AFA Committee to Consider Bill to Fund Administrative Costs Related to Medicaid Expansion

AUGUSTA, Maine, April 9 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release:

The Legislature's Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee will consider a proposal today to fund the administrative costs associated with the expansion of Medicaid, as approved by voters. The bill, submitted by Rep. Eric Jorgensen, requires $3.4 million in state dollars to fund 103 positions in the Department of Health and Human Services and provides one-time funding for technology updates. The federal government would provide a $6.4 million dollar match. The proposal mirrors language proposed by the LePage Administration and full details can be found here.

Appropriations and Financial Affairs Chair Rep. Drew Gattine (D-Westbrook) released the following statement:

"Thousands of Mainers cannot afford to wait any longer for the health care they need to be and stay well. While I'm disappointed that this Administration continues to obstruct and ignore deadlines clearly laid out in law, our committee continues to do our work and appropriate the funds when they are necessary. This proposal funds the administrative costs requested and there should no longer be any excuses or delays regarding implementation. Maine people have waited too long for Medicaid expansion already, and there is no rational reason to make them wait any longer."

Health and Human Services Chair Rep. Patty Hymanson (D-York) released the following statement:

"Maine voters resoundingly approved the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. As a result over 70,000 Mainers will have access to the health care they need to function best. The law states that by July 2018, the state is required to begin offering Medicaid coverage to those newly eligible Mainers, so there's a lot to be done. This legislation moves the process along by funding positions the Administration claims necessary for implementation. I hope we can count on full support of this proposal from the entire legislature and the Executive Branch."

Today's hearing is scheduled to begin at 2pm and can be streamed here (http://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/AFA).