Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) at A Roundtable Discussion in Portland on the Devastating Impact of Republican Cuts to MaineCare for Mainers Yesterday.
Yesterday Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) hosted a roundtable discussion in Portland to highlight how proposed Republican cuts to Medicaid (known as MaineCare in Maine) — which could run as high as $900 billion — will have devastating repercusions for patients, healthcare professionals, patient-care facilities and communities throughout Maine.
During the hour-long meeting, participants shared their perspectives on how these looming cuts will impact Mainers —- from forcing community heath centers and rural hospitals to close, to the pressure that providers will face if hundreds of thousands of Mainers suddenly lose coverage, to how a surge in uninsured patients will require significantly more funding from the state.
“What Republicans are trying to do to Medicaid — eliminating coverage for milions of Americans while the cost of living continues to increase, all so they can pay for tax cuts for the richest Americans — is totally unacceptable. Democrats have made it abundantly clear that we will not stand for any cuts to Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security,” Pingree said. “Today we heard from — and about — the very people who will suffer the most from these cuts. Their fear and concern are real and reflect the anxiety that many Americans are feeling right now. I’m so grateful to all the participants for coming out and making their voices heard, as so many Americans are doing right now. I hope my Republican oclleagues are listening. Cuts to Medicaid will make Americans poorer and sicker. If Republicans really care about balancing the budget, they’ll make bilionaires pay their fair share in taxes — not rip vital services away from vulnerable Americans so Donald Trump and Elon Musk can rake in millions.”
Medicaid is a lifeline for more than 350,000 Mainers — including children, people with disabilities, seniors in long-term care and working adults among others. It’s also a critical source of revenue for patient-care facilities, which rely on Medicaid reimbursements for everything from paying doctors to updating equipment. The House and Senate are currently trying to reconcile a budget resolution agreement that could require deep cuts to the program — all to pay for more than $4 million in tax cuts proposed by Republicans.