Gov. LePage won't implement Medicaid expansion until 'fully funded'

WEBVTT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TWEETEDPICTURES OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVEVISITING BUSINESSES IN SOUTHERNMAINE TODAY, BUT LEPAGE'SSPOKESPEOPLE WOULD NOT MAKE THEMAVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONSABOUT THE RESULTS OF YESTERDAY'SVOTE.PART OF A WRITTEN STATEMENT THEGOVERNOR RELEASED THIS MORNINGMY ADMINISTRATION WILL NOTIMPLEMENT MEDICAID EXPANSIONUNTIL IT HAS BEEN FULLY FUNDEDBY THE LEGISLATURE AT THE LEVELSDHHS CALCULATED.>> 59% OF THE VOTE IS A STRONGMANDATE.REPORTER: DAVID FARMER IS THESPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAIDEXPANSION CAMPAIGN.>> RIGHT NOW, THERE AREHOSPITALS WHO HAVE STOPPEDDELIVERING BABIES BECAUSE OFFINANCIAL ISSUES.THOSE PROBLEMS DON'T GO AWAYBECAUSE THE GOVERNOR POUNDS THEDESK.THERE ARE REAL PEOPLE WHO AREIMPACTED BY THIS, AND THERE AREREAL PEOPLE THE VOTERS OF THISSTATE WHO STOOD UP AND SAID, 'WEWANT MORE HEALTH CARE NOT LESS.'REPORTER: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTWILL PAY FOR ALMOST 90% OF THEEXPANSION COSTS, BUT MAINE STILLHAS TO OFFER UP A BUY-IN TOTRIGGER THE FEDERAL FUNDS.THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE BUY-INFOR YEAR ONE IS $13.6 MILLION.>> HOW DO YOU PAY FOR IT?REPORTER: REPUBLICAN HOUSEMINORITY LEADER KEN FREDETTEOPPOSED MEDICAID EXPANSION.HE SAYS HE WILL ABIDE BY THEVOTERS' DECISION YESTERDAY, BUTIS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRICETAG.>> IF YOU WANT TO GROWGOVERNMENT, YOU CAN GROWGOVERNMENT, BUT WE'RE NOT GOINGTO DO IT BY INCREASING TAXES ONHARDWORKING MAINE PEOPLE ORTAKING MONEY OUT OF THE RAINYDAY FUND.REPORTER: FARMER AND DEMOCRATSIN THE LEGISLATURE ARE WARNINGTHE GOVERNOR AND REPUBLICANS NOTTO MEDDLE WITH YESTERDAY'SDECISION.>> IF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHAND HUMAN SERVICES DRAGS ITSFEET, WE WILL HOLD THEMACCOUNTABLE.IF THE GOVERNOR FAILS TOIMPLEMENT THIS LAW, WE WILL SEEHIM IN COURT.REPORTER: RIGHT NOW, MEDICAIDEXPANSION IS SET TO BECOME LAW45 DAYS AFTER THE LEGISLATURERECONVENES IN JANUARY.AFTER THAT, THE STATE HAS 90DAYS TO NOTIFY THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT.THOSE 70,000 AFFECTED MAINERSCOULD START RECEIVING NEW HEALTHCARE COVERAGE BY AUGUST.

Gov. Paul LePage said he will not implement a voter-approved expansion of Medicaid until it is fully funded.LePage issued the statement Wednesday morning, hours after voters approved Question 2 by a wide margin.App users tap here to see resultsQuestion 2 expands access to Medicaid to 70,000 low-income Mainers through the Affordable Care Act."The last time Maine experimented with Medicaid expansion in 2002 under then-governor Angus King, it created a $750 million debt to hospitals, resulted in massive budget shortfalls every year, did not reduce emergency room use, did not reduce the number of uninsured Mainers and took resources away from our most vulnerable residents-the elderly and the intellectually and physically disabled," the governor said in a statement.Tap here to see results for all races"When President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress tried to take health care away from millions of Americans, this country rose up to resist. And we won," Senate Democratic Leader Troy Jackson, of Allagash, said in a statement. "When Gov. LePage and his allies tried to defeat Medicaid expansion at the ballot box, Mainers turned out in the ballot box to reject his lies. And we won."The referendum attracted national attention because it concerns a key piece of former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act.Members of the Maine Legislature have already voted to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act five times.Gov. Paul LePage vetoed each of those efforts, and lawmakers could not override the veto.

AUGUSTA, Maine —

Gov. Paul LePage said he will not implement a voter-approved expansion of Medicaid until it is fully funded.

LePage issued the statement Wednesday morning, hours after voters approved Question 2 by a wide margin.

App users tap here to see results

Question 2 expands access to Medicaid to 70,000 low-income Mainers through the Affordable Care Act.

"The last time Maine experimented with Medicaid expansion in 2002 under then-governor Angus King, it created a $750 million debt to hospitals, resulted in massive budget shortfalls every year, did not reduce emergency room use, did not reduce the number of uninsured Mainers and took resources away from our most vulnerable residents-the elderly and the intellectually and physically disabled," the governor said in a statement.

Tap here to see results for all races

"When President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress tried to take health care away from millions of Americans, this country rose up to resist. And we won," Senate Democratic Leader Troy Jackson, of Allagash, said in a statement. "When Gov. LePage and his allies tried to defeat Medicaid expansion at the ballot box, Mainers turned out in the ballot box to reject his lies. And we won."

The referendum attracted national attention because it concerns a key piece of former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act.

Members of the Maine Legislature have already voted to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act five times.

Gov. Paul LePage vetoed each of those efforts, and lawmakers could not override the veto.

Gov. LePage won't implement Medicaid expansion until 'fully funded'

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