Maine governor says he’d go to jail before he expands Medicaid

Maine’s fiscally conservative governor says he’d rather go to jail before expanding Medicaid and putting the state in “red ink.” Gov. Paul LePage made the remark Tuesday during a call-in on WVOM-FM.

Nearly three out of five voters last fall voted to expand Medicaid to 80,000 Mainers by July 2. Advocates are encouraging Mainers to sign up.

The Republican governor is fighting a court order requiring him to follow the voter-approved law and submit paperwork needed for Maine to receive federal funding. He successfully vetoed a bill to fund Maine’s share of expansion with surplus and tobacco settlement funds.

LePage has long told lawmakers to pass long-term funding under his terms, including no new taxes. He’s now suggesting new hospital taxes could cover expansion.