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Critics Want LePage to Expand Medicaid as Voters Demanded

Critics Want LePage to Expand Medicaid as Voters Demanded

Photo: 560 WGAN Newsradio


AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)   Activists are calling for Maine Gov. Paul LePage to stop blocking Medicaid expansion as his administration nears deadlines approved by voters at the polls.

Maine last fall became the first state to expand Medicaid by popular vote.

Office of Fiscal and Program Review analyst Luke Lazure told The Associated Press that lawmakers are still awaiting required monthly reporting from LePage’s administration on the roll-out of expanded assistance to certain low-income adults.

Maine faces an April deadline to submit a plan about expanding Medicaid to federal officials. Expansion advocates plan to rally Tuesday evening as LePage delivers his final State of the State address.

LePage’s office says the governor has been clear he would block Medicaid expansion if lawmakers didn’t determine a “sustainable” way of covering expansion’s eventual $54.5 million cost.

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