We’re more than halfway through the legislative session in Augusta, and there’s a lot to report on. Committees are still meeting, working through the remaining bills of the roughly 2,000 that were before us at the start of the session. More than 50 bills have made their way to Gov. Janet Mill’s desk and have been signed into law. It is a very different atmosphere under the dome, and a lot has changed.

One major change is that Maine has expanded the MaineCare program, Maine’s version of the Medicaid program, which assists low-income people in obtaining healthcare. Voters approved Medicaid expansion two years ago only to be tied up in court by the previous governor. However, Governor Mills has made it a priority to implement the law, and as of May 3, nearly 20,000 individuals were able to enroll into the program and access health insurance because of the expansion. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 3,278 Mainers in Cumberland County now have health insurance. That means many of our neighbors can now access the care they need and previously were unable to get.

The governor’s office expects to enroll the estimated 70,000 Mainers who are now eligible through expansion into MaineCare by the end of the year. This will be no small feat, and the positive impact of Mainers having access to insurance and meeting their healthcare needs will be felt for years to come.

If you do not have health insurance and have not applied, or previously applied before expansion and were denied, you can apply at your local Department of Health and Human Services office or by calling 1-800-977-6740. You can also access the MaineCare application instructions here. If you have tried to sign up and are having any difficulties, the Department of Health and Human Services recently added additional staffers to focus solely on processing applications and staffing the call center. To speak with someone about your eligibility, please call 1-855-797-4357. If you are unable to reach someone or have additional questions, please feel welcome to call my office or send me an email.

As the legislative session approaches its end, we are dealing with many important matters. Hearing your thoughts on the remaining matters before us and other issues is crucial to what we do at the State House.

As always, please feel free to contact me with your questions and concerns. I also send out periodic e-mail updates throughout the session. If you would like to receive these updates, let me know by emailing me.