Vetoed by Governor Paul LePage

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands Medicaid eligibility to include certain individuals and establishes a premium assistance program.

Highlights:

• Expands Medicaid eligibility, beginning August 1, 2014, to include an individual who meets the following criteria (Part A):
• The individual is between 21 and 64 years of age;
• The individual’s income is lower than 133 percent of the Nonfarm Income Official Poverty Line plus 5 percent for the applicable family size; and
• The individual meets federal criteria for Medicaid eligibility.

• Establishes the “Maine Marketplace Premium Assistance Program” beginning July 1, 2015, to provide insurance premium assistance for a newly Medicaid-eligible individual to purchase insurance coverage on the federally facilitated exchange, if the individual meets the following criteria (Part A):
• The individual is not disabled;
• The individual is not pregnant;
• The individual does not have children under the age of 19; and 
• The individual is not medically frail. 

• Limits the medical assistance given to individuals who are eligible for the Maine Marketplace Premium Assistance Program to insurance premium assistance, beginning July 1, 2015 (Part A). 

• Specifies that a newly Medicaid-eligible individual who purchases insurance coverage on the federally facilitated exchange is responsible for any plan cost-sharing (Part A).

• Requires an eligible individual to participate in a group health plan if 1 is available to them (Part A).

• Requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services to submit any necessary waivers to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by December 1, 2014 in order to implement the Maine Marketplace Premium Assistance Program (Part A).

• Repeals the eligibility provisions of this bill on December 31, 2016, or if 1 of the following events occurs first (Part A):
• If federal funding for medical assistance for newly Medicaid-eligible individuals is reduced below 100 percent for any calendar quarter in 2014, 2015, or 2016; or
• If the waiver submitted to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has not been approved by July 1, 2015. 

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands Medicaid eligibility to include certain individuals and establishes a premium assistance program.

Highlights:

• Expands Medicaid eligibility, beginning August 1, 2014, to include an individual who meets the following criteria (Part A):
• The individual is between 21 and 64 years of age;
• The individual’s income is lower than 133 percent of the Nonfarm Income Official Poverty Line plus 5 percent for the applicable family size; and
• The individual meets federal criteria for Medicaid eligibility.

• Establishes the “Maine Marketplace Premium Assistance Program” beginning July 1, 2015, to provide insurance premium assistance for a newly Medicaid-eligible individual to purchase insurance coverage on the federally facilitated exchange, if the individual meets the following criteria (Part A):
• The individual is not disabled;
• The individual is not pregnant;
• The individual does not have children under the age of 19; and 
• The individual is not medically frail. 

• Limits the medical assistance given to individuals who are eligible for the Maine Marketplace Premium Assistance Program to insurance premium assistance, beginning July 1, 2015 (Part A). 

• Specifies that a newly Medicaid-eligible individual who purchases insurance coverage on the federally facilitated exchange is responsible for any plan cost-sharing (Part A).

• Requires an eligible individual to participate in a group health plan if 1 is available to them (Part A).

• Requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services to submit any necessary waivers to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by December 1, 2014 in order to implement the Maine Marketplace Premium Assistance Program (Part A).

• Repeals the eligibility provisions of this bill on December 31, 2016, or if 1 of the following events occurs first (Part A):
• If federal funding for medical assistance for newly Medicaid-eligible individuals is reduced below 100 percent for any calendar quarter in 2014, 2015, or 2016; or
• If the waiver submitted to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has not been approved by July 1, 2015. 

Full Bill Text