Maine voters to decide whether to expand Medicaid
Updated: 6:26 PM EDT Nov 3, 2017
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WEBVTT PAUL: MEMBERS OF THE STATELEGISLATURE HAVE ALREADY VOTEDTO EXPAND MEDICAID UNDER THEAFFORDABLE CARE ACT 5 TIMES.GOVERNOR LEPAGE VETOED EACH OFTHOSE EFFORTS, AND THERE WASNEVER ENOUGH SUPPORT AMONGLAWMAKERS TO OVERRIDE THE CHIEFEXECUTIVE.>> THAT DOES NOT HELP.PAUL: ONE OF THE REPUBLICANLEGISLATORS WHO HAS BEEN HOLDINGFIRM AGAINST MEDICAID EXPANSIONIS REPRESENTATIVE HEATHERSIROCKI.SHE SAYS PREVIOUS EXPANSIONS, UNDER GOVERNORS KING ANDBALDACCI CREATED A FINANCIALMESS.>> IT JUST BROKE THE BANK.WE ENDED UP OWING THE HOSPITALS$750 MILLION IN UNPAID, OVERDUE,MEDICAID WELFARE BILLS.WE CANNOT GO DOWN THAT TRAILAGAIN.PAUL: OPPONENTS OF QUESTION TWOCHARACTERIZE MEDICAID EXPANSIONAS WELFARE.THEY SAY THERE ARE AFFORDABLEPRIVATE INSURANCE OPTIONS FORLOW-INCOME MAINERS, INDIVIDUALSMAKING LESS THAN $17,000 A YEAR.SIROCKI AND OTHERS SAY THERE AREBETTER WAYS TO SPEND STATE MONEYON HEALTH CARE.>> THE DISABLED MUST COME IT ISFIRST, ABSOLUTELY SHAMEFUL THATWE HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLELANGUISHING ON WAIT LISTS FORWHOM THE MEDICAID PROGRAM WASDESIGNED TO SERVE, AND THEY’RENOT BEING SERVED.PAUL: SHE ALSO SAYS MEDICAIDEXPANSION IS BAD FOR HEALTH CAREPROVIDERS.>> YOU’RE TAKING HEALTHY,ABLE-BODIED PEOPLE OUT OF THEPRIVATE INSURANCE MARKET, ANDYOU’RE FUNNELING THEM INTOFORCING THEM INTO THE MEDICAID, PROGRAM WITH LOWERREIMBURSEMENT RATES.IT DOESN’T MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE.PAUL: IN MEDICAID — SUPPORTERSOF QUESTION TWO SAY MEDICAIDEXPANSION WOULD ACTUALLY BE GOODFOR MAINE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERSESPECIALLY RURAL HOSPITALS.,>> A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIESREALLY DEPEND ON THE HOSPITALSAS THEIR PRIMARY EMPLOYER.PAUL: DOCTOR SAM ZAGER IS APHYSICIAN.HE SAYS THE BOTTOM LINE ISEXPANDING MEDICAID WOULD SAVELIVES.>> WHEN PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TOCARE, YOU CAN KEEP PEOPLE ALIVE,YOU CAN KEEP PEOPLE FUNCTIONINGAND WORKINPAUL: ZAGER AND OTHER PROPONENTSOF QUESTION TWO SAY THE NETECONOMIC BENEFIT FOR MAINE WOULDBE POSITIVE.THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULDCOVER AT LEAST 90% OF THE COSTOF THE EXPANSION.QUESTION TWO SUPPORTERS SAY,ESSENTIALLY, MAINE WOULD PAY INABOUT $50 MILLION FOR A RETURNWORTH $500 MILLION.>> IT’S GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY,IT’S GOOD FOR PEOPLE’S HEALTH,AND IT’S GOOD FOR MAINE OVERALL.PAUL: 31 STATES, SEVERAL WITHREPUBLICAN GOVERNORS HAVE, ALREADY EXPANDED MEDICAIDUNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT,INCREASING HEALTH CARE COVERAGETO ABOUT 11 MILLION AMERICANS.OF THE 70,000 MAINERS WHO WOULDBE COVERED IF THE STATE EXPANDEDMEDICAID, ABOUT 20% ARE PARENTS.MANY DO WORK.ZAGER REJECTS THE NOTION THATEXPANING MEDICAID FOR THIS GROUPOF MAINERS IS WELFARE.>> IF WE’RE GOING TO TURN OURBACK ON PEOPLE BECAUSE THEREMIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE THAT MIGH, MAYBE SOMEBODY THINKS THEY DONOT WORK HARD ENOUGH THEN WE’RE, GOING TO TURN OUT A LOT OFREALLY HARD-WORKING MAINERS WHODESERVE TO HAVE A FUTURE.PAUL: I’M PAUL MERRILL, WMTW
Maine voters to decide whether to expand Medicaid
Updated: 6:26 PM EDT Nov 3, 2017
On Tuesday, voters in Maine will decide whether to expand Medicaid to about 70,000 low-income Mainers.
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