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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

ME: Health

More than 3,300 Mainers have died from COVID-19 since 2020 and more than 9,000 have been hospitalized. Cumberland, Penobscot and York counties have seen the highest numbers of deaths. (Adobe Stock) <br />
ME fighters of COVID-19 alarmed by new federal recommendations

Today is "Long COVID Awareness Day," and Mainers will be among those who gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., to commemorate it…

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Medicare Savings Programs help people with limited income and resources pay for some or all of their Medicare costs. Enrollment in these MSPs puts more than $2,000 back into the wallets of seniors and adults with disabilities each year, according to AARP Maine. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Supplemental budget puts Maine’s Medicare Savings Programs at risk

Some 30,000 Mainers could lose access to critical healthcare benefits under Gov. Janet Mills' proposed supplemental budget. The state legislature …

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New survey data from Maine's Consumers for Affordable Health Care found two of three Mainers said they would have difficulty paying a $500 medical expense.(Adobe Stock)
ME survey shows support for transparent hospital prices, facility fee limits

A new survey reveals most Mainers support policies requiring medical providers to disclose their facility fees before they receive treatment…

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Consumer advocates say the growth of health care facility fees stems from an increasingly consolidated health care provider market, highly complex billing systems, and frequently inadequate health insurance coverage. (Adobe Stock)
Facility fees add to Mainers' growing concerns over medical debt

Maine lawmakers are calling for greater transparency in how hospitals and other health care centers charge so-called facility fees. A legislative …

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Studies show fewer than half of people with a mental illness are able to access prompt care while rural and lower-income communities in particular suffer from a lack of behavioral health care providers. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br /><br />
ME mental health care advocates push for services after Lewiston shooting

Advocates for mental-health care in Maine are applauding Gov. Janet Mills' push to increase access to services, following last year's deadly shooting …

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It is estimated that Mainers facing hunger would need a total of $97,584,000 more income per year to adequately meet their food needs, according to Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)
Maine food banks meet growing demand as Farm Bill lags

Food banks in Maine are struggling to keep up with demand as the Farm Bill remains stalled in Congress. The bill is renegotiated every five years …

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Around 30% of registered voters say they will only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion, according to a KFF poll. (Adobe Stock)
Maine lawmakers consider constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights

Lawmakers in Maine will hear hours of emotional public testimony today regarding a potential constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights…

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More than 95% of Mainers have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 84% of the state's population is considered fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)
Health misinformation online builds distrust in science, vaccines

Public health experts say the rapid spread of health misinformation online is contributing to a dangerous decline in vaccination rates. Surveys show …

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Several studies find shifts in partisan support in places where health has stagnated or declined. For example, the frequency of alcohol-related deaths and suicide has been linked to increasing regional support for conservative candidates and movements while gains in health-care insurance coverage are associated with vote shifts toward the Democratic Party. (Adobe Stock)
Doctors say voting brings Mainers a clean bill of health

Voting is not only good for democracy - it's also good for your health, according to one of the nation's largest medical associations. The American …

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Twenty-seven states had a higher percentage of people with health insurance coverage in 2022 than in 2021. But Maine was the only state where the uninsured rate increased, up to 6.6% in 2022 from 5.7%, according to the Census Bureau. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Mainers get another chance at open enrollment for health coverage

Healthcare advocates in Maine say people who missed the most recent open enrollment deadline for healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act h…

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Respite for ME Grants, funded by the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, provide caregivers up to $5,171 to access needed services and can be accessed through the state's five Area Agencies on Aging. (Adobe Stock)
Unpaid caregivers in ME receive limited financial grants

Advocates for unpaid family caregivers in Maine say they'll need continued support beyond the recently passed paid family and medical leave program…

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Health care experts said continued subsidies should help Mainers cope with a rise in insurance premiums on Maine's health care marketplace, which will increase by nearly 15% in 2024, according to the state Bureau of Insurance. (Adobe Stock)
Subsidies protect most Mainers from ACA insurance cost hikes

Health care premiums are increasing again under the federal Affordable Care Act, but experts said continued subsidies should protect most Mainers …

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