Pine Tree Legal Assistance Pine Tree Legal Assistance

Home

Links

Legal Help

Court Forms

About Pine Tree

News

Search

Cool Stuff





Contact Us
Offices


Housing

Fair Housing

Family Law

Employment Law

Health Care Issues

Education

Public Benefits

Consumer Law

Tax Info

Native American

Court Procedures

Immigrant Rights

Miscellaneous


Courthouse Assistance

Taxpayer Clinic

Native American Unit

Farmworker Unit

Discrimination


Maine Statutes

Maine Court Rules



Health Care Issues

Pine Tree Legal information

Need Help with Prescription Drugs? (updated December 2005)
Check out this list of resources, to find the program that can help you. We update this page often, and post the latest Prescription Drug News. Find out about what's happening with Medicare Part D in Maine.

MaineCare Deductible: How Does It Work? (April 2002)
If you can't get full MaineCare coverage because your income is too high, you may get a notice from DHS saying that you can get MaineCare if you meet a "deductible." Here's how it works.

Your Right to Free Hospital Care (updated March 2005)
Are you eligible for free hospital care?  If so, what do you need to do to apply for this benefit?
Su derecho al cuidado de hospital gratis (marzo 2004)

More legal information

Health Care Coverage

Maine Equal Justice Project explains all of the recent expansions to health care coverage for Maine people in Guide to MaineCare .  Find out if you are eligible and how to apply.  Many working parents and low-income adults without kids are now eligible, too!

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this lengthy .pdf document. If you need help downloading this free software click here.

Legal Services for the Elderly posts a similar guide, explaining MaineCare coverage for the elderly and disabled: Mapping MaineCare: A Guide to MaineCare Benefits for Seniors and People with Disabilities.

Here's a useful MaineCare chart, providing a quick overview of Maine’s Medical Assistance Programs: Who’s Covered and Who’s Not?.

Consumers for Affordable Health Care Guide Navigating Maine's Health Care System also covers low-income health care programs, plus private insurance, COBRA and Dirigo Health.

For more detailed information about coverage for severely-disabled children, read about the Katie Beckett Program, posted by Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine.

Prescription Drugs

new Get the latest information on Medicare Part D for low-income Mainers from Legal Services for the Elderly and Maine Equal Justice.

Prescription Drug Assistance: A Guide To Programs And Benefits from the Department of Human Services.

The Maine Low Cost Drug Program for the Elderly and Disabled and Maine Rx Plus, a quick overview by Maine Equal Justice.

Elder Health Care Issues 

Maine Legal Services for the Elderly also provides the following information about health care and Medicaid: 

The Department of Human Services posts very brief information about Medicare and Home Care: Where to Find It. The Medicare page includes a link to DHS's "Medicare Savings Calculator." Use it to find out if you can get help with your Medicare Part B premium, and maybe more.

The Maine Hospital Association has posted an updated health care advance directives form: Taking Charge of your Health Care. This simple form includes instructions and answers to common questions. It includes a "living will" or "durable health care power of attorney" and an organ donation option. If you want to fill out the form online, then print, get Legal Services for the Elderly's interactive version of the form. (You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view either version of this document. Click here if you need help getting this free software.)

The Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program investigates and resolves complaints made by, or on behalf of, long-term care consumers.  The program also posts basic information on Knowing Your Rights When Living in a Boarding Home or Nursing Home.

Health Care Needs of Persons with Mental Illness

The Maine affiliate of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, NAMI Maine, posts information about legal and health care issues, services and resources.

The Maine Disability Rights Center offers information on:

More help

According to Maine's Bureau of Elder and Adult Services, thousands of elderly and disabled Maine residents could be getting help with Medicare expenses. They just don't know about it, or have not applied. This help is available through the state's MaineCare program. Even if your income and assets are too high to get full Medicaid coverage, you may still qualify for help with Medicare Part B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance costs. To find out more, contact Maine's Legal Services for the Elderly (1-800-750-5353), Bureau of Elder and Adult Services (1-800-262-2232) or your nearest Department of Human Services office.

The Maine State Housing Authority's Lead Hazard Control Program offers up to $16,000 to eligible homeowners and $100,000 to apartment owners ($10,000 per unit) to take control of lead hazards on their property. The US Department of Environmental Protection also posts helpful information about how you can Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home. (You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this document.  Click here if you need help.)


Pine Tree Legal Assistance
HomeSite Search  |  Feedback  |  Learn about Maine Law  | Staff Only | Board
KIDS LEGAL  |   HelpMeLaw   |  Volunteer Lawyers Project


Creative Commons License
The work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
You are welcome to copy and distribute this material as is, but not for commercial purposes.
You may not alter, transform, or build on this work without our permission, but feel free to ask.