Dozens of people rallied in Westbrook Saturday against federal cuts to Medicaid and the food assistance program SNAP as part of a nationwide day of protests.
The budget bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump earlier this month is estimated to cut more than a trillion dollars from Medicaid and SNAP over the next decade. Millions across the U.S. are expected to lose benefits, including tens of thousands of people in Maine.
Gina Morin of Auburn is worried she'll be among them. She says she relies on both programs because she has a chronic illness.
"It's a full time job to have to navigate a life of not having what you need to meet your basic needs," Morin said. "So adding more onto us is just making it that much worse."
Charlotte Jacobs, program director of a Gorham preschool, says she relied on both SNAP and Medicaid, known as MaineCare, when she was a single mom.
"I wouldn't have been able to really get out of the spot I was in if I didn't have access to SNAP benefits and MaineCare as a young mom with a one year old," Jacobs said. "And that allowed me to get on my feet."
In addition to reducing federal investments, the budget bill also changes requirements to access the programs which critics say will cut off people who are eligible.
Maine's Department of Health and Human Services estimates that more than 30,000 Mainers will lose MaineCare coverage.
