MaineCare expansion compromise limps to floor votes

Yesterday at 11:17 PM
MaineCare expansion compromise limps to floor votes
Despite being sponsored by two Republicans, the Democrat-supported bill can only muster a 7-5 party-line vote in committee and may struggle to win a veto-proof majority.

By Steve Mistler smistler@pressherald.com
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA — A proposal from two Republican lawmakers to expand the state’s Medicaid program to more than 60,000 low-income residents and establish a managed care system for all 320,000 beneficiaries inched forward Monday.

Democrats on the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee approved L.D. 1487 in a party-line vote of 7-5. The bill, sponsored by Assistant Senate Minority Leader Roger Katz, R-Augusta, and Sen. Thomas Saviello, R-Wilton, is designed to attract Republican votes to back what has been a largely Democrat-led effort to expand the public health insurance program for the poor.

The bill’s managed care provision, which Katz said would help the state reduce costs in the $2.5 billion program, is one of several measures included to bring along enough Republican votes to circumvent an anticipated veto by Gov. Paul LePage.

-snip-

http://www.pressherald.com/politics/Maine_Democrats_advance_Medicaid_expansion_bill_.html