Dear M.A.I.N. Members and Supporters,

Thanks to you and many others who contacted legislators over the past few weeks, there will be NO additional cuts in MaineCare eligibility and NO drastic increases in cost-sharing this year!!!!

Just a couple of weeks ago the Legislature's Appropriations Committee faced two competing proposals. One would have cut nearly 7,000 people from the "childless adult" (non-categorical) waiver and the other would have drastically increased co-payments and premiums for some MaineCare members.

Thanks to your calls and messages BOTH of these proposals were defeated.

Funding for the childless adult waiver will be maintained at the level proposed in the Governor's original budget. This amount is less than was available last year, but the intent is to maintain the current enrollment of approximately 20,000. The savings is expected to be achieved by reducing the health care costs for this group of individuals by better care management. If these savings do not happen, there may be fewer slots for people in this program.

While coverage for MaineCare parents between 150%-200% of the Federal Poverty Level was not included in this budget, it is expected that their coverage will be continued through Dirigo Health under another bill still pending. This is the way these parents have been covered since the expansion in May 2005. We will contact you immediately if it appears that their continued coverage is in jeopardy.

Both co-payments and premiums for MaineCare members will stay at their current levels with one exception. The co-payment for prescription drugs will increase from $2.50 to $3.00 for some MaineCare members-this does not include children, pregnant women, or people in long term care facilities. Co-payments will not be mandatory-a proposal to make co-payments mandatory was also defeated! This means that if you cannot afford your co-payment you must still be given the MaineCare service or prescription that you need.

Thanks again to all of you who called or wrote to your Legislators! YOUR voice made an important difference in keeping health care accessible to MaineCare members this year!!!!

Crystal M. Bond
Paralegal/Organizer
Maine Equal Justice Partners
126 Sewall Street, Augusta, Maine 04330
Toll free: 1-866-626-7059 x 205
Local: 626-7058 x 205; Fax: 207 621-8148
cbond@mejp.org
http://www.mejp.org

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther King, Jr.

062907