When the Charger’s Plugged In… But Nothing’s Working

You know that feeling when your phone is almost dead?

You plug it in. The light comes on. You think it’s working.
But hours later… the battery hasn’t moved.

That’s what MaineCare feels like for a growing number of Maine families trying to navigate long-term care.

The system looks like it’s running. The benefits are technically available.
But when people need it most, the support doesn’t connect.

A System That Promises Help—But Delivers Confusion

MaineCare (our state’s version of Medicaid) is meant to help older adults who have run out of money access the care they need—whether in assisted living, residential care, or a nursing facility. It’s designed to be the safety net once private resources are gone.

But it’s misaligned.

If someone applies to a facility with MaineCare already in place, they’re often told there are no beds available. That’s because facilities are only licensed to accept a limited number of MaineCare residents—and those spots are often already full or permanently capped.

So many families try to plan ahead:
They pay privately first, thinking that once their loved one “spends down,” MaineCare will step in.

But here’s what no one tells them:

• There’s no system that tracks that spend-down.

• No automatic process that converts a private-pay bed to a MaineCare-covered one.

• And no guarantee that MaineCare coverage will kick in when it's needed most.

Families think they’re covered—and then they find out they’re not.

It’s like plugging in a phone that says “charging”… but nothing’s actually happening.

The Bigger Picture: Federal Dollars Left on the Table

Maine gets a better Medicaid match than many other states.
For every $38 we contribute, the federal government adds $62.
New Hampshire has to bring $50 just to get $50.

This is a good deal for Maine—but only when we show up with our portion.

And when we don’t?

The federal money stays on the table.
The system stalls.
And care capacity drops.

Infrastructure That’s Quietly Disappearing

Over the past decade, Maine has lost more than 50 long-term care facilities.
Each time a facility closes, all the MaineCare-licensed beds inside disappear too.

Those beds don’t transfer. They don’t move.
They’re simply gone.

That’s not just an access issue—it’s a long-term loss of infrastructure.

Families Deserve Better

Most people can’t see how MaineCare actually works—not because they aren’t trying, but because the system is hard to see through.

It gives families the impression that help is available.
That the system will catch them.
That the charger is working.

But when it doesn’t deliver?
That’s when people call me.

Why I Do This Work

I don’t work inside the system.
I stand beside the families trying to get through it.

And what I’ve learned is this:

If the battery’s still dying—even when the charger’s plugged in—something’s misaligned.

And if no one says it out loud, it’s never going to change.