Maine Grant Brings Coverage to Direct-Care Workers

In a significant victory for the fight for health care coverage for direct-care workers in Maine, the Governor's office announced last week that the state has been awarded a grant of $8.5 million to provide expanded coverage to 3,500 Maine residents - including direct-care workers. The grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will provide $8.5 million a year for up to five years for the state to expand the Dirigo health program to part-time, seasonal, and direct-care workers. Starting in 2010, workers employed by firms that offer health insurance and have over 50 employees will be eligible to receive vouchers to make their employer-sponsored insurance more affordable. The grant also will allow the Dirigo program to develop a special coverage product for workers who are not offered employer-sponsored coverage. This victory comes after a five year campaign waged by members of the Direct-Care Worker coalition. In March of this year, Coalition members pulled together a high stakes meeting of key political leaders to discuss the issue of health insurance and direct-care workers. HCHCW participated in the meeting offering examples from other states and raising the possiblity of applying for the DHHS grant. The participants agreed at the end of the meeting that a solution must be developed and several options were on the table including the ones now funded by the grant. As a direct-care worker and a leader of the Coaliton, Helen Hanson, was on hand for Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’s announcement of the grant at the University of Maine last week. “I heard it with my own ears,” she said. “We will finally be able to provide insure to some of Maine’s uninsured direct-care workers. Today is a significant victory in a very long fight for coverage. But I will not stop until all of Maine’s direct-care workers have coverage.” Helen recently wrote an editorial on the need for federal reform in order to help direct-care workers gain affordable, comprehensive coverage. The Direct-Care Worker Coalition now turns its attention to enrollment and design of the new coverage programs. Allison Lee National Campaign Manager Health Care for Health Care Workers alee@phinational.org