Today, The Maine Heritage Policy Center released a new report, “Reject Medicaid Expansion,” at an 11 a.m. press conference at the Holiday Inn By The Bay in Portland. You can read and download the report below.
The conclusions of the report are simple. Despite the rosy picture proponents paint, Medicaid expansion would have drastic budgetary impacts on the State of Maine, and its passage would jeopardize health services for Maine’s truly needy citizens.
MHPC’s analysis draws on data from Maine’s previous Medicaid expansion in 2002, as well as findings from other states that expanded coverage under the Affordable Care Act, to show that the claims made by proponents of Medicaid expansion are not able to withstand factual scrutiny.
Expanding Medicaid in Maine would result in an additional $400 million in spending over the next five years, and by 2022 the state would be spending over $100 million annually on expansion costs alone. Additionally, there is no grounded, statistical basis for the claims that Medicaid expansion will save lives, boost economic growth, reduce charity care at Maine hospitals or end the opioid crisis.
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