We Need Your Opinion About MaineCare!

We are Seeking Low-Income Adults to Come to a Meeting About

Health Care Needs!

Cash stipend, travel reimbursement and lunch provided.

The following is a message from Maine Equal Justice Partners, regarding possible new changes to the MaineCare “noncategorical” group, and an opportunity to meet and discuss the most important benefits to maintain or add for this group.

Where: Bangor and Portland
When: Tuesday, January 24th and Thursday, January 26th, 12:00 – 2:30.

We are looking for people who are:

· Low-income adults age 21 through 64, AND

· Don’t have any minor children at home, AND

· Do not receive disability benefits, AND

· Receive MaineCare or have applied for MaineCare but were denied or put on a waiting list.

Why? Over the next few months the state is going to be making some choices about health care services in MaineCare for the group of people who are sometimes called “noncategoricals” or “childless adults.” These are adults, 21-64, without children at home, who live below the poverty line and who are not disabled. In 2002, for the very first time, this group of people was able to get MaineCare. But in 2005 the money for this group started running out. New enrollment was frozen and many health services were cut.

In 2006 more decisions will be made about how many people in this group can get services and what services they can get.

If there were money to add back MaineCare services or let more people enroll, what do you think should be the state’s priorities? We want the voice of people affected by this decision to be heard by the state legislature, the Governor and DHHS.

So we are sponsoring two discussion groups, one in Portland and one in Bangor, to hear what you think.

If you want to come, please call Crystal, toll-free, 1-866-626-7059 ext. 205. We will ask you some questions so as to screen those who are interested in attending in order to get a good cross section of the affected population – both people on the waiting list and those now receiving MaineCare in the so-called noncategorical group, as well as individuals with differing health care needs. We have decided to keep the groups fairly small to allow everyone who attends a chance to talk.

Sponsored by: The Maine Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods (MAIN), a state-wide coalition of low income groups and individuals trying to make life better for low income people and Maine Equal Justice Partners, a non-profit legal aid organization that represents MAIN in the legislature and in advocacy with DHHS.

Crystal M. Bond
Paralegal/Organizer
Maine Equal Justice Partners
126 Sewall Street
Augusta, Maine 04330
1-866-626-7059 x 205
207 626-7058 x 205
fax: 207 621-8148
cbond@mejp.org
www.mejp.org

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