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Maine Voters Approve Medicaid Expansion

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Supporters of Medicaid expansion celebrate their victory in Portland, Maine on Tuesday night. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP)
Supporters of Medicaid expansion celebrate their victory in Portland, Maine on Tuesday night. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP)

Maine has become the first state to expand Medicaid through a voter referendum.

Mainers approved the expansion 59 to 41 percent, over the objections of Gov. Paul LePage. He issued the following statement Wednesday morning:

Credit agencies are predicting that this fiscally irresponsible Medicaid expansion will be ruinous to Maine’s budget. Therefore, my administration will not implement Medicaid expansion until it has been fully funded by the Legislature at the levels DHHS has calculated, and I will not support increasing taxes on Maine families, raiding the rainy day fund or reducing services to our elderly or disabled.

A look at what the referendum means for Maine and for activists hoping to replicate its success across the country.

Guest

Patty Wight, reporter for Maine Public Broadcasting. She tweets @PattyWight.

This segment aired on November 8, 2017.

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