Take Action Town Hall (6/26/25): What's Happening to MaineCare?
- Mike Allen Ph.D.
- Jul 2
- 2 min read
By Mike Allen, Ph.D.
The first of many planned Take Action Town Hall events took place last Thursday night at the Fairfield Community Center. These events will emphasize non-partisan discussion of ongoing issues that concern Maine citizens. The event was sponsored by concerned citizens, along with members of the Somerset County Democrats and Indivisible Mid Maine.
Colleen Madigan of Indivisible Mid Maine gave an expansive presentation on the impact of the Federal Fiscal Year 2025 Bill (“Big, Beautiful, Bill”) on MaineCare. Lise Ragan of Somerset Democrats, Karen Heck of Indivisible Mid Maine, and Matthew Townsend, District 67 Representative (D-Benton and Fairfield), also spoke.
After the presentations, three tables were set aside for making posters and for meeting with representatives of some of the groups present.
This is an account of some of the impacts discussed at the Take Action Town Hall on MaineCare:
Loss of federal funding to Maine Medicaid (also known as MaineCare) is a major issue. For 392,000 Mainers, this means a loss of $780 million in federal matching funds for provider taxes, which are a significant source of funding for MaineCare. The FFY25 bill also means another 10% loss of matching funds because Maine covers all children, regardless of citizenship status.
Another issue is mandatory work requirements, which will most affect Maine’s vulnerable populations, including 60,000 veterans, elderly, and homeless individuals. Also deeply affected are the self-employed, seasonal workers, and immigrant families, who have few alternatives if coverage is denied or delayed. In total, 86,000 people aged 19–64 will be required to work or seek exemptions. Additionally, barriers to verification and changes in eligibility determinations could cause 31,000 more disenrollments in the first year alone.
Other major impacts of FFY25 on MaineCare include higher administrative and staffing costs—estimated at $8 million in 2027, and $5.5 million each year thereafter. There will also be higher deductibles and out-of-pocket payments, shorter enrollment periods, more burden on health savings accounts, and limits on enrollment, eligibility, and access to health coverage. Finally, there will be no federal funding for family planning or reproductive care.
In closing, the impact of FFY25 on MaineCare is clear: more uninsured individuals, more medical debt, delayed care, and worse health outcomes. It will severely weaken public health in Maine and strain hospitals and healthcare providers financially.
Sources:
2025-05-02https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/blog/federal-proposals-threaten-health-coverage-nutrition-assistance-and-marketplace-stability-maine-2025-05-20
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