Two Republican senators are pushing for an expansion of Medicaid in Maine to cover more low income residents, especially those in need of drug treatment. But the latest effort faces strong opposition in the GOP including an all but certain veto by Gov. Paul LePage.
Wilton Republican Senator Tom Saviello is the sponsor of a bill carried over from earlier this year that would expand Medicaid coverage by using federal funds to buy health insurance for those individuals earning between $17,600 and $24,300 a year. He says it's a gap in coverage that needs to be filled and will benefit rural Maine. But Saviello acknowledges he faces an uphill battle and he has invited other lawmakers to visit rural health centers this week to learn about the effects his bill would have.
"They will learn firsthand, probably on Wednesday what this expansion could mean to us in rural areas and I am hoping that other representatives in rural areas will have the, see the same thing as we go through," Saviello says. "Yeah, I got a mountain to climb. No question about it, but I am not giving up."
Saviello says Medicaid expansion would bring in about $200 million a year that would greatly help those who do not have any health insurance coverage even though they are eligible to buy it inexpensively under the Affordable Care Act. Among the expected beneficiaries are low income mainers who cannot currently afford drug treatment. Another Republican Senator, Roger Katz of Augusta, supports the effort. He's hoping to get a waiver from the federal government to cover the cost of drug treatment as part of an overall state effort to combat the drug epidemic.
"Medicaid expansion is a very politically charged issue," says Katz. "But if we could talk to one another and find a way that maybe we could get the federal government to pay most of the drug treatment costs for a not insignificant number of people, why wouldn't we want to do that."
Other Republicans are not supporting any sort of Medicaid expansion. House Republican Leader Ken Fredette of Newport says most members of his party have opposed expansion in past sessions and he expects most will again.
"You know the democrats tried to dress this up, with tying it to paying back the hospitals, we didn't buy it then," says Fredette. "I am not going to buy it in regards, you know, trying to tie it to you know prevention, more drug treatment. We need to set priorities."
He says House Republicans have not caucused on the proposal but he is pretty sure most will continue to oppose it even if the case can be made for expanded drug treatment paid, in part, by the federal government. Fredette, himself, says he can't support the bill either.
"As far as I am concerned, Medicaid expansion is off the table," Fredette says. "We have seen Medicaid expansion happen in many other states. Many states are regretting it; they are seeing holes in their budgets right now where they are having to raise more money."
And Republican Gov. Paul LePage is making it clear he has not changed his mind about expansion. His press secretary, Adrienne Bennett says in a statement, "we rejected Medicaid expansion five times, and we will reject again." About the only thing Fredette and the two Republican senators agree on is that the bill will generate lengthy debate in the session that convenes next week.
