Gov. Paul LePage says he plans to push to reduce eligibility in Maine to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, the level he says is in place in most other states.

Gov. Paul LePage says he will push for a significant change in Maine's version of the Medicaid program known as MaineCare.

LePage says he plans to push to reduce eligibility to the level in place in most states, which is 133 percent of the federal poverty level. He says Maine can't afford to provide better benefits than other states.

"Forty-seven other states have 133," he told Capitol News Service, "So without the flexibility to bring it back down to the national level, then we are still a wealthier state--we have the incentive for people to come to Maine."

It's a move LePage has tried before and that opponents say will throw about 30,000 Mainers off Medicaid. Critics say the change would save the state less than $7 million a year--costs they claim will simply be shifted to local governments, hospitals and those with health insurance.