RadioActive 10/19/17

WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives

Producer: Meredith DeFrancesco Referendum to Expand Medicaid Coverage under the ACA: Question 2 1) In the past five years, the Maine Legislature has voted 5 times to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act, and five times Governor LePage has vetoed. The ACA allows states to opt in or out of the expanded coverage. 31 states have opted in. 2) On election day, November 7th, Mainers will have the opportunity to vote on referendum Question 2, to institute expanded Medicaid coverage in the state, also known as Maine Care. This would open eligibility to 70,000 Mainers. ( Those making less then $16,000 for a single person and $28,000 for a family of three). 3)Today, we look at a number of the myths and realities about Medicaid expansion. And we look at the statistics, county by county, showing the numbers of uninsured, how many would be eligible for expanded coverage, how much federal funding would be received and how many new jobs are projected under an expansion of Medicaid. Guest: Robyn Merrill, Maine Equal Justice Partners, executive director www.mejp.org Maine Center for Economic Policy, “Medicaid Expansion Fact Sheet” Special to Portland Press Herald by Lisa Letourneau, MD, MPH, ” The issues are complicated, but a yes vote on Question 2 will help Maine: The reality is , Maine cannot afford not to take the opportunity to improve its health care system” Report by Elizabeth Kilbreth,Phd, “The Real Impact of Medicaid Expansion”