Sen. Harold “Trey” Stewart III represents District 2, which includes communities in Aroostook and Penobscot counties. He is the Senate Republican Leader and a member of the Legislative Council.

Last month, some critics blasted the new Medicaid reforms passed in the federal budget bill — what we call the Working Families Tax Cut Act. But here’s the truth: these changes are long overdue. They protect taxpayers, strengthen MaineCare and make sure our safety net is there for the people who truly need it.

Right now, MaineCare eats up one out of every four dollars in our state budget. Even with that huge price tag, the program is still underwater. Just this year, it needed a $118 million bailout. And the Mills administration asked for another $244 million that the Legislature granted. That’s not sustainable.

Here’s the bigger problem: MaineCare has drifted away from its original purpose. It was created to protect kids, seniors and people with disabilities. Today, nearly 90,000 able-bodied adults who could be working are on the program because of Medicaid expansion. That’s not what this program was meant to be.

The Working Families Tax Cut Bill brings back some common-sense guardrails. Critics like to call them “work requirements,” but that’s misleading. The law says if you’re an able-bodied adult, you should be working, going to school or doing community service about 20 hours a week.

And there are plenty of exemptions — for people in treatment, people in high-unemployment areas and seasonal workers. If you’re truly in need, you can still get coverage.

The bill also tackles waste and fraud. Right now, more than a million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid in two states at once. That drives up costs for everyone. The bill ends that. It also stops people from signing up for Medicaid after they’ve already received care, which leaves taxpayers holding the bag. And it finally holds states accountable when they make too many errors with your money.

These reforms will do more than protect taxpayers — they’ll help keep hospitals and health care providers afloat. Medicaid only pays about 60 cents on the dollar. When too many people are on Medicaid instead of private insurance, hospitals struggle to keep the doors open. We’ve already seen four hospitals close in Maine in the last decade.

Reforms that help people move from welfare coverage to private plans will actually mean better care for patients and more stability for our health care system.

At the end of the day, these changes don’t weaken MaineCare — they save it. They protect children, seniors and people with disabilities. They protect hospitals and the care we all depend on. And they protect Maine taxpayers from endless bailouts.

That’s what the Working Families Tax Cut Bill is all about: keeping our promises to the vulnerable, while making sure Maine’s future is stronger, healthier and more affordable for everyone.