Maine – Governor-Elect to Implement Medicaid Expansion

November 2018 ~

Maine Governor-elect, Janet Mills, recently made statements of her intention to implement the state’s voter-approved Medicaid expansion plan upon taking office in January.

Maine voters approved the expansion in 2017, but an ongoing battle between the state’s previous administration and Maine Equal Justice, has resulted in a number of delays.

Mill’s office filed a brief this fall supporting Maine Equal Justice’s position that the law must be implemented and on November 28, after listening in on a Medicaid expansion lawsuit hearing in Maine Superior Court, Mills said she would implement expansion immediately upon taking office.

An estimated 70,000 low-income people would become eligible for Medicaid under the expansion. Mills has stated she will consider authorizing coverage retroactive to July 2 for those that applied for coverage but were denied, a population of approximately 4,500.

Mills, who is currently Maine’s attorney general, will become the first woman to serve as governor in January when she’s sworn into office. In her victory speech, Mills pledged to usher in an era of “open doors” and collaboration in state government and along with her pledge to take-on the state Medicaid expansion battle, has stated her top priorities will be lowering health insurance premiums and tackling the opioid crisis that has claimed hundreds of lives throughout the state.

Source(s): HMA Weekly Roundup November 14, 2018; The Portland Press Herald; Bangor Daily News; Maine Public;