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Heating Fuel Assistance Fact Sheet
The fact sheet is a resource guide only! It does not provide legal or policy guidance or advice. Please contact individual organizations for the most current and accurate information.
Heating fuel customers seeking fuel assistance and legal guidance as a result of a heating oil, kerosene or propane delivery disruption to their homes should consult with the following organizations:
- MaineHousing - Offers a variety of energy assistance and energy conservation programs for consumers and administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help low-income homeowners and renters with their heating costs. MaineHousing and other organizations will be participating in a session on Saturday, February 12, 10am - 2pm at the Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick to give advice regarding the needs of and resources available to home owners, including LIHEAP sign-up for eligible citizens. Please call 1-800-452-4668 or visit www.mainehousing.org.
- Maine Energy Marketers Association - Representing heating oil and propane providers serving more than 415,000 Maine households. The heating fuels industry is working with former Thibeault Energy customers to make sure that the customers are taken care of. To find a dealer near you, call 1-888-863-3753 or visit www.maineenergymarketers.com/dealers.
- Community Action Agencies- Partners with state and local communities to assist Maine residents who may not be eligible for limited federal, state or local fuel assistance programs.
- Midcoast Maine Community Action - (207) 442-7963 or www.midcoastmainecommunityaction.org.
- Kennebec Valley Community Action Program - 1-800-542-8227 or www.kvcap.org.
- 2-1-1 Maine- Connects callers to trained specialists who can help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week finding answers to fuel assistance questions. As quick and easy as dialing 2-1-1 or visiting www.211maine.org.
- Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection - The AG has issued consumer protection rules that regulate the sale of home heating oil, including provisions ensuing that dealers deliver the product for the agreed price under prepaid plans. The AG is taking calls and complaints at (207) 626-8849. Please visit www.maine.gov/ag/consumer for more information.
- Maine Credit Union League - Credit unions offer fuel assistance loans and programs. www.mainecul.org
- Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security - Works with federal, state and regional government officials and private and nonprofit sectors, to provide fuel supply and monitoring functions, advise on energy emergencies and energy policy and communicate with petroleum operators and dealers during an emergency. Call (207) 287-8927.
Resources for Mainers seeking health insurance
Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Maine's Attorney General's Office is working with Consumers for Affordable Health Care and the Maine Bureau of Insurance to help Maine health insurance consumers. This new program is called the Maine Health Insurance Consumer Assistance Program (MHICAP).
MHICAP will assist consumers in getting their health care bills paid, in filing appeals with insurance companies, in helping consumers to understand their rights and responsibilities under their insurance contracts, and in informing individuals and small businesses about health care tax credits among other things.
Visit the Maine Health Insurance Consumer Assistance Program website.
Order Granting Summary Judgment concerning the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
Maine Attorney General William Schneider announces the decision of United States District Judge Roger Vinson to allow Maine to join the health care lawsuit.
?Judge Vinson has granted the motion by the State of Florida to include Maine and five other states in the lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of certain provisions of the health care reform law. I am pleased that Maine will have an opportunity to be part of this lawsuit as I believe the foundation of the health care law is an impermissible expansion of the powers granted to the federal government by the United States Constitution.
This lawsuit is not about whether citizens should or should not have health care. All citizens should have access to good quality and affordable health care. However, the repairs to the system cannot be based on an unconstitutional foundation. The federal health care reform law mandates all citizens to purchase health insurance or pay a costly penalty. This would be an unprecedented expansion of federal power, violating the United States Constitution.
I have heard from many Mainers with their concerns regarding the anticipated cost incurred by the state for participation in this lawsuit. The cost to Maine to join the Florida lawsuit has been negligible and will be minimal in the future, contrary to some well-publicized estimates,? Attorney General Schneider said.