The Wall Street Journal of Jan. 21, 2020 included an article that looked at states’ growing expenditures of their own and federal Medicaid funds over the fiscal years 2013 to 2018. That period largely coincides with Paul LePage’s  two terms as governor.

The article summarized its statistical picture by arraying the change in expenditures for the top 10 and bottom 10 states. All states but one increased their health care spending; the top 10 by an average of some 60%, the bottom 10 by an average of 5% to 6%.

All states but one. Gov. LePage managed to shrink health care expenditures by around 5% over the six years.

For a relatively low-per-capita-income state, that comparative ranking across all U.S. states is both striking and unfortunate. And it may repeat.

Henry A. Gemery

Sidney

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