Governor Mills Announces “CoverME” Campaign to Boost Health Coverage in Maine

Governor Janet Mills announced today a new statewide campaign to promote affordable health insurance options and improve coverage in Maine called CoverME. Launched by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), CoverME will include a new website, CoverME.gov, with resources to help consumers, self-employed people, and small businesses learn about coverage options, find local assistance, and start enrollment applications.

CoverME also includes an outreach campaign with digital ads, television ads featuring testimonials on the importance of health insurance, and educational materials highlighting both MaineCare expansion and the upcoming open enrollment period for private HealthCare.gov plans, which runs November 1, 2019-December 15, 2019. Through this campaign, consumers and small businesses will learn about coverage options available in Maine based on income and family size. The campaign will kick off during the lead up to the first day of open enrollment, November 1, 2019. Upon the conclusion of open enrollment, the campaign’s focus will shift towards MaineCare, which eligible consumers may enroll in at any time of year.

“Health care saves lives. That is why one of my Administration’s top priorities is to ensure that Maine families, small businesses, and self-employed people have access to high-quality, affordable health care. While we have made significant progress by expanding MaineCare to more than 38,000 people, protecting health care for people with pre-existing conditions, passing legislation to reduce prescription drug costs, and supporting treatment to combat the opioid epidemic, we can do more,” said Governor Mills. “CoverME will help us reach more Maine people so they are better able to understand their health insurance options and sign up for the coverage they need to live healthy lives and contribute to the growth of our state.”

“The CoverME campaign will help Maine people and small businesses understand their options for affordable health coverage that meets their needs, whether through MaineCare or a private plan on HealthCare.gov,” said DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew. “We look forward to launching this campaign as our partners throughout the state continue their important work to increase coverage in Maine.”

The CoverME campaign is funded by a $750,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced by Governor Mills and the Maine Health Access Foundation last week. Census data, 27.5 million Americans lacked health insurance in 2018 including 106,000 people in Maine, or 8 percent of the state’s population.

Maine people are eligible for insurance through MaineCare if their annual income is less than $17,236 for a single person or $29,435 for a family of three. Maine people with incomes above the MaineCare threshold but less than $49,960 for a single person or than $85,320 for a family of three may be eligible for lower monthly premiums on HealthCare.gov.