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November 28, 2012
AUGUSTA – Democratic lawmakers released the following statement in response to news of a projected $100 million shortfall in the state’s Medicaid program known as MaineCare for this fiscal year, which ends in June.
The LePage administration briefed the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee on the shortfall in the health care program earlier today.
“We are incredibly concerned by the news we learned today,” said Rep. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, the lead House Democrat on the state’s budget writing committee. “We look forward to seeing an in-depth analysis from the LePage administration detailing the shortfall. The savings initiatives passed in the prior budget are not working. We must address the real cost drivers in the state’s program.”
During the past two years, enrollment in MaineCare has dropped while the total growth in the program has been less than 1 percent.
“We need to focus our savings efforts on the five percent of the MaineCare population that accounts for 55 percent of the cost,” said Sen. Dawn Hill, D-York, who serves on the committee. “We need to more efficiently deliver health care to patients and have a greater focus on prevention.”
The news comes as the state also faces a $35 million revenue shortfall for the current budget.
Contact:
Jodi Quintero, (Rotundo) 841-6279 (m); Ericka Dodge (Hill); 232-5892 (m)