BANGOR — Maine on Monday began issuing welfare benefit cards with photos on them in an effort to crack down on fraud and abuse, despite a request from the federal government to wait until it can ensure the state’s plan doesn’t negatively impact recipients or retailers. John Martins, spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, […]
welfare
Posted inLetters
N. Smith: Find out what is needed
Gov. Paul LePage and Mayor Bob Macdonald seem to be obsessed with the issue of welfare fraud. What I would like to know is how many cases of fraud have there been versus the total number of welfare cases? How many cases have actually been prosecuted? If there are people on welfare who are able […]
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Posted inMaine
Feds ask Maine to hold off on photo EBT card plan
LEWISTON — The federal government has asked Maine to delay its plan to put photos on EBT cards until it can fully review and approve the state’s plan. Maine Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew said late Friday that the plan is critical to the prosecution of welfare fraud, and her office […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Feds fine Maine $7 million for not meeting work-to-welfare goals
AUGUSTA — Republican Gov. Paul LePage says Maine faces more than $7 million in federal fines because it’s not meeting work participation requirements for welfare recipients. LePage said Thursday that Maine needed an overall work participation rate of 47.5 percent and 87.5 percent for two-parent families in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in […]
Posted inMaine
USDA asks for plan on Maine EBT card photos
AUGUSTA — A federal agency is asking Gov. Paul LePage’s administration to provide details on its efforts to pilot a new benefits card system that would include recipients’ photos. The state uses electronic benefits transfer cards to dispense a variety of public assistance, including the largely federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps, […]
Posted inMaine
Senate Dems OK bill banning welfare spending on tobacco, liquor, lottery
AUGUSTA — A surreal reversal in the Maine Senate on Monday saw majority Democrats advance a bill to ban the use of welfare dollars for alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, gambling and bail, while Republicans voted against the clampdown — despite having originally supported it. The move by Democrats, who narrowly approved the bill 18-17 Monday […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Republicans continue to push welfare reforms
AUGUSTA — Maine Republican lawmakers continue to push for proposals to overhaul the state’s welfare program, but they face significant opposition from majority Democrats. Dozens of Republicans gathered outside of the State House on Friday to support the measures, which among other things would limit the use of electronic benefit cards to alcohol and cigarettes. […]
Posted inMaine
Maine House sends welfare reform measure to state Senate
AUGUSTA — In a series of party-line votes Thursday, the Maine House sent to the Senate a slate of bills aimed at reforming Maine’s welfare system, including how state-issued electronic benefit transfer cards could be used. Four bills offered by Republican Gov. Paul LePage were either watered down into legislative resolves or defeated outright by […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
How has welfare changed in Maine?
The Sun Journal is doing an investigative piece on welfare in our state and would like to ask about our readers’ perceptions of the issue. Could you please answer this one question? Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire tool.
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Medicaid expansion bill passes in Senate, goes to LePage
AUGUSTA — All eyes are on Republican Gov. Paul LePage after the state Senate on Friday granted final passage to a bill that would expand the state’s Medicaid program to roughly 70,000 low-income Mainers under the auspices of the federal Affordable Care Act. The Senate voted without a roll call or debate to enact the […]