Maine Question 2, 2017

Last updated
Question 2: Citizen Initiative
An Act To Enhance Access to Affordable Health Care
Source: Maine Secretary of State [1]

Maine Question 2, formally titled "An Act To Enhance Access to Affordable Health Care", is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that has qualified for the November 7, 2017 statewide ballot. It seeks to expand Medicaid eligibility under the terms of the Affordable Care Act, something which has been vetoed six times by Maine Gov. Paul LePage.

Medicaid United States social health care program for families and individuals with limited resources

Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and personal care services. The Health Insurance Association of America describes Medicaid as "a government insurance program for persons of all ages whose income and resources are insufficient to pay for health care." Medicaid is the largest source of funding for medical and health-related services for people with low income in the United States, providing free health insurance to 74 million low-income and disabled people as of 2017. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments and managed by the states, with each state currently having broad leeway to determine who is eligible for its implementation of the program. States are not required to participate in the program, although all have since 1982. Medicaid recipients must be U.S. citizens or qualified non-citizens, and may include low-income adults, their children, and people with certain disabilities. Poverty alone does not necessarily qualify someone for Medicaid.

Paul LePage American businessman, Republican Party politician, and the 74th Governor of Maine

Paul Richard LePage is an American businessman and politician who was the 74th Governor of Maine, from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, LePage served two terms as a city councilor in Waterville, Maine, before being elected Mayor of Waterville in 2003, serving until 2011.

Contents

Unofficial results have the referendum passing with 59% of the vote. Gov. LePage has stated that he will not implement the expansion unless it is funded by the Legislature in a way that meets his criteria, although a state court has ordered his administration to carry it out.

Background

Expanded eligibility for the Medicaid program, called MaineCare in Maine, was a provision of the Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. [2] The expansion was originally required of states as a condition of all federal Medicaid funding, but the United States Supreme Court ruled in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius that such expansion was optional for states. [3]

Barack Obama 44th president of the United States

Barack Hussein Obama II is an American attorney and politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American to be elected to the presidency. He previously served as a U.S. senator from Illinois from 2005 to 2008.

National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, 567 U.S. 519 (2012), was a landmark United States Supreme Court decision in which the Court upheld Congress' power to enact most provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly called Obamacare, and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (HCERA), including a requirement for most Americans to have health insurance by 2014. The Acts represented a major set of changes to the American health care system that had been the subject of highly contentious debate, largely divided on political party lines.

Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage has long been critical of the eligibility requirements for MaineCare, feeling that it was too easy to qualify for as it existed when he took office in 2010. [4] He was a staunch opponent of the Affordable Care Act, believing it to be unconstitutional and taking freedom from citizens. [5] LePage vetoed six efforts to expand MaineCare eligibility [6] and on one occasion called efforts by the Maine Legislature to write an expansion bill that would garner bipartisan support as having "no compassion". [7]

Maine Republican Party

The Maine Republican Party is an affiliate of the United States Republican Party (GOP) in Maine. It was founded in Strong, Maine on August 7, 1854.

Maine Legislature The bi-cameral Legislature of the State of Maine

The Maine Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. It is a bicameral body composed of the lower house Maine House of Representatives and the upper house Maine Senate. The Legislature convenes at the State House in Augusta, where it has met since 1832.

Supporters of expansion, led by Maine Equal Justice Partners, announced on October 12, 2016 their intent to launch a petition drive to put the issue to voters in a referendum, which the Governor cannot veto if passed. LePage's spokesperson criticized the effort as "another attempt by liberals to pass welfare expansion". [8]

Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced on February 21, 2017, that supporters of the measure submitted over 66,000 verified signatures, far above the 61,123 required to place a measure on the ballot. [6]

Matthew Dunlap American politician

Matthew Dunlap is an American politician from Maine. A Democrat, Dunlap is the Secretary of State of Maine, serving since January 7, 2013, and previously served in that same post from 2005 to 2011. In 2012, he sought to become his party's nominee to replace retiring Olympia Snowe, but lost in the primary to State Senator Cynthia Dill. Prior to his first election as Secretary of State in 2005, he represented Old Town in the Maine House of Representatives for four terms beginning in 1996.

The question that appeared on petition forms was "Do you want Maine to provide health insurance through Medicaid for qualified adults under the age of 65 with incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty line?". During the comment period before the question's wording was finalized, several Republican legislators disputed the inclusion of the word "insurance" in the question, stating that in their view MaineCare benefits are not insurance, but welfare benefits. As such, in their view it would not meet the Maine Constitution's requirement that referendum questions be "simple, clear, concise, and direct". They further noted that the word insurance does not appear in the proposed referendum itself. Supporters defended the use of "insurance" as MaineCare does not provide cash to recipients, but pays providers of medical services directly. [9] At the end of the comment period, Secretary Dunlap announced that the final wording of the question would replace the word "insurance" with "coverage". Representatives of both sides of the issue announced their support of the decision. [10]

Campaign

Endorsements

Supporters

Individuals
Organizations
Yes on 2
  • American Association of University Women (AAUW) Maine Chapter [11]
  • American College of Physicians - Maine Chapter [11]
  • Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services [11]
  • Alliance for Maine Women [11]
  • Congolese Community of Maine [11]
  • Congregation Bet Ha'am [11]
  • Consumers for Affordable Health Care [11]
  • Daily Kos [11]
  • Eastern Maine Labor Council [11]
  • Equality Maine [11]
  • First Parish Portland Unitarian Universalist [11]
  • Friends (Quakers) Committee on Maine Public Policy [11]
  • Kennebec Valley Community Action Program [11]
  • League of Women Voters of Maine [11]
  • Maine AFL-CIO [11]
  • Maine Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods [11]
  • Maine Children's Alliance [11]
  • Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence [11]
  • Maine Community Action Association [11]
  • Maine Council of Churches [11]
  • Maine Dental Hygenists Association [11]
  • Maine Family Planning [11]
  • Maine Hospital Association [13]
  • Maine Nurse Practitioner Association [11]
  • Maine Primary Care Association [11]
  • Maine Providers Standing Up for Healthcare [11]
  • Maine Public Health Association [11]
  • Maine Small Business Coalition [11]
  • Maine State Nurses Association [11]
  • Maine Women's Lobby [11]
  • Maranacook Family Health Care [11]
  • MSEA-SEIU Local 198 [11]
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine [11]
  • National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Maine Chapter [11]
  • National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater New England Chapter [11]
  • New Mainers Public Health Initiative [11]
  • Northeast Occupational Exchange [11]
  • Penquis Community Action Program [11]
  • Shalom House, Inc. [11]
  • Southern Maine Democratic Socialists of America [11]
  • The Opportunity Alliance [11]
  • United Way of Greater Portland [11]
  • Waldo Community Action Partners [11]
  • YWCA Central Maine [11]
Media

Opponents

Results

Unofficial results as of election night have the referendum passing with 59% support to 41% in opposition. [17]

Gov. LePage has stated that he will not implement the expansion unless the Legislature funds it without a tax increase or using money from the state Rainy Day Fund. There is also disagreement as to how much money the expansion will actually cost, with different estimates from Maine DHHS, the Legislature, and supporters who call those estimates flawed. Republican candidates for governor Mary Mayhew and Kenneth Fredette (who is also House Minority Leader) are critical of the expansion, stating that Mainers did not fully consider the costs involved or taxes needed to pay for it. Democrats called for the law to be implemented and stated that they "will not give an inch in this fight", although they cannot provide funding on their own. The law can remain on the books even if not funded, and it may be an issue in the 2018 elections. [18]

Supporters of expansion sued the LePage administration on April 30, 2018 to force the expansion to be implemented. Judge Michaela Murphy ruled on June 4, 2018 that Maine Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Ricker Hamilton must submit a plan for expansion as the law requires by June 11 so that MaineCare can start accepting newly eligible applicants on July 2. Lawyers for supporters argued that MaineCare has sufficient funds already for the current fiscal year, and there are also $140 million in unallocated funds elsewhere in the budget if necessary. [19] LePage has said he would rather go to jail than implement the expansion without a funding mechanism that meets his criteria. [20]

Related Research Articles

James B. Longley American politician

James Bernard Longley Sr. was an American politician. He served as the 69th Governor of Maine from 1975 to 1979, and was the first Independent to hold the office. In 1949, he married the former Helen Angela Walsh, who died on September 13, 2005. They had five children, including former Republican U.S. Representative James B. Longley Jr.. Longley Sr., a graduate of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, resided in Lewiston and Auburn, Maine.

Janet Mills American criminal prosecutor, Governor of Maine

Janet Trafton Mills is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 75th Governor of Maine, since January 2019. She previously served as the Attorney General of Maine on two separate occasions.

Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized in the U.S. state of Maine since December 29, 2012. A bill for the legalization of such marriages was approved by voters, 53-47 percent, on November 6, 2012, as Maine, Maryland and Washington became the first U.S. states to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote. Election results were certified by the Maine Secretary of State's office and the Governor of Maine on November 29.

2012 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1 was a voter referendum on an initiated state statute that occurred November 6, 2012. The title of the citizen initiative is "An Act to Allow Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples and Protect Religious Freedom". The question that appeared on the ballot was: "Do you want to allow the State of Maine to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples?"

2014 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1 (MQ1), "An Act To Prohibit the Use of Dogs, Bait or Traps When Hunting Bears Except under Certain Circumstances", was a citizen-initiated referendum measure in Maine, which was voted on in the general election of November 4, 2014. As the Maine Legislature declined to act on the proposed statute, it was automatically placed on the ballot. The proposal was defeated by 320,873 "No" votes to 279,617 "Yes".

2018 Maine gubernatorial election

The 2018 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next Governor of Maine. It occurred along with elections for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and other state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Governor Paul LePage was term limited and could not seek reelection to a third consecutive term in office.

2015 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1, "An Act To Strengthen the Maine Clean Election Act, Improve Disclosure and Make Other Changes to the Campaign Finance Laws", was a citizen-initiated referendum measure in Maine, which appeared on the November 3, 2015 statewide ballot. As the Maine Legislature did not exercise its ability to pass the bill on its own, it was placed on the ballot and approved by Maine voters.

June 2018 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1 was a people's veto referendum that appeared on the June 12, 2018 statewide ballot. It sought to reject a law passed by the Maine Legislature that suspended the implementation of ranked choice voting, authorized by Maine voters in a previous referendum, for use in Maine elections until and if an amendment to the Maine Constitution is passed to expressly permit it; failing that, the law would be automatically repealed in 2021. It qualified because supporters of the original referendum collected the necessary number of signatures from registered Maine voters. This vote coincided with primary elections in which party nominees for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and the Maine Legislature were chosen to run in general elections on November 6.

2016 Maine Question 5

Maine Question 5, formally An Act to Establish Ranked-Choice Voting, is a citizen-initiated referendum question that qualified for the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot and was approved by a margin of 52% to 48%. It would change how most Maine elections will be conducted from a plurality voting system to a ranked-choice voting system. It appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the legislature, five other ballot questions, and various local elections. Maine would be the first state to use such a system for its statewide elections for governor and U.S. Senate if implemented.

2011 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1, "Do you want to reject the section of Chapter 399 of the Public Laws of 2011 that requires new voters to register to vote at least two business days prior to an election?", was a 2011 people's veto referendum that rejected a bill repealing Election Day voter registration in Maine. The vote was held on November 8, 2011 after being placed on the ballot due to supporters collecting the necessary number of signatures. The veto effort was successful, with 237,024 votes in favor of repeal to 155,156 against repeal.

2016 Maine Question 4

Maine Question 4, formally An Act to Raise the Minimum Wage, is a citizen-initiated referendum question that appeared on the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It sought to increase Maine's minimum wage from $7.50 per hour to $12 an hour by 2020, as well as increasing the minimum wage for tipped employees gradually to the same level by 2024. It would also index increases after 2024 to inflation. As the Maine Legislature and Governor Paul LePage declined to enact the proposal as written, it appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the Legislature, other statewide ballot questions, and various local elections. Efforts to place a competing, more moderate proposal alongside the citizen-initiated bill were unsuccessful.

2016 Maine Question 3

Maine Question 3, formally An Act to Require Background Checks for Gun Sales, was a citizen-initiated referendum question that appeared on the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It sought to require a background check for virtually all gun transfers in Maine, with some exceptions. As the Maine Legislature and Governor Paul LePage declined to enact the proposal as written, it appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two United States House seats, the Maine Legislature, other statewide ballot questions, and various local elections.

2016 Maine Question 2

Maine Question 2, formally An Act to Establish The Fund to Advance Public Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education, was a citizen-initiated referendum question that appeared on the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It sought to increase state aid to public schools by instituting a surcharge of 3% on Maine income taxes for those with income above $200,000 a year. As the Maine Legislature and Governor Paul LePage declined to enact the proposal as written, it appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the Legislature, and various local elections.

2016 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1, formally An Act to Legalize Marijuana, is a citizen-initiated referendum question that qualified for the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It was qualified for the ballot after a Maine Superior Court judge ordered that petitions rejected by the Maine Secretary of State be reconsidered. The proposal seeks to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Maine for those over the age of 21, and institute a 10 percent tax on its sale. As the Maine Legislature and Governor Paul LePage declined to enact the proposal as written, it will appear on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the Legislature, other statewide ballot questions, and various local elections.

2017 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1, formally An Act To Allow Slot Machines or a Casino in York County, was a citizen-initiated referendum question that appeared on the November 7, 2017, statewide ballot in Maine. It sought to award a license for the construction and operation of a casino in York County, Maine by a qualified entity as spelled out in the proposed law, with tax revenue generated by the casino to go to specific programs. The wording of the proposed law effectively permitted only one company, Capital 7, to be awarded the license. The ballot measure was defeated, with 83% of voters opposing it.

2017 Maine referendum

Two referendums were held in Maine, United States on November 7, 2017 alongside state and national elections. All were citizen-initiated proposals, which cover:

Two referendums were placed on the statewide ballot in Maine in 2018. Both were citizen initiated proposals.

November 2018 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1 is a citizen-initiated referendum that appeared on the November 6, 2018 statewide ballot. It sought to implement a tax on higher incomes in Maine to fund in-home health care services for elderly and disabled Mainers, as well as to create a government board to administer the funds. The vote coincided with general elections for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, the Maine Legislature, and other local elections. It qualified for the ballot due to supporters collecting signatures from registered Maine voters.

References

  1. ↑ "Citizens Initiatives & People's Veto". Maine Department of Secretary of State.
  2. ↑ Stolberg, Sheryl; Pear, Robert (March 23, 2010). "Obama Signs Health Care Overhaul Bill, With a Flourish". The New York Times. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Analysis: U.S. Supreme Court Upholds the Affordable Care Act: Roberts Rules?". The National Law Review. von Briesen & Roper, S.C. June 29, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Paul Lepage Profile – Your Vote 2010". Archived from the original on December 31, 2010.MPBN. Retrieved October 28, 2010
  5. ↑ "LePage calls Obamacare an expensive stripping away of freedom, says IRS is 'new Gestapo'". Bangor Daily News. July 7, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Medicaid expansion referendum headed to Maine ballot". Bangor Daily News. February 21, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  7. ↑ "LePage blasts Legislature's tilt toward Medicaid expansion". Kennebec Journal. January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Group will launch signature drive for Medicaid expansion in Maine". Portland Press Herald. October 12, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Hawke joins four others requesting referendum wording change". Boothbay Register. August 23, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  10. ↑ "State alters wording of ballot questions on Medicaid expansion, York casino". Portland Press Herald. September 7, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 "Yes on 2 Endorsers". Mainers for Health Care. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  12. ↑ "SEN. GEORGE MITCHELL ENDORSES QUESTION 2". Mainers for Health Care. September 28, 2017. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  13. 1 2 "Maine Hospital Association Supports Ballot Measure To Expand Medicaid". MPBN . September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Yes on Question 2: Medicaid expansion will benefit Maine in many ways". Bangor Daily news . October 23, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Our View: Vote yes on Question 2: It's a good deal for Maine". Portland Press Herald . October 22, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  16. 1 2 "DHHS: Medicaid Expansion Initiative Would Increase Taxes, Take Money Away From Schools and Jeopardize State's Commitment to Our Disabled and Elderly". Maine DHHS. February 22, 2017. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Maine voters back Medicaid expansion". Bangor Daily news. November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  18. ↑ "What's next for Medicaid expansion as LePage and Democrats dig in". Bangor Daily news. November 8, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  19. ↑ "LePage administration must follow voter-approved law, put Medicaid expansion in motion, court rules". Kennebec Journal. June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  20. ↑ "LePage Says He'd Rather Go To Jail Than Expand Medicaid". MPBN. July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.