Maine Gov. Janet Mills on Friday announced a new statewide campaign to promote health insurance options both through MaineCare, which her administration expanded her first day in office, and the federal exchange created by the Affordable Care Act.
The CoverME campaign will feature digital and television ads and a website, CoverME.gov, that has resources for consumers and small businesses.
“Health care saves lives. That is why one of my administration’s top priorities is to ensure that Maine families, small businesses, and self-employed people have access to high-quality, affordable health care,” Mills said in a statement. “While we have made significant progress by expanding MaineCare to more than 38,000 people, protecting health care for people with pre-existing conditions, passing legislation to reduce prescription drug costs, and supporting treatment to combat the opioid epidemic, we can do more.”
The governor’s office referenced recent U.S. Census data that shows 27.5 million Americans lacked health insurance in 2018, including 106,000 people in Maine, or 8 percent of the state’s population.
Maine residents are eligible for insurance through MaineCare, the state’s version of Medicaid, if their annual income is less than $17,236 for a single person or $29,435 for a family of three. Those with incomes above the MaineCare threshold but less than $49,960 for a single person or than $85,320 for a family of three may be eligible for subsidized insurance plans on HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment for 2020 runs from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15. MaineCare enrollment is open year-round.
The CoverME campaign is funded by a $750,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest philanthropic organization devoted to public health.
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