Democrats Renege on Paying Hospitals

AUGUSTA – Almost four months have passed since Governor Paul R. LePage introduced a plan to pay nearly $500 million to Maine’s hospitals, but the Legislature has yet to take a vote on the bill.

Democratic leadership now wants to tie paying the half-a-billion-dollar hospital debt created from the last welfare expansion to a new expansion of welfare.

“Maine expanded welfare 10 years ago, and we still haven’t paid that debt,” said Governor Paul R. LePage. “Mainers know that hospitals provide good jobs and are vital to the local economy. They know that paying our bills is the right thing to do. So why are Democrats still refusing to pay the hospitals?”

Common-sense legislators on both sides of the aisle agree that we need to pay the hospitals. But Democratic leadership is refusing to let them vote on it.

“Democratic leadership has committed to the Maine people that they want pay to the hospitals. What’s the hold up?” Governor LePage said. “Let’s put each legislator on the record with a clean vote on the hospital bill. Do they want to pay the hospitals or not?”