ME: Poverty Issues
ME lawmakers increase aid for families experiencing deep poverty
Gov. Janet Mills has signed legislation to increase temporary assistance payments to families experiencing deep poverty. Payments will increase by 2…
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 …
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…
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 …
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 …
Report finds gaps in child well-being persist across Maine
Children of color in Maine fare relatively well compared to their peers nationwide, but gaps in child well-being persist - according to a new report…
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…
Mainers Celebrate First Step in Lowering Medicare Drug Prices
Hundreds of thousands of Mainers are expected to benefit from the Biden Administration's recent announcement that it will begin drug price negotiation…
MaineCare Recipients Urged to Update Forms to Ensure Coverage
Public health advocates are working to ensure Medicaid recipients in Maine continue to have health care coverage as pandemic-era policies have ended…
Broadband Funds Could Improve Mental Health Care in Rural ME
Health care providers in Maine hope an influx of federal dollars to expand high-speed internet service will improve access to mental health care in Ma…
ME Parents Struggle with Lack of Affordable, Accessible Child Care
CLARIFICATION: Percentages of students' reading and math scores were clarified. (12:46 p.m. MDT, June 14, 2023) Maine ranks 12th in the nation on …
Majority of Mainers Concerned with Medical Debt, Rising Healthcare Costs
Most Mainers believe they are one medical emergency or illness away from financial disaster, according to a new survey. The non-profit Consumers …