Maine Gov. LePage Issues Statement on State’s Insurance Marketplace Collapse

AUGUSTA, Maine, Sept. 27 -- Gov. Paul LePage, R-Maine, issued the following statement on the withdrawal of Anthem from Maine's Affordable Care Act-compliant insurance marketplace for individual health insurance policies:

"ObamaCare is continuing to implode and cause significant hardships for Maine's people.

"The loss of yet another insurer on the exchange leaves Mainers with few alternatives to pay for healthcare. Even though ObamaCare is collapsing around them, Maine Senators Collins and King still refused to support a bill that would have sent 44 percent more healthcare funding to help struggling Mainers pay for health insurance.

"Instead of seeking national headlines, they should have been working to help the people who elected them."

"Harvard Pilgrim has announced it will stay in Maine's marketplace for another year.

"In 2015, more than 34,000 Maine families chose to pay $15 million in fines, rather than pay for the increasing premiums and deductibles for coverage that did not meet the needs of their families.

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Consumers who have questions about their current policies or the exchange are encouraged to contact the Maine Bureau of Insurance in the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. Bureau staff members are available to answer questions Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached by dialing 1-800-300-5000 or 207-624-8475 (TTY please use Maine Relay 711). Emailed questions can be sent to insurance.pfr@maine.gov .