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Status ReportMaineCare Program ExpansionsMaine is scheduled to implement its MaineCare (i.e., Medicaid) program expansions in April2005. 383 However, these expansions will be made amid a possible $80 million reduction infederal funds due to a decrease in the state’s federal matching rate. 384 Additionally, in February2005, Maine’s Governor announced a MaineCare enrollment freeze for “noncategorical”childless adults. 385 Maine obtained an 1115 waiver to expand eligibility to noncategorical adults.However, with 24,000 noncategorical individuals enrolled, Maine is reaching the limit of totalfederal dollars that can be spent under the waiver. 386 This current freeze will affect plans toexpand eligibility for noncategorical individuals to 125 percent of FPL on April 1. According toone news report, Republican leaders in Maine also want to eliminate April’s scheduledexpansion from 150 to 200 percent for parents. 387Dirigo Choice EnrollmentDuring the first year of operations, the state’s plan was to enroll up to 31,000 Maine residentsthrough their employers and 4,500 self-employed or unemployed individuals. 388 Anthem BlueCross & Blue Shield of Maine was named the insurance carrier for the Dirigo Choice plan inOctober 2004. Marketing begin on October 1, 2004, and enrollment of small businesses andself-employed individuals began on January 1, 2005. 389 Coverage for other individuals will beginApril 1, 2005. The category of “other individuals” includes the unemployed, individuals who donot work more than 20 hours a week for any single employer, and individuals employed in aneligible business of two to 50 employees where the employer has not offered health insurancein the last 12 months. 390As of January 1, 2005, Dirigo Choice has enrolled and is providing benefits for 133 smallbusinesses and 612 sole proprietors for a total of 1,800 members. The Dirigo Health Agencyanticipated a similar enrollment rate for the February 1, 2005, coverage effective date. 391MinnesotaState DemographicsMinnesota had a population of slightly over 5 million in 2003. Nine percent of the populationhad incomes under 100 percent of the federal poverty level, and an additional 15 percent hadincomes that were 100 to 199 percent FPL. 392 Minnesota has a higher percentage of residentswith employer-sponsored insurance than the national average, and lower percentages ofuninsured people and people on Medicaid and Medicare. In Minnesota, 65 percent of thepopulation had employer-sponsored insurance; 6 percent had individual insurance; 10 percenthad Medicaid, SCHIP, or other public insurance (including dual eligibles with Medicaid andMedicare); 10 percent had Medicare; and 8 percent were uninsured in 2003. 393Medicaid EligibilityMedicaid eligibility for pregnant women is at an income at 275 percent FPL or less. Medicaideligibility for working and non-working parents is also 275 percent FPL. There are differenteligibility criteria for several other Medicaid groups: 70 percent FPL for people on SupplementalSecurity Income (SSI), 85 percent FPL for people on State Supplementary Payments (SSP; anexpansion group), and 95 percent FPL for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled group. 394 Medicaideligibility for children ages 0 to 1 is 280 percent FPL. Eligibility for children ages 1 to 19 is 275percent FPL. 395C-30