Maine: Medicaid Purge Is Rejected

The Obama administration rejected Gov. Paul R. LePage’s request to drop thousands of people from Medicaid rolls. Mr. LePage, a Republican, had sought to eliminate Medicaid coverage for nearly 15,000 parents with incomes between the federal poverty level ($23,050 for a family of four last year) and 133 percent of that level ($30,657 for a family of four).

He also wanted to end coverage for more than 6,000 19- and 20-year-olds. Marilyn Tavenner, the acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told Mr. LePage in a letter that the cuts would violate a provision of President Obama’s health care law requiring states to maintain Medicaid eligibility levels. But Ms. Tavenner did approve a separate plan to end Medicaid coverage for Maine parents earning more than 133 percent of the poverty level. Mr. LePage had hoped to save more than $20 million from the cuts.

Read the full story: http://nyti.ms/VfDBh7

Source: The New York Times