Days after overwhelming approval of Medicaid Expansion vote, Mainers face pushback from Governor

Following Tuesday’s elections, one thing is clear: healthcare is at the top of voters’ minds. Maine became the first state to approve a statewide referendum that would expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Virginia moved the state’s House of Delegates from a Republican majority, which has widely been against the expansion of Medicaid, to a Democratic majority, as well as elected Ralph Northam as governor. As Lt. Gov., Northam has attempted to gain support for expanding Medicaid for the state, but has been unsuccessful in gaining traction. Maine’s and Virginia’s strong showings of support for Medicaid expansion this week has brought hope back to a number of states that wish to follow their lead. Nebraska State Senator Adam Morfeld has already proposed a resolution to add the issue on the state’s general election ballot in 2018. Additionally, advocacy groups in a number of Republican-controlled states including, Idaho, Utah, Kansas, and North Carolina, have already increased their effort and are aiming to add a similar referendum to their ballots next year. Get ready to rise up in support of expanding Medicaid!

Under the Affordable Care Act, states are given the opportunity to accept federal funding that would expand Medicaid to cover individuals based on annual income only (below 138% of the federal poverty level or about $16,600). If you live in a state without Medicaid expansion, income, household size, disability status and family status are some of the factors looked at that determine eligibility. For Maine, the passing of this referendum means that approximately 70,000 to 90,000 more people would gain coverage under Medicaid. That’s no minor matter.

While it has only been two days since Maine overwhelmingly passed the referendum, it is already facing resistance from Republican Governor Paul LePage. Lepage has already vetoed Medicaid expansion passed FIVE times in the past four years. However, Gov. LePage’s outspoken rejection of the expansion caused the co-chair of Mainers for Health Care, Robyn Merrill, to ask the voters directly. Although 59% of Maine voters approved the referendum, LePage is refusing to implement expansion without full funding from the state Legislature. This likely means that LePage will once again veto anything that is brought to him from the Legislature.

But when the majority of constituents vote to support an issue there must be consequences to denying voters what they want for their state. This is all the more the case when this vote has meant so much to other states and it is widely known that the Governor is acting on his own principles as instead of following the needs of the people of Maine. As LePage enters his last year as Governor, Mainers will not forget he wants to deny close to 100,000 more people of Medicaid, and will hopefully be able to express their support for a different type of Governor in 2018.

Adding such important issues on the ballot and bringing them directly to voters puts the spotlight on policymakers to do the right thing for the people who put them there, just like Robyn Merrill in Maine. If you are in a state without Medicaid expansion, join a local advocacy group and work with those who want the people to vote on big issues. Deciding to deny Medicaid expansion should come from constituents and state legislature, and not rest on the conservative views of those in power.