Dear Editor:

If you are one of the 2,000 people in Lincoln County who doesn't have healthcare insurance because it's too expensive, but your income is too high to qualify for existing MaineCare, you may already know about referendum Question 2 on the Nov. 7 ballot. Question 2 asks if you want Maine to expand Medicaid (called MaineCare in Maine) to include people who meet the following criteria:

- You must be a registered voter

- You must be between age 21 and 64

- Your annual income is less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level:

• Individual:    less than $16,643
• Family of 2:  less than $22,412
• Family of 3:  less than  $28,180
• Family of 4:  less than  $33,948
• Family of 5:  less than   $39,716
• Family of 6:  less than   $45,485

Medicaid expansion became available to the states under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in 2012. The Maine legislature has voted five times to accept expansion. Governor Paul LePage has vetoed those votes each time. This is a citizen's initiative, and therefore can't be vetoed. 

If you want this referendum question to pass, vote yes on Question 2. You can vote early, starting now, at your town office, or by absentee ballot, or on Election Day, Nov. 7. If you need information about getting an absentee ballot, call, email, or stop by your town office.

Susan Marcus

Alna