AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Maine residents seeking health coverage under voter-approved Medicaid expansion remain in limbo as the administration refuses to confirm it’s denying such coverage.
An advocacy group has said the LePage administration has signaled through an attorney that Maine’s going to reject applications. But the attorney, Patrick Strawbridge, declined to confirm Monday.
Strawbridge said that cases will proceed while Maine’s health agency undergoes a decision-making process in coming weeks. The department declined comment because of pending litigation to force Maine to seek federal funding for Medicaid expansion.
Maine Equal Justice Partners says it’s prepared to help applicants appeal denials.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage says he’d rather go to jail than jeopardize Maine’s finances by expanding Medicaid to 70,000 to 80,000 low-income Mainers. Supporters say left-over Medicaid funding could cover expansion’s first year.
