Turning Down Federal Funding for Medicaid Would Be Sending Maine Tax Dollars to Other States

Press Release

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today if Maine refuses federal funding for Medicaid expansion, Maine taxpayers would end up supporting coverage in other states.

"Federal officials confirmed today what we expected--that if Maine expands Medicaid coverage, the state will get reimbursed by the federal government," Pingree said. "Those federal funds come from taxpayers in Maine and around the country, so if we turn the funding down, Maine people will be subsidizing Medicaid expansion in other states and not getting anything in return. It just doesn't make sense."

Even the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, found that Maine would realize nearly $700 million in savings over ten years by expanding Medicaid coverage and accepting the federal funding that goes with it.

Pingree was a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which provides for the expanded Medicaid coverage funding. Under the ACA, the federal government will cover 100% of the costs for expanding coverage for three years and at least 90% of those costs after that.

In separate letters today to Governor LePage from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and to legislative leaders from Cindy Mann, Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, officials indicated that if Maine expands Medicaid coverage to 10,500 adults making up to 133% of the federal poverty, the federal government would likely cover the cost. However, as Mann pointed out, state officials have to provide some basic information about Maine's Medicaid coverage in order to guarantee 100% coverage for that expanded coverage.

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