More coverage: LePage sparks debate over expanding Medicaid

AUGUSTA — Maine Democrats say they’ll reintroduce a measure in January to expand Medicaid coverage to more low-income residents under the federal health care overhaul.

Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves of North Berwick and Assistant Democratic Leader Anne Haskell of Portland on Tuesday called on Republican Gov. Paul LePage to stop blocking the expansion.

LePage vetoed the bill in June and Democrats failed to get enough GOP support to override the veto.

LePage says that the state needs to address the problems in its Medicaid system and ensure that all disabled and elderly people have the care they need before expanding the program to more people.

The federal government has offered to pay 100 percent of the costs for the expansion until 2016 when some costs would be shifted onto the state.