Federal Court Declines to Order an Expedited Review of Maine?s Medicaid State Plan Amendment

September 14, 2012

AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider issued the following statement today:

?We are disappointed in the decision of the First Circuit Court of Appeals to decline to order the federal government to conduct an expedited review of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services State Plan Amendment by the date of October 1, 2012.

?The First Circuit did not reject Maine?s substantive legal arguments that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act maintenance of effort provision violates fundamental constitutional principles. We continue to believe that Maine has a strong legal argument on the substantive merits of this case.

?Maine?s State Plan Amendment was submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on August 1, 2012. In light of the Court?s decision, Maine will proceed with the administrative process currently underway with CMS.?