I seek clarification of a point raised in your story of July 11, “Pingree: Block LePage plan to cut 27,000 from Medicaid rolls.”

My understanding of the article is that Gov. Paul LePage wants to eliminate those persons who receive both Medicare and Medicaid.

A person is eligible for Medicare by virtue of either age or disability, and for Medicaid by poverty. Most people who are “dual eligibles” are nursing home residents, because Medicare does not cover long-term care, while Medicaid does.

If these persons are removed from Medicaid, they will not be able to pay for their continued stay in nursing homes. (To become eligible, a person has to spend almost all of their assets, and thus has no way to pay the approximately $100 per day that nursing homes cost.)

Does the governor really want to kick old poor people out of nursing homes?

Tom Feagin
Readfield


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