Maine Legislature Give ‘All But Final Approval’ to Bill Expanding Medicaid, Cancer Drug Coverage

The Maine Legislature last week approved a bill (LD 1303) that would expand Medicaid coverage to more low-income adults and children, provide low-income seniors with prescription drug coverage for cancer drugs and allow some self-employed individuals to purchase Medicaid coverage. AP/Foster's Daily Democrat reports that the state House voted 102-31 to pass the measure and sent it to the state Senate, which "routinely matched the action by the House without a recorded tally." Sponsored by state House Speaker Michael Saxl (D), the bill would expand Medicaid eligibility to include approximately 21,000 childless adults with incomes below 125% of the federal poverty level, or annual earnings of about $10,700, as well as more than 3,000 children. The bill also calls for the state Department of Human Services to ask federal approval to allow "some self-employed individuals" earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level, or an annual income of about $53,000 for family of four, to "buy into" Medicaid coverage for themselves and their families. In addition, the measure would expand the state's Low Cost Drugs for the Elderly Program to include coverage for cancer drugs. Critics of the bill had questioned whether the state could shoulder its cost, which is expected to total $24 million over the next two years. The measure "leaves open the question of its financing" (Quinn, AP/Foster's Daily Democrat, 6/1).