BEHIND THE EXPANSION NUMBERS: CAIN TELLS THE PENOBSCOT COUNTY STORY
AUGUSTA—Democratic Senator Emily Cain of Orono shared a story of people living in her district who have been hurt by Maine’s failure to accept the federal deal to expand health care to 70,000 people, including 3,000 veterans. Senator Cain urged lawmakers to support the expansion compromise bill offered by Assistant Republican Minority Leader Roger Katz.
“This compromise would provide access to health care to thousands of families who are working hard just to make ends meet,” said Senator Cain. “There are nearly 8,500 Mainers here in Penobscot County who would have a better opportunity to succeed if we pass this bill.”
Dwight from Lincoln was just laid-off from his job at Lincoln Paper and Tissue. With the loss of his job, he also lost his healthcare coverage, and his unemployment insurance doesn’t pay enough for him to afford health coverage through the Affordable Care Act, even with the subsidies.
“Dwight is struggling to get back on his feet after the layoffs at Lincoln Paper and Tissue,” said Senator Cain. “Losing his job and looking for work is stressful enough; Dwight and his wife Clarice shouldn’t have to worry about what will happen if one of them gets sick.”
As of January 1, nearly 25,000 Mainers, including 15,000 working parents whose children depend on them to stay healthy to go to work each day, lost health care coverage as a result of Governor LePage’s veto of a measure to accept federal health care dollars to expand Medicaid.
With the announcement last week that New Hampshire has voted for expansion, Maine is the only state in New England that has not accepted healthcare expansion.
The Senate is expected to take up the expansion compromise bill, LD 1487 “An Act to Provide Fiscal Predictability to the MaineCare Program and Health Security to Maine People,” tomorrow.
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