PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine could pay up to $200,000 for a Boston-based lawyer to defend the LePage administration in ongoing litigation over voter-approved Medicaid expansion.
The Department of Health and Human Services in a state form dated Monday proposed increasing the cost of a no-bid contract with law firm Consovoy McCarthy Park from $100,000 to $200,000.
Advocates for Medicaid expansion are suing to force Maine to follow a voter-approved law expanding Medicaid to 70,000 to 80,000 low-income residents. Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s administration is fighting a court order requiring Maine to seek federal funding for expansion.
Democratic Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Janet Mills has allowed LePage to seek outside counsel. She refused to defend LePage’s administration against the lawsuit.
Mill’s office and the LePage administration didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
