Taxes and Budget Final part 2 budget rejects many cuts and makes investments — but lawmakers still have to address long term revenue needs Status as of 3:00 pm, June 14. This will be updated. Maine’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee finalized a proposal for the second part of the biennial […] MECEP Posted June 13, 2025 Tags Budget, Child Care, Children, Direct Care Work, Education, Health Care, Higher Education, Medicaid, SNAP
Maine’s Economy, Taxes and Budget Reporting Work Requirements: Bad at encouraging work, good at making people sick and hungry Congress wants to make work reporting requirements in safety net programs harsher and more pervasive to remove supports from tens of thousands of Mainers and use that […] James Myall Posted May 22, 2025 Tags Budget, Economic Security, Federal, Food Insecurity, Health Care, Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, TCJA, Trump Tax Cuts, Unemployment
Taxes and Budget Maine’s economy could lose more than $400 million in federal funds each year under the House reconciliation bill A number of changes to safety net programs, particularly Medicaid (MaineCare) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will lead to more than $400 million less in […] James Myall Posted May 22, 2025 Tags Economic Security, Economy, Food Insecurity, Health Care, Jobs, Medicaid, SNAP, TCJA, Trump Tax Cuts
Health Care Amid rising costs, lawmaker wants to restart conversation about universal health care A November 2024 report from the Maine Center for Economic Policy found that, based on current demographics and insurance coverage, the cost of such a program would roughly […] Maine Morning Star Posted May 15, 2025 Tags Budget, Health Care, Revenue
Health Care, Taxes and Budget Even if you’re not on it, Medicaid matters to you Medicaid is a financial backbone for many hospitals, especially in rural areas. Medicaid covers one in five hospital discharges and nearly half of all births in rural hospitals nationally. In […] Portland Press Herald Posted May 14, 2025 Tags Budget, Federal, Health Care, Medicaid
Health Care, Taxes and Budget I’m not on Medicaid — so why should I care about cuts to Medicaid? Congress is currently considering major cuts to Medicaid and other programs. Changes to Medicaid, which provides health insurance for 1 in 5 Americans and 400,000 Mainers, would […] Megan Michaud Posted May 12, 2025 Tags Budget, Children, Health Care, Medicaid, Seniors, Taxes, Trump Tax Cuts
Health Care, Taxes and Budget Pressure is on to extend ACA subsidies as premium hikes loom James Myall, policy analyst for the Maine Center for Economic Policy, said the “ripple effects” of losing the enhanced subsidies will reach far, especially in rural Maine, […] Portland Press Herald Posted May 11, 2025 Tags Affordable Care Act, Federal, Health Care
Taxes and Budget New “continuing services budget” provides stable foundation for future planning Last Friday the appropriations committee approved an $11.5 billion “continuing services” budget to continue state operations at a more-or-less flat level for the next two years. While […] James Myall Posted March 20, 2025 Tags Budget, Caregiving, Child Care, Economic Security, Education, Health Care, Higher Education, Medicaid, Wages
Taxes and Budget Democratic leaders plan for partial budget after Maine’s Senate Republicans kill healthcare funding “This isn’t responsible governance – it’s sabotage,” said Garrett Martin, president and CEO of the Maine Center for Economic Policy. “The bottom line is that Maine had the […] Beacon Posted March 14, 2025 Tags Budget, Health Care
Taxes and Budget STATEMENT: Senate Republicans block funding for health care and forest protection, risking lives and livelihoods A critical budget to protect Maine’s health care system and forests was torpedoed by Senate Republicans today, who reversed course and voted against using existing state funds […] Posted March 13, 2025 Tags Budget, Health Care