PORTLAND, Maine — Portland Mayor Michael Brennan and mayors of five other Maine cities have formally protested to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services about the state’s attempt to eliminate Medicaid coverage for more than 26,000 low-income residents.
“The elimination of insurance coverage for thousands of Maine people, particularly during this time of recession, presents significant hardships not just to the families affected but also to the municipalities in which they reside,” said the letter signed by Brennan and the mayors of South Portland, Biddeford, Saco, Waterville and Westbrook.
This spring, the Legislature passed a budget proposed by Gov. Paul LePage that was based on cuts to MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program.
If enacted, the cuts would save the state $20 million by eliminating coverage for 21,000 low-income parents and 19- and 20-year-olds, as well as 5,300 seniors and people with disabilities.
The cuts would require Maine to receive a waiver of federal standards for Medicaid eligibility — a waiver that has not been granted to any state.
But the LePage administration has argued that in upholding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as “Obamacare,” the U.S. Supreme Court made some eligibility requirements void.
The governor has submitted his MaineCare plan to HHS for approval, but the federal agency may not respond until the end of October, according to reports published Friday. The eligibility cuts are scheduled to take effect Oct. 1.
Meanwhile, Brennan and his fellow mayors claim that Maine is still bound by law to maintain eligibility for Medicaid recipients.
“While the focus of this debate has been in Washington, D.C., and at the State House, it is important to note that it’s the cities and towns of Maine that will have to bear the burden and address the impact on the health and lives of our residents,” Brennan said in a written statement.
“We represent the front line and the costs associated with these cuts will be paid for by our residents, our hospitals and our businesses whether through increases in charitable care, rising health insurance premiums or by taxing our safety net with more families turning to city hall for help.”
Gov. Paul LePage is a bully.
He should be ousted out of office.
He should. Unfortunately, no one in Augusta agrees.
His day will come. And it’s going to be the next day we can elect a better person for the office of governor.
LePage and his Tea Party cronies are determined to deny healthcare to as many poor people as they can.
LePage has shown nothing but contempt for the working poor , as almost all Republicans have also shown.
A vote for a Republican is a vote to further line the pockets of the already rich.
If they get control at the federal level we can all say goodbye to medicare.
Republicans – what a compassionate, caring bunch.
Mayor Brennan I commend your sense of decency and common sense. Something that LePage and his Republican lackeys don’t have one iota of.
I bet Mr. LePage will now label each of these communities as being anti-business and of course undeserving of any type of State funding. It’s just the way men like him roll. Let us roll his slim House and Senate majorities out of office in November and by extension give Mr. LePage the voice and authority a manipulative and self-serving bully deserves, NONE!
A bully–absolutely. And this kind of personality fits in most well with the Republican attack on the middle class. Decades of slashing taxes for the rich, deregulating banks, and shrinking aid to the needy has resulted in a horribly skewed wealth curve–
and as soon as you lose your job or can’t pay for your medical bills, the Republicans call you “lazy,” “pathetic” and a “leech.”
be so glad when lepage gets out of office
How about a glorious fireworks display the day he leaves?
I’ll contribute if someone starts a legitimate fund towards that goal. In fact, I’ll attend the display, no matter how far I have to drive.
Not just fireworks. It should become a state holiday.
I agree. Across the state – rejoicing. Just like July The Fourth – fireworks, Hot Dogs, and the whole shebang! Students singing: “So Long, it’s Been Something to Know Ya.”
Fireworks symbolizing the only business that he re-kindled. Farewell song : “East Is East, And West is West … and Maine will stand between them.”
The incoming governor to present Le Page with his sign “We’re Open For Business.”
Isn’t “bullying” illegal? It is do as I say or nothing gets done at all!! I hate it when a person in power thinks they have a right to do what they damn please! I totally agree with Davida Willette, I can’t wait for his term to be up!
At last some one who realizes what the actual cost of the govs cuts is going to cost the middle class taxpayers.You can be sure the lawmakers will not line up to cut their bennies or perks.Maybe the mayors should look into that
Every one of you who are complaining had better be sure to vote or things are going to get worse when he gets more votes for his side.
No one can afford to sit still and let t’other side of the boat do all the rowing
I can’t wait to hear the moonbats cry when the GOP actually gains seats this election. Note to liberals: this policy and other bipartisan attempts by LePage to reduce the tax burden and cost of doing business in this state have increased his popularity, not decreased. You can call him a bully all you want. It doesn’t change the fact that people still see you as crybabies.
So? He’s still a bully. He’s renowned across the country for his bullying. Even made the Ten Worst List.
And you people are still crybabies. Liberals are renowned across the world for being crybabies. Remember “elections have consequences”. Sometimes it takes someone with a backbone to clean up a mess and deal with sniveling whiners who cry when they don’t get their way. The last couple of pantywaists certainly couldn’t do it.
And “you people” are renowned for your pompous, pontificating, puffery. Your elected tea bubbly publican is a fine example. All mouth – no guts. Whimpering and moaning and kicking people below his status.
He’s good at cutting welfare and medical entitlements, and telling people to get off the couch. But when the Canadians blockaded our lobster shipments and surrounded our trucks with Mounties – where was he? Mr, Tough Guy never said “boo.” He was probably in the Blaine House cellar with the mural he hid one night. Talk about sniveling whiners!
Romney and Ryan are not far removed from the teapublican cut, either. Mr Chop and Slash – two self serving millionaires who’ve spent the past four years blockading and lying.
you’re the cry baby — liar lepage have a backbone? he has about as much backbone as the sniveling crybaby tax whiners – i always wonder how much the tax whiners really pay in taxes– enjoy liar lepages 1 term
Why do you on the right protest so much about helping the less fortunate? Probably cause you figure you never be among them. Life happens remember that…..
Now Adrienne don’t be angry:)
Let these cities add a sales tax to offset the cuts and lets see how far that goes.
Mr Brennan, Maine is flat broke. What is it about that fact that you cannot comprehend?
Like many of us – dealing with this bullying, globe-hopping, tea party, self serving individual who detests Maine, and is just doing his bit for the Koch brothers – not us.
Flat broke, you say? If we’re flat broke, then we’re a failed state and have no business trying to run our own affairs. Is it time to turn in our constitution and apply for status as a federal territory? That’s what flat broke towns do – turn in the charter in exchange for some professional administration.
We weren’t so, as you put it, “flat broke” to come up with $300,000 plus for a study for a private road. We weren’t so “flat broke” that we couldn’t afford to spend $850,000 to put in a boat ramp at a lake in Ellsworth. We weren’t so flat broke that we couldn’t afford to give Maine’s wealthiest citizens over $100 Million in tax cuts. How is it that the only time we hear about how “flat broke” we are is when it comes to poor people?
bs, maine is not flat broke otherwise how could liar lepage give tax breaks?
It aint broke.
What is this about a $20 million surplus that he is not talking about, ask him.
He is again today elected as the “Worst” Governor ever to be elected in Maine history.
LePage continues his war on the poor.
He is the ultimate bully. The GOP aren’t interested in the poor and their problems as long as they keep people poor and working for them until they die from lack of proper healthcare.
Maine needs a recall provision and oust this governor before he completely ruins lives.
Give him some credit. He’s gone to China to continue his studies on how to treat workers. and poor people.
That would be difficult for me! lol
The
mayor of Portland knows he will become unpopular if he actually has to fund his
own socialist agenda; he would rather collect the revenue from tax payers all
over the state; the governor understands the injustice of burdening rural
taxpayers with programs they don’t agree with. Once again common sense from the
Blaine House elicits squealing from the loafers and the moon bats.
Love it when everyone is labeled as loafers and moon bats. Especially when the stickers are stuck in teapububble mire.
Or labeled socialist …
LePage and his GOP cronies talk a big game about tax cuts, less government expenditures, and drawing a hard line against those on the public dole. But the truth is their actions aren’t resulting in any real savings for the public since we have to absorb the costs of providing for the least among us.
someone let mousy out of his cage again.Try running your city and stop being an attack dog for Emily and Ben. Entitlements need to be reformed the dems and their give away unfunded programs have to end.
Sadly there is still some that does not get it.The days of something for votes has ended.
If this is any sign of how things are done down here in Portland, i believe i am going to enjoy my new stomping grounds much more than i did Bangor:)
I don’t understand LePage and his hate for the needy, elderly, sick and poor. He came from dirt and now has little tolorence for anyone but the powerful, rich and himself. Maine is sick to it’s stomach over his behavoir and lack of leadership.
Mr. Lepage is not only cutting health care to thousands of people, he is going to China to drum up business??? More than likely, he is giving away our business to a foreign country! I don’t trust that man for one second!!!
menace
Cut Paul Lepage next election… And cut
Cut Paul Lepage next election…!!! And cut the fat man’s source of Whoopie Pies…!!!
LePage doesn’t believe anything about the ACA and refuses to do anything about setting up exchanges, wants out BUT seems to think he can take a piece of it and shape it into his advantage.
You might have a better chance if you embraced the ACA and got ready to implement it for the State of Maine, but no lets get rid of those free loaders. Sarcasm intended.
Wise move. But which are the 5 other cities?
Notice to counties, cities and towns. Funds from the Federal Government (controlled by Congress) are being cut to the states. With the result that the states will be cutting funding to the previously mentioned counties, cities and towns. Unfortunately along the way the Fed and States are forgetting to eliminate all the unfunded mandates that have been put on the counties, towns and cities. Us on the bottom end of the food chain will be forced to fork over more of our ever dwindling incomes to pay for these mandates through our property taxes.
I just did some upgrading in an apartment of people with maine assistance and maine care.
2 adults and 2 childeren.
The father has but one lung and continues to smoke does not work, mother does not work.. the taxpayer paid apartment is a disaster,, ashtray under bed full of burnt out ciggs…
The Mayors need to personally vouch for all that are in need thus eliminating much of taxpayer costs.
We need more of LePages cost reductions.
With the number of foreign workers here in Maine for the season….could we not greatly reduced he cost to the tax payers if only these welfare people would do something..
Nexr year give out seed to be planted in the city parks in place of food stamps!!