AUGUSTA – Governor Paul LePage released the following statement today regarding the filing of the State Plan Amendment to implement Medicaid Reductions enacted by the Maine State Legislature:
“Today, we are standing firm to let the federal government know Maine is committed to providing quality health care to our most vulnerable. But we cannot be controlled by mandates that are unaffordable and do not meet the needs of the individual states.
Maine’s welfare costs are much higher than the national average and these changes will allow Maine to be more comparable with other states. Maine extended these welfare benefits for as long as we could, however, money has dried up from Washington. In order to save our safety net and sustain it for the long-term, we must make changes.
I am calling on Maine Congressional leaders to support the decisions of the Maine Legislature and encourage Secretary Sebelius to approve this request so we can move forward without further delay.”
