AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage is returning to a familiar theme as he calls on Maine lawmakers to pay the hospitals a $484 million debt for unpaid Medicaid services.

In his weekly radio address, the governor says it’s been more than 115 days since he put his plan on the table to pay the hospitals. But nearly four months later, he says the hospitals are still waiting to be paid.

The governor is dangling a carrot in front of lawmakers, especially Democrats, who are pushing for the state to issue voter-authorized bonds. LePage says that once the hospitals are paid, he’ll release the series of public improvement bonds.

In the Democratic response, Senate Majority Leader Seth Goodall of Richmond makes a pitch for a bill to close the so-called skills gap.

Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login to participate in the conversation. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

Related Stories
Latest Articles