Maine Senate sustains veto of hospital bill

Democrats had agreed to go along with a plan advanced by the Republican governor to repay Maine's $186 million share of the hospital debt with revenues from future liquor sales. The state government is in the process of negotiating a new contract with a private company to market spirits. It includes pricing of some brands to compete more aggressively with New Hampshire liquor sales.

Democrats say the federal government has agreed to pay 100 percent of the costs of covering all newly eligible Medicaid recipients for the first three years and then gradually lower the payment to no less than 90 percent of the cost by 2020. Democrats say the PPACA Medicaid expansion funding deal is too good a deal to turn down, but Republicans are wary of the government's promises.

LePage was so strongly opposed to the Medicaid expansion that he vetoed a bill that included one-time repayment of the hospital debt, an issue that has been a top priority for his administration and on which he campaigned in 2010.

After the vote, Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves of North Berwick released a statement saying, "Democrats will not waiver in our fight to pay back our hospitals and extend

See also:

• Maine wants 10-year guarantee on Medicaid expansion
• States eye PPACA Medicaid money
• Maine Sues for Medicaid Waiver