. We went to war to escape from aristocracy, and if you take a close look at the system, we’re right back there. When 1% of the population controls the wealth, they control the government. It was the peasants and workers who revolted, not the rich. As for what you don’t agree with, sorry but the civil rights of others isn’t for you to decide. Think about what it truly means to be an American and realize how Anti-American your sentiments are.
Are you certain that none of your children or grandchildren will ever become disabled? Are you positive that you yourself could not possibly lose your job and be unable to find another?
Cutting the social safety net might sound delightful if you are in denial that nothing horrible could ever happen to you or people you love. Right now it only seems like lazy, stupid, fraudulent, druggie (etc) OTHER people need help.
But one day it could be YOU. If help no longer exists, it will because you succeeded in cutting off your own nose to spite someone else’s face.
That is exactly what the problem is…awesome comment!
Outstanding! Thank you Ms. Lunden for doing this – I fully support your effort and want to sign your petition myself.
You make money off this somehow don’t you? State employee or private agency employee that pays you with taxpayer dollars?
Just a state worker protecting her phoney baloney job.
Only 9000? If I was getting something for nothing, and some one threatened to pare it down, I’d sign a petition too!
Maybe they should be looking into some of the individual programs. Maybe BDN could do a story on how many school age children covered by Mainecare have agencies that hire one on one staff people to take those kids out everyday after school until its time for them to go to bed. Many of these kids (or parents who say they need a break) get up to 25 hours a week of this service. It would be interesting to see what the state is paying for this service a year. I’m sure there are other such services that could be either decreased or elimanated.
My own job (I’m not a state worker BTW) puts me in direct contact with some of these parents and kids. If you knew what those kids are like–the severe mental illnesses some of them have, the behaviors they do when not one-on-one with a specialist, you wouldn’t be socffing.
One day YOU could have a child or grandchild with a severe psychiatric illness. Then you will know from the inside. But the services might not still be around, if you succeed in slashing them simply because you glanced at some random kids receiving services and jumped to the conclusion that services were frills.
Don’t comment on what you don’t know…I deal with this in my home, Don’t tell me these are professional specialist I watch groups of these staff bringing kids to the local park — staff sit together smoking and talking and let the kids run wild. I live right next to the park and can see this from my window — so I am commenting on what I see. Many of the parents of these kids don’t work so how come they don’t get their “break” while the kids are in school? To my understanding the training the “specialist” get are through watching videos and answering questions at the end. When they’ve finished all the sections they are given a little certificate that says they are a “Behavior Specialist”.
I do feel for the parents that have children with any illness. Mental illness as I know only too well can destroy a family quickly. I’m just saying that if cuts have to be made than look at everything not just slashing the entire mainecare. Cuts are going to happen — if programs like this are going to be kept then maybe the supervisors need to get a handle on what’s going on — people see this stuff happening and its seen as a waste of tax payer money.
On another note — if this service is so valuable how come many insurances don’t cover the service. I’ve have Etna insurance right now — I had Anthem for 18 years before our company switched. Neither would cover this service — If we had mainecare it would have been a service available to us. Just wondering why people on mainecare have availability to services not offered to people who are paying for insurance. All kids deserve to have medical care but when is all the extras too much.
I wrote that I deal with this in my job. You state that I don’t know what I’m talking about, and offer as evidence your observation of kids playing in the park.
If the kids are truly “running wild” (physically harming other people, animals, property?) then you should call the police. If they are simply running around yelling, that’s annoying but not illegal. If the workers are not taking adequate care of the children, that should be reported to the agency they work for.
You didn’t mention how you became aware that these kids are receiving services…
You did mention that you have experience “in your home.” Perhaps this is more than simply looking out the window at the park. Are you the parent of a child with a psychiatric illness? If so, I certainly empathize with you. It would be very frustrating for anyone to struggle alone with a child with special needs when your for-profit insurer does not cover necessary services, and to see that other children similar to yours do get services.
If this is the case, it seems to me that the best course would be to 1) advocate to get services extended to ALL kids who need them, via single-payer national health insurance, and 2) advocate for proper training of the caregivers. In the interim, you could join with other parents in the same boat and advocate for your for-profit insurer to cover these services.
and on and on it goes…….and it will never end until ALL of us become candidates for MaineCare. What then you fools? It is truly disgusting.
able bodied 20 year olds and UP, coming into the emergency rooms with broken this and that ,
after smashing their snowmobiles, or atvs or dirt bikes…..OUT COMES THE MAINECARE CARD to pay for it all
MAINE CARE=MAINE FRAUD
You’re saying that adults with broken bones should not have those bones set, because they injoured themselves by falling off a bike? What kind of injury would you consider worthy of treating? Would it stop being “fraud” if they had been injured in some way you can’t connect to a pleasurable experience? You seem determined that if any poor person has fun + gets any sort of help, they’re committing fraud. Nonsense.
Many adults on Mainecare are working full time at jobs that pay very little.
:)
And some will move….
Where is the petition for those of us who would like to see the cuts? The cuts are aimed at Non-Categorical. Meaning those 18-64 who have no children, are not disabled, and not on Medicare. I am tired of hearing how us ‘cruel, heartless’ LePage followers want to starve the elderly and children of Maine. Not true. If the article about single, immigrant men taking some of the ‘hardest’ hits with the cuts didn’t boil your blood then your not paying attention. How can we help the people who truly need the help, when we are breaking our back trying to help those who aren’t willing to help themselves? Stricter requriments, stricter regulation and maybe this program can be put back on track to help our most vulnerable. My question, were the 9,000 signatures all Maine residents?
where can i sign this petition? We should all gather and occupy the capital until he changes his mind. he thinks that because he “pulled himself up by his boot straps” that everyone can and should. That is not realistic thinking. A lot of people require this assistance! There is a be a lot of hurting families who are already in tough situations.
Maine workers would love to be able to provide health care for people that worked all their lives not people that have known nothing but hand outs.
unless we make changes, this is where our socialist policies will lead us…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2085163/Children-dumped-streets-Greek-parents-afford-them.html
Do you even know what socialism is?
This really isn’t much of a news story. I could start up an online petition supporting LePage’s cuts and get 9,000 signatures too. It’s really easy to do, and doesn’t mean anything at all.
Let’s all acknowledge that nobody wants to have their benefits cut, and nobody wants to pay more in taxes. Now, somebody is going to be disappointed here. Let’s get talking about who it’s going to be.
i m going to tell a little story here . i have mainecare. i was just fired from my primary care provider. i have a heart condition diabetes right now i have a infection common t diabetics and i have been left deserted . i will not go to a er where they put me in a bathsalt room. i am not a DRUGGIE i am 59 years old . they treay me like krap . i am not dirt of the earth i am a human being i believe the deal from mainecare has part of why i was fired. another thing i am scared of my conditions. diabetes is overwhelming to me .i dont have a family i have a brother and sister that dont want anything to do with me. i have no support system. i am scared the doctors cant understand that. i read this garbage it gets me more upset i tired of this krap . i am tired of being fired because either of mainecare or my fears get in the way, i want to get better i want my life back on TV Dr House doesnt give up on his problem patients. he has a team that trouble shoots the patient as a whole person, i dont get treated like a whole person that is made up of many body parts
Jennifer Lunden–curious to know if your insurance is fully paid for and just how much you earn as executive director of this “creative” healing center, and I wonder what the creative is all about.
The organized SignOn. org is part of MoveOn. org, which was started by George Soros( and with the aid of Hillary Clinton) and is funded by same billionaire George. So, the leftists are once again trying to control Maine. Rep. Patrick Flood is a RINO and most likely does not care that the billionaire is behind this.
…..”A mental health counselor hand-delivered to lawmakers on Wednesday a petition with the signatures of nearly 9,000 people who oppose Gov. Paul LePage’s planned MaineCare cuts.”…….
She’s right, Maine has NO FINANCIAL PROBLEMS and LePage is just a scrooge.
I suggest that we just increase taxes so that we can keep right on givng everything to everybody, whether they want to work or not.
Hey, it’s only money, mostly “other peoples” so why should we care.
If anyone starts a pettition agreeing with the cuts, please let me know so I can sign it. Thanks.
There is no such legal petition, particularly not one that’s run by an online site with no verification of residency. Such “petitions” aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. They have the same legal standing as a greeting card.
Citizen petitions that have an actual effect on state legislation take a massive effort. The only way for citizens to directly affect state law or legislation is to get a citizen referendum question on the state ballot. To do that, you would need to collect actual signatures from registered Maine voters, exceeding 10% of the total voters in the last gubernatorial election, and there are strict rules for the signature collection in each town. There is also a strict time frame for collecting the needed signatures and submitting them to the Secretary of State.
All signatures must be collected in person, on forms that have been previously approved by the Secretary of State, and the language must be legally valid, and specific.
Signatures must be collected on separate forms for each town or city, and the collector must witness them in person. The collector must sign a legal affidavit filed with each municipal clerk, both before and after collecting the signatures.
The signatures are turned over to the municipal clerk, who verifies them, and then they are submitted to the Maine Secretary of State. That office then re-verifies the signatures. It’s not unusual to have many thousands of signatures rejected, even after they were certified by town or city clerks.
Here’s a link to an example of a Maine petition that fell short.
http://www.maine.gov/sos/news/2005/WaterSupply.html
That’s why a citizen petition takes a long time, and a massive effort. It’s not a simple or easy task, and it most certainly is not legally allowable through an online site, like the one Lunden used.
They’re not really signatures, since they were collected online, and they’re totally unverifiable. Even using the term “signatures” is misleading, since that means, you know, SIGNING something.
Only 9,000? That’s a Maine majority? Oh, that’s a liberal group. That’s move.on. Stick it to the majority of Mainers and then move on to the next travesty.
I wish there was a petition with the people who support these cuts and support more cuts, it there would be hundreds of thousands of signatures. Joe the tax payer is tired of paying people to stay home.
The most likely got those signatures at the occupy camp in portland while the rest of us worked!!
The problem is in the management of the service!
Those people will only show you that they on
I’ve always been proud to live in Maine, the strong bond people have, Mainers helping Mainers. But when I started to read about the potential budget cuts, my heart literally dropped into my stomach. I struggle as it is, barely getting by and I am unbelievably grateful to have MaineCare & the services that I do. I tried to envision what would happen if I lost the crucial assistance and it literally brought me to tears. I tried to make sense of why this man, Lepage, who is most likely very well off, would want to target me. Because he is, he’s pointing right at me and saying YOU ARE EXPENDABLE. Does he realize that I wouldn’t be able to get the medication that keeps me alive? That the result of the cuts would deem me homeless? Does he realize I would go hungry? As I continued to read the way they referred to beneficiaries it made me feel insignificant and useless. Am I expendable? I’m still wondering. There are only two endings to this story, I’m hoping my fellow Mainers will make it a happy…or at least a livable one.
Those who truly need, and deserve assistance will continue to receive help from the state.
Do some more research on the actual proposals, and the process by which any cuts will be decided, first by the Appropriations Committee, and then by both the House and Senate.
Nothing has been decided yet.
How many of the 9,000 signatures came from legally registered Maine voters?
What measures did Lunden use, to ensure the “signatures” even represent legal Maine residents?
In Maine, an online petition has no legal validity.
So, is this another online, “faux” petition, like the bogus one that allegedly would have “impeached” Governor LePage?