July 1st was a historic day for healthcare progress in Maine! 

In addition to a new adult dental benefit, all people in Maine who have low income and who are pregnant or under the age of 21 are now eligible to receive full MaineCare benefits, including all immigrants.

How do I get this benefit? If you fall into one of the newly-eligible categories and already have Emergency MaineCare, you will automatically be enrolled in the new coverage. If you have Emergency MaineCare and become pregnant it’s important to notify the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as soon as possible! If you don’t have Emergency MaineCare, you can apply for MaineCare online at My Maine Connection or download the application here and send it to DHHS through the mail, by email, or drop it off at a DHHS office. More information is on our website. 

Maine people want more health care, not less

This is a huge win for Maine families and part of a broader national movement that recognizes healthcare as a fundamental human right. We know that immigrants, especially those who are undocumented, face the highest barriers to employer-sponsored health insurance and have also shouldered some of the greatest financial and health burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic. Maine joins a growing number of states   across the country–including California, Colorado, D.C., Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington–that have moved to expand healthcare coverage for immigrants who have historically been excluded from federally-funded Medicaid and CHIP (the Children’s Health Insurance Program). 

Last year, Governor Mills and the Maine legislature added MaineCare coverage for children under 21 and pregnant people to the state’s budget for those who would otherwise be eligible except for their immigration status. Today, more Mainers can access life-changing healthcare thanks to the brave individuals who came forward to share their stories and to their representatives who listened and responded with action. 

What’s Next for Maine’s Health Care Progress?

MaineCare for kids and pregnant people is an important step toward ensuring everyone in Maine can see a doctor or get medicine when they’re sick, but many adults who are immigrants still need coverage. Although children are benefiting from the changes Maine has made, we need whole families to be healthy. Childrens’ physical, mental, and emotional health are shaped by the wellbeing of their caretakers, which is why the adults in their lives need healthcare too. Research shows that children also benefit directly when their parents gain coverage, increasing enrollment and access to care for kids and leading to greater financial stability for the entire family. 

We all want stronger and healthier communities, and we know the debt our state owes immigrants who kept essential services and industries running during the pandemic, at great personal and health costs. This is why Maine’s legislature chose to cover kids and pregnant people who are immigrants last year, and this is why we must keep working together until ALL means ALL! 

Many states are on their way to providing healthcare coverage to ALL immigrants, regardless of age, pregnancy, or immigration status and Maine should join them!

Be a part of this movement–it’s more important than ever!

• SHARE If you are someone you know has gained MaineCare coverage through this most recent expansion or if you still lack coverage due to your immigration status, please share your story with us. Your information will never be used or shared without your permission.
• JOIN If you are not yet eligible for full MaineCare and want to join in the fight to expand MaineCare to ALL immigrants, regardless of age or immigration status, please visit our Take Action Page and check the box for “HealthCare”
• VOTE This November, ask the candidates running in your district if they support immigrant access to MaineCare. Tell them your vote and Maine's well-being depend on it!