Farmington Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) endorses the effort to extend Medicaid to more than 70,000 low income Maine citizens who do not have health coverage.
We believe that it is our responsibility, as a caring nation, to provide access to adequate health care for the poor and the sick among us. More than 66,000 Maine registered voters petitioned to have Medicaid Expansion on the Nov. 7, 2017 ballot, and Maine’s elected representatives in the state legislature voted for Medicaid Expansion six times. (Each time it was vetoed by the Governor, and not overridden). We urge all citizens to support this worthy effort in November.
Mark Rains, clerk, and Henry Washburn, recording clerk
Farmington Friends Meeting
@Farmington Friends: Thank you for your expression of compassion and call for action in November.
Please remember what happened the last time medicaid was expanded. It lead to large debts to hospitals that we still haven’t recovered from. Had it not been for that perhaps our state liquor sales could be going towards our public education demands !!!!
“Support
Mainers for Health Care, also known as Yes on 2, is leading the campaign in support of the initiative.[11]
Supporters
Committee
The support campaign’s steering committee includes the following organizations:[12]
Maine Center for Economic Policy
Maine Equal Justice Partners
Maine People’s Alliance
Maine Voices Network
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England Maine Action Fund
Organizations
Maine Medical Association[13]
Maine Hospital Association[14]
Maine Small Business Coalition[15]
Arguments
Mainers for Health Care, the campaign in support of Question 2, stated the following:[12]
“ Federal funds were earmarked for Maine 3 years ago that would provide health insurance to 70,000 Mainers by expanding Medicaid coverage. The Maine Legislature passed legislation five times to put these federal funds to work for Maine. The Governor has vetoed each bill without having a true understanding of the implications.
No one should be blocked from accessing affordable health insurance, especially when so many need care or medicine and there are simple ways to improve the system.
Expanding access to Medicaid is a common sense move that will improve health, create 3000 jobs throughout the State, and help preserve Maine’s community hospitals and health centers that so many of us depend on.
Increasing access to health coverage will prevent family illness or health problems from turning into bankruptcy, loss of a home, and destitution.
Increasing access to treatment will help us address Maine’s drug crisis which is hurting our communities. We need to invest in treatment options so our family, friends, and neighbors who are battling addiction can get the help they need.
During these uncertain times, it is more important than ever that we stand together, united for more affordable health care, not less![10]”
https://ballotpedia.org/Maine_Question_2,_Medicaid_Expansion_Initiative_(2017)
The last time Maine expanded heath insurance in the form of Mainecare, LePage was left holding a 44 million dollar bag, and 30 nursing and rehab housing facilities threatened to refuse to accept it unless they received reimbursement for Mainecare, which the democrats weren’t going to pay, LePage used money from the anti-smoking fund and a few other democrat slush funds and paid 44 million to hospitals and 13 million to get another 20 million in federal funds for nursing homes all through executive orders because congress didn’t do their job and pay it. Nothing good will come from this.