
Health & Public Benefits
SSI Eligibility for Immigrants
Immigrants who are not official U.S. citizens may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, if they meet certain qualifications. SSI can help people who are elderly or disabled, and have little or no income.
My Maine Connection: Online Benefits Application Tool
Maine DHHS is offering this online tool My Maine Connection as another way to apply for benefits. You may still apply in person, if you prefer, or over the phone (in programs that allow phone applications). But this is now the most streamlined way to apply.
Will Getting A Big Tax Refund Make Me Lose My Benefits?
This year, you won’t have to worry about losing your benefits if you get a big tax refund. Starting in 2011, any tax refunds you get will not affect most public benefits, or how much you get!
Under the law passed in December 2010:
How do I get heating assistance in Maine?
Statewide Help
The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides assistance to low-income households for their energy bills.
Free Hospital Care
Can I Get Free Care at the Hospital?
Yes. All hospitals in Maine must give free care to poor people without health insurance. You have to meet these criteria: Your income is below the guidelines, you don’t have other health insurance coverage, you need services that are medically necessary.
Lead Paint in Maine – Know the risks, know your rights
The state of Maine has a lot of older homes, and unfortunately that means we also have a lot of lead paint. This article covers what you and your family should know about lead: the risks, your rights, and programs that may be able to help you.
Transitional Transportation Benefits: When You Leave TANF to Work
The Transitional Transportation Program helps working parents pay for transportation for 12 months after they can no longer get TANF because of earnings from a job. If you get PaS benefits, instead of TANF, the same rules apply to you.
How to Handle Social Security Overpayments
If the Social Security Administration (SSA) finds that you have gotten too much money in your Social Security benefit, they will send you a Notice of Overpayment. Social Security overpayments can happen for many reasons. Sometimes it is because you didn’t report something that could affect your eligibility, like how much you worked despite your… More
General Assistance in Maine
General assistance (called GA after this) is a program run by every town to help people who don't have enough money to pay their necessary expenses. You may be eligible if your basic living costs are more than the money you have or can earn.