Maine Can Do Better

Maine families are the heart of our communities and the true engine of our economy. Giving families the tools they need to succeed in this challenging economy, and seeing that they are rewarded for a lifetime of hard work are things we can all agree on. We can also agree that using our resources wisely now is essential to preventing problems from becoming worse and more costly down the road.

As our leaders confront state spending and revenue decisions, we ask that they keep these priorities foremost in their minds: prevention of future fiscal problems, ensuring opportunity for all Maine families, and preserving retirement security.

Summary of Governor Paul Lepage's DHHS supplemental budget:

From Maine Equal Justive Partners, 12/8/2011

Yesterday [December 6, 2001] the Governor released proposals in a 2012-2013 Supplemental Budget targeting DHHS that would decimate programs and services across the State. Below we have summarized many of these proposals (the summary is long because there are so many proposed cuts).

PLEASE JOIN US TO OPPOSE THESE DEVASTATING CUTS:

RALLY to Collectively Stand up in Opposition to these Proposals:

When: Next week on Wednesday, December 14th at 10:00 am

Where: Hall of Flags, at the State House in Augusta

Public Hearings are scheduled for next week as well: Wednesday, December 14th, Thursday, December 15th and probably Friday, December 16th. (We will share more details on the hearings once we have them.) These will take place in Room 228 at the State House in Augusta.

Proposals in the Supplemental 2012-2013 Budget

(We understand that some of these proposals may change. This preliminary analysis is based on the language of the printed supplemental budget presented December 6, 2011.)

Proposed Cuts to Eliminate MaineCare Eligibility for Multiple Groups:

• Working Parents (29,000 Maine people): The complete elimination of eligibility for MaineCare for approximately 29,000 parents between 100% and 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL). (This proposal would also give DHHS the authority to lower parent coverage to 51% FPL without going back to the Legislature in the future.)
• Childless Adults (approximately 18,000 Maine people): The complete elimination of MaineCare coverage for non-disabled adults between the ages of 21 and 64 without children living at home living under the federal poverty level (known in the Program as so-called non-categoricals).
• Young Adults (over 7,000 Maine people): The complete elimination of MaineCare coverage for over 7,000 young adults (age 19 and 20) under 150% of the federal poverty level.

Proposed Cuts to Medical Assistance for the Elderly and People with Disabilities:

• Prescription Drug and Health Care Assistance for People over 65 and People with Disabilities: Approximately72,000 seniors and people with disabilities would lose some or all assistance they currently receive to pay for Medicare and/or prescription drug costs. Of the 72,000, over 20,000 (with incomes between 135-185% FPL) will lose all assistance they currently receive through the Medicare Savings Program (MSP) to help pay for Medicare premiums, co-payments and deductibles, prescription drug costs, and coverage through the so-called "donut hole". The remainder, approximately 52,000 people, will lose some assistance with Medicare and/or prescription drug costs.
• Prescription Drug Assistance for Certain People over 62 and People with Disabilities: Approximately 5,000-6,000 low-income older adults (over age 62) and people with disabilities who do not have Medicare will lose all assistance they currently receive to afford their prescription medications through the Drugs for the Elderly program (DEL). These are individuals with serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and Lou Gehrig's Disease.

 

Proposed Cuts to MaineCare Services:

• Services for all MaineCare adult members: The elimination of a significant number of services for MaineCare members including the following services:
  • Adult Family Care;
  • Ambulatory Surgical Center;
  • Chiropractic;
  • Consumer Attendant Services;
  • Dental;
  • Occupation Therapy;
  • Physical Therapy;
  • Podiatry;
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinics;
  • Targeted Case Management; and
  • Vision.
• Services for Extremely Vulnerable Populations: The closure of all Private Non-Medical Institutions (residential homes or boarding homes) leaving over 5000 people, including seniors and adults with severe and persistent mental illness, at risk of losing their housing and needed personal care services.
• Other cuts to MaineCare services including:
  • Limit out-patient hospital visits to 15 visits a year regardless of health status;
  • Limit in-patient hospital stays to 5 stays a year regardless of health status;
  • Limit coverage for brand name prescription drugs from 4 to only 2 per month; and
  • Limit on Suboxone for the treatment of opioid dependency to coverage for a two-year period.

 

Proposed Cuts to Services for Children and Families:

• Young Children and their Parents: The elimination of all state funding for the Head Start Program, which will force programs across the state to cut a total of 235 children off the program. Head Start provides early care and education, as well as health, nutrition, mental health, social and family support to low-income families with children from prenatal to five years old.
• Working Parents: Cuts almost half of all funding for the Child Care Subsidy Program. This will lead to a deep cut in the availability of child care vouchers for families with incomes below 250% FPL. The child care subsidy program helps parents with low income to afford the child care they need in order to work.
• Other cuts to services for children and families including:
  • Cut the Family Reunification Program that keeps families intact and housed;
  • Cut the funding for Wrap-Around ME that assists children (ages 5-18) with serious emotional or behavioral issues;
  • Cut the Alternative Response Program that provides case management for children at risk of abuse or neglect;
  • Cut Crisis Services for people experiencing mental health-related crises; and
  • Cut services for children with serious emotional or behavioral issues living in residential settings.