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Name: AARPMAINE
Location:
Portland, Maine
United States
Portland, Maine
United States
LexiAARP Advocacy Wins 2008
AARP Advocacy Wins in 2008
Economic Security Wins in Maine
- Home Owner Protections Passed: AARP supported a Bill that was signed into law that protects
homeowners from foreclosure “rescue” scams intent on stealing homeowner equity. The scams happen when certain foreclosure purchasing firms offer to buy the title of a foreclosed property often below market value and promise to help the owners eventually repurchase. Homeowners saddled with high interest rates and hidden fees created by these firms often can’t raise enough cash to regain their homes. The law establishes criminal penalties for firms that engage in equity theft and establishes licensing requirements to monitor the industry. To protect homeowners, the law provides credit counseling, the right to cancel a contract within five days, and guarantees that homeowners receive at least 82% of the fair market value of their home if they sign over their title.
- Hospital Errors: AARP supported a Bill that was signed into law that prohibits a health care facility from knowingly charging a patient or insurer for treatment to correct mistakes or preventable adverse events.
Health Care Wins in Maine
- Budget: Proposed cuts to the budget totaled $180 million. AARP worked hard to restore many of the cuts to programs serving the elderly. One-half of the proposed cuts to Home & Community Based Services were restored as well as funding for Homemaker Services, Independent Living, and Adult Day Health services. Funding was not restored for the Alzheimer’s Association, Area Agencies on Aging, Keeping Seniors Home and independent assessments for Homemaker services. The long awaited Elder Services Healthy Housing Communities program was eliminated before it even started.
- Access to Health Care: AARP worked to ensure that many of the cuts to the MaineCare program, which serves very low income adults (non cats), were substantially reduced. Areas that were restored include a (reduced) pharmacy benefit for participants, further reductions in enrollment caps, and increases in co-pays for doctor and hospital visits.
- DIRIGO: AARP supported the concept behind DIRIGO from its beginning, which was passed as a bi-partisan attempt to lower health care cost through cost containment and to offer an affordable insurance product for the uninsured and those small businesses that wanted to offer health care insurance for their employees. DIRIGO was changed to now be funded by a combination of increased taxes on wine, beer, soda and soda syrup, and funding from the Fund for Healthy Maine, including $2 million in current program cuts.
- Community Rating Changes Defeated: AARP worked to defeat a Bill that was modeled after an Idaho law which included a high risk pool and almost total elimination of community rating protections. It would have allowed insurance companies to charge higher premiums to those who may be over 50, have health problems, live in certain areas of the state or work at certain jobs.
Livable Communities Wins in Maine
- Tax Law Changes: AARP supported a Bill which was signed into law and allows municipalities to abate taxes for seniors in exchange for public service work in accordance with specific guidelines.
- Time of Use Meters: AARP opposed a Bill which required time of use meters to be used for peak time electrical use.
- Fair Rates for Telephone Service: AARP supported a Bill which was signed into law to ensure that Maine consumers would pay fair rates for telephone services when a telephone company is found to have set excessive residential rates. This law was in direct response to the actions of the Public Utilities Commission in regards to a decade-long rate case between AARP and the Office of Public Advocate against Verizon on residential rate setting which was ultimately resolved in AARP’s favor.
Capitol City Task Force (CCTF) includes Bruce Kinney (Chair), George Baldwin, Jean Dellert, Norman Ferguson, Elinor Goldblatt, Roberta Goodell, David Hall, Rena Heath, Shawn Lewin, Ernie Marriner, and Harry True. Nancy Kelleher, AARP-Maine’s Advocacy Director, staffs CCTF.
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Added: Jun 2, 2008
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