AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)   A Maine legislative panel is set to discuss the cost of expanding Medicaid to some 70,000 citizens in a public referendum.

Voters in November approved a referendum to have Maine join 31 other states in expanding Medicaid. Medicaid expansion would cover adults under age 65 with incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level. That’s $16,643 for a single person or $22,412 for a family of two.

Republican Gov. Paul LePage has said he won’t implement the voter-approved expansion until it’s fully funded by the state Legislature.

The Legislature’s appropriations committee on Wednesday is set to discuss rolling out Medicaid expansion.

About 268,000 Mainers currently receive Medicaid. LePage claims expansion’s $54 million price tag would balloon hospital debt and divert money from the elderly, disabled and children.