Maine governor-elect says healthcare is top priority
In contrast to her predecessor, Maine’s next governor is excited to implement the state’s Medicaid expansion.
Speaking to a crowd at a campaign stop on Wednesday morning, Janet Mills said healthcare, including the expansion, is her “No. 1 priority.” She named the opioid crisis as another top concern. Mills, a Democrat, is likely to fulfill many of her policy goals, as Democrats gained control of the Maine House and Senate on Tuesday.
Later on Wednesday, Mills listened to arguments at the Maine Superior Court in the case against the current administration for failing to implement the expansion.
Mills won by an eight-point margin, despite a liberal third-party contender in the running in addition to her Republican opponent. (Portland Press Herald article)
With Democrat as governor, Kansas could expand Medicaid
In Kansas, Medicaid expansion is looking like a possibility as well.
The Republican-controlled state legislature approved expansion in 2017, passing 25-14 in the Senate and 81-44 in the House, but then-governor Sam Brownback vetoed it. Both houses are still overwhelmingly Republican, but the governor-elect, Laura Kelly, is a Democrat and supports expansion.
Analysts say the next Kansas legislature will be a bit more conservative, but expansion advocates in the state say “well over a majority” will still vote for it.
Even Rep. Daniel Hawkins—head of the House’s health committee and an expansion opponent—said “it’s a foregone conclusion” expansion will pass.
Kelly doesn’t want to be a divisive leader and has said she wants to begin “a new era of cooperation in Kansas,” where Republicans and Democrats can work together to do what’s best for Kansans. (The Wichita Eagle article)
Maine voters reject universal home care initiative
While Medicaid expansion is now a real possibility in Maine, universal home care will not be happening there soon. Voters in the Pine Tree State rejected by a 13% margin a ballot initiative that would have created a universal home care program.
The initiative would have provided home care to all Mainers age 65 and older, as well as residents with disabilities, without regard to income. It would have been funded through a 3.8% surtax on adjusted gross incomes above $128,400.
The initiative’s failure likely stems from vocal opposition by business interests and certain elected officials.
While the median age nationally is 38, it’s 44.6 in Maine, making it the oldest state in the nation. The percent of residents age 65 and older is expected to grow from 16% currently to 28% by 2034. (FierceHealthcare)