Maine sues for Medicaid waiver

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - The state of Maine is suing the federal government for failing to act on its waiver request filed Aug. 1 seeking to eliminate Medicaid coverage for more than 20,000 residents.

The state, which sued Tuesday in federal court, had warned that it needed a quick answer, but the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told the state Friday that more time was needed to review the state's waiver request.

Gov. Paul LePage contends Medicaid, which serves 361,000 Maine residents, has grown faster than the state's ability to fund it., and the Republican-controlled Maine Legislature reduced coverage.

Lawmakers eliminated coverage for parents with incomes between 100 percent and 133 percent of the federal poverty level, along with 19- and 20-year-olds, and seniors and disabled people in the Medicare Savings Program.