Tag: Affordable Care Act

Reproductive Left 8/4/15

Producer/Host: Abbie Strout

Issue: Social and political issues that impact our sexual and reproductive health produced by WERU in collaboration with Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center – www.mabelwadsworth.org.

Program Topic: Access to Healthcare with Andrea Irwin

Key Discussion Points:
a) Affordable Care Act and the organization Consumers for Affordable Health Care.
b) The work being done to provide care and advocate for uninsured people.
c) EACH Woman Act – public funding for abortion care.

Guests:
Andrea Irwin, Executive Director, Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center
Terry Marley-DeRosier, Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center

WERU News Report 1/21/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Last week the Maine legislature’s Health and Human Services committee held a public hearing, as they are considering amended legislation that would allow for Mainecare (Maine’s version of Medicaid) expansion, but include a sunset clause, allowing the state to drop the program after 3 years. The expansion would offer coverage to 70,000 Mainers. The Affordable Care Act was structured with the intent that the expanded Medicaid would cover people with incomes of less that 128% of the federal poverty level.

Today we’re going to hear some of the stories, told by people who have no health coverage, their family members, and people who work with them

FMI: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1202099#t=articleTop

WERU News Report 11/19/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

With all of the focus on the problems with the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, a looming health care crisis for some of Maine’s most vulnerable residents seems to be flying under the radar. In January, 25,000 low income Mainers will lose their Mainecare coverage, and others will not be able to qualify. And even if they could afford to purchase insurance thru Obamacare, a loophole in the law means that they will not get the subsidies that those with higher incomes will receive to make the prices more affordable.

Looking ahead to the next legislative session, White House staff joined Portland Mayor Michael Brennan and State Representative Linda Sanborn in hosting a phone conference yesterday to discuss the importance of expanding Medicaid coverage in Maine. Here’s what they had to say. (Also features a clip from a recent interview with Mitchell Stein, Policy Director for Consumers for Affordable Health Care)

RadioActive 10/3/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Medicaid Loophole in ACA, Maine

Key Discussion Points:

a) Despite the Affordable Care Act’s original design to have coverage in the US, the courts granted states the right to opt out of the Medicaid expansion portion of the law, which would provide subsidies for those who could not afford it. In the first 3 years, the federal government would pay 100% of the program, and after that 90%. 26 states, including Maine have opted out. Though Maine’s legislature approved the Medicaid expansion, LePage vetoed it, forcing the opt out.
b) On January 1st, 70,000 Mainers will lose or be denied access to healthcare through Medicaid. 24, 000 will lose MaineCare through state cuts and an additional 45,000 who would have been covered by the ACA’s Mediciad expansion will be left without coverage.
c) We also look at yesterday’s unveiling by LePage’s Offcie of policy and Management proposal to make over $30 million in state cuts, including to Head Start and General Assistance, and at House Republican leader, Rep. Fredette’s two bills that would reform Maine’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

Guest:
A) Christine Hastedt, Maine Equal Justice Partners, (www.mejp.org)

WERU News Report 10/1/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Maine is one of the states that has opted out of running its own marketplace for the Affordable Care Act, which went into effect today. Mainers who qualify for health insurance through the ACA will need to use the federal marketplace. But there are organizations here in Maine that can help anyone with questions about the process. To get some idea of who qualifies, and what they should do, we talked with Mitchell Stein, Policy Director for Consumers for Affordable Health Care

Common Health 2/20/13

Host: Jim Fisher

Program Topic: Maine AllCare- October 10, 2012 forum held in Blue Hill Maine
Key Discussion Points:
A) What are the major challenges we face providing health care to all?
B) What has been the impact of the Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare)?
C) What happened in Maine with PL-90? How are insurance reforms in Maine affecting our access to care?
D) How can the nation or Maine escape the likely collapse of our current insurance system?
Guests:
A) Dr. Phil Caper, MD (retired) and health care policy expert
B) Richard Freeman, Transformation Officer for Eastern Maine Health Systems
C) Greg Roraff, CEO Blue Hill Memorial Hospital
D) Jim Miller, CEO of Wooden Boat Publications
E) Moderator Joe Lendvai, Retired Business Owner and member of Maine AllCare (www.maineallcare.org)

RadioActive 5/24/12

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
Issue: Environmental and Social Justice
Program Topic: The Maine legislature’s most recent cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services programs, including MaineCare.

Key Discussion Points:
a) The Maine legislature passes further budget cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). These include the elimination of 14,500 low income parents from MaineCare, who have income between 100-133% of the poverty level, and all 19 and 20 year olds under 150% of the poverty level. This effects an additional 7,000 Mainers. Both these measures and cuts to the Medicare Savings Program are currently in violation of the federal Affordable Care Act. The budget also includes cuts to the Drugs for the Elderly Program, and to the Fund for a Healthy Maine. Cuts to the latter include a $2 million reduction in state funding for Head Start, a $2 million cut to the Child Care Subsidy Program, $2.6 million to the Maine Families Home Visiting Program, and funding cuts for Family Planning and dental services.
b) Governor LePage asked for, and still plans to pursue much deeper cuts in DHHS spending. Press secretary Adrienne Bennett articulates more of the goals and beliefs behind the Governors pursuit to diminish government spending on health and human service programs, particularly MaineCare. This includes discussion on the governor’s latest controversial statement, to the Maine GOP convention, that those on government programs should “get off the couch and get a job.”
c) Appropriations Committee member Rep. Rotundo says that recent revenue re-projection numbers negated the needs for the DHHS cuts. She also says, that tax cuts also passed in the supplemental budget bill, are unfunded, causing a loss of revenue of a half a billion dollars, which will have to be made up for in future state budgets.

Guests:
A) Ana Hicks, senior policy analyst, Maine Equal Justice Partners www.mejp.org
B) Adrienne Bennett, press secretary for Governor Paul LePage
C) Maine State Representative Peggy Rotundo (D- House District 79), Appropriations Committee House Democrat Lead (four Republicans legislators, leadership unavailable)

Call In Program: no