As Veto Day — May 1 — approaches, lawmakers have yet another chance to override Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of legislation that would provide health insurance to nearly 70,000 low-income Mainers, most of whom are working low-wage jobs where coverage is not offered or unaffordable.
This unprecedented opportunity to provide coverage and infuse millions of federal dollars into Maine’s economy has been described as the single largest economic opportunity available to states. It is no wonder that, with exception of Maine, every state in New England has accepted the federal funds to expand health insurance for low-wage workers through Medicaid.
As Maine lawmakers consider whether they will vote to override the governor’s veto of expansion in Maine, it is worth highlighting how accepting the federal dollars to provide coverage will benefit our state and the people who live here:
— Nearly 70,000 low-income Mainers would have access to coverage;
— Approximately 2,700 Maine veterans who do not have health insurance would be covered, along with 1,000 of their family members;
— $256 million would be infused into Maine’s economy annually, stimulating over $500 million in additional economic activity throughout the state each year;
— 3,100 to 3,400 new jobs would be created in Maine;
— 900 to 1,000 jobs would be preserved;
— The additional economic activity generated from accepting the federal dollars would produce an additional $16 to 18 million in state and local taxes annually;
— Maine’s Legislative Office of Fiscal and Program Review conservatively estimated savings to the state of Maine totaling $11.8 million in calendar year 2015 and 2016;
— Maine’s 37 hospitals will benefit as the amount of charity care provided by hospitals declines;
— Community health centers will gain financial stability resulting in greater service capacity and number of patients served;
— Large employers would avoid tax penalties for employees who receive subsidies under the marketplace who would otherwise be eligible for coverage if the state expanded Medicaid;
— Maine’s workforce would be healthier and therefore more productive;
— Lowers employer insurance costs due to reduction in cost shift that occurs when uninsured individuals seek charity care at their local hospitals;
— Municipalities would see less demand on their General Assistance programs as residents would have access to health care services;
— Maximizes the amount of federal tax paid by Maine employers and employees in Maine to benefit Maine people; and
— It will prevent unnecessary suffering and save lives.
It would be an understatement to say the benefits of expansion, including the fact that the federal government will pay 100 percent of the cost of covering newly eligible individuals through Dec. 31, 2016 and that states can pull out any time, are grand.
There truly has not been any proposal made by our governor or policymakers that would produce such economic benefits for our state over such a short period of time.
Expansion will help prevent chronic and debilitating illnesses, such as asthma and diabetes, and help to reduce deaths from preventable diseases, such as cancer.
Rejecting federal health care dollars will also place Maine at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting large businesses to invest in Maine. Maine’s refusal to accept federal health care funds will result in large employers being subject to tax penalties for employees who receive subsidies in the marketplace.
Maine is a great place to live and work, but our friends, family members and neighbors are struggling to recover from the recession. By accepting federal health care funds, we have the opportunity to improve the health and well-being of 70,000 Maine people, strengthen our health care infrastructure, create a healthier workforce and become a stronger, more competitive Maine.
Multiple polls in the last two years have shown that voters overwhelmingly support accepting federal funds to provide coverage to low-income Mainers.
Our legislators and the governor must understand that this is an opportunity Maine shouldn’t and can’t afford to pass up.
Laurie Kane-Lewis, CMPE, is chief executive officer of DFD Russell Medical Centers in Leeds.
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