This letter was published in the Portland Press Herald.
As a taxpayer and a project management professional, I appreciate the need to have controls in place to ensure that money is being spent for its intended purposes for any project or program. This includes vetting proposed service providers to check if they’re qualified and having processes in place to verify that services are being provided for the appropriate payments.
The rules proposed by Lead Maine — to require in-person inspections of MaineCare providers and to pause payments to providers who are found to have improperly billed MaineCare — are basic common sense. These are rules that one would find in any project contract and, in this instance, can protect taxpayer dollars.
I know individuals who have benefited from MaineCare funds who had no other options to get the services they desperately needed. It would be tragic if they were denied services that support their lives due to a lack of funds. It’s critical that the state government protects the program from fraud, waste and abuse to ensure that taxpayer dollars are available for Mainers who depend on this program.
Gene Wilson
Farmingdale