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Town of New Gloucester
385 Intervale Road, New Gloucester, ME 04260
(207) 926-4126 (phone) / (207) 926-4136 (fax)
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Town of Poland
1231 Maine Street, Poland, ME 04274
(207) 998-4601 (phone) / (207) 998-2002 (fax)
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Maine DHHS and IDEXX Launch Mobile COVID-19 Testing Lab in Augusta
Testing capacity expands as DHHS extends support of 27 swab and send sites through at least October
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Maine-based IDEXX Laboratories Inc. announced the start of operations at the mobile laboratory stationed at the Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL) in Augusta, quadrupling Maine’s current COVID-19 testing capacity. At the same time, DHHS is extending its financial support of 27 swab and send locations through at least the end of October.
The new mobile lab, which is supported by federal funding, serves as an extension of the HETL and is thus federally certified, confirming that the mobile lab meets or exceeds all quality assurance standards. As of this week, the mobile lab is accepting specimens and reporting out results.
The HETL’s maximum testing capacity is increasing from approximately 6,000 per week to more than 25,000 per week. Some surge capacity will be reserved to ensure the lab is positioned to respond to any future outbreaks and to maintain streamlined operations. This added capacity is made possible through the State’s partnership with IDEXX for additional test kits, personnel, and the mobile lab.
The Maine DHHS announced that it has extended federal funding for swab and send providers, originally scheduled to end by August 31, to October 31. This reimbursement supports swab and send locations in offering testing free of charge to individuals who believe they may have COVID-19 or could have been exposed to the virus, with or without symptoms, as defined under the DHHS Standing Order. All swab and send sites send samples to the HETL. After October, swab and sends will bill insurance companies for the service.
The swab and send locations continue to increase their volume of specimen collection. For example, the site operated by the City of Westbrook has sent more than 1,400 samples to the HETL since beginning operations on August 3. The HETL reached an operational milestone last week when it crossed the threshold of processing 50,000 COVID-19 samples since March 2020. This surpasses the HETL’s annual volume for all clinical microbiology tests, such as flu tests, for each of the past five years.
The 27 swab and send sites complement the roughly 40 current testing sites already available to the public. For a list of sites providing tests under the DHHS Standing Order, which includes all swab and send sites, visit the Keep Maine Healthy Web site.
Some of the organizations operating swab and send sites, along with other organizations, are offering testing to their patients at additional sites as well. For a complete and frequently updated list of COVID-19 testing sites in Maine, visit Get-Tested-COVID19.org.
Executive Order to Facilitate Voting, Protect Health of Voters & Election Officials Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
An Executive Order has been signed to protect the health and safety of Maine voters, poll workers, and election officials, and to facilitate access to safe in-person and absentee voting in the November general election amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Executive Order takes the following measures.
- Extends the deadline for voter registration applications submitted by mail or third person from October 13, 2020 to October 19, 2020. In-person voter registration may still occur up to and on Election Day.
- Allows municipalities to begin processing absentee ballots up to seven days before the general election, rather than four days in statute, to help election officials accommodate the expected increase in absentee voting.
- Authorizes the Secretary of State to issue guidance, in consultation with Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and local officials, to facilitate voting, including the provision and security of external drop boxes accessible only by the clerk for the safe return of absentee ballots.
- Allows municipalities more time to conduct the public process and application necessary to consolidate polling places and allows municipalities to utilize election clerks from abutting counties if none are available in their own.
- Maintains the 50-person gathering limit in each voting space within a polling location to promote appropriate physical distancing, ensures that voting booths remain six feet apart at polling places, and requires voter lines outside of polling places to be marked with signage to enforce physical distancing.
Maine Bureau of Insurance Announces 13.1 Percent Overall Average Decrease in Individual Health Insurance Rates for 2021
The Maine Bureau of Insurance announced its review and approval of the rates submitted by the State's three individual market health insurance carriers for the 2021 plan year. The overall, or weighted average, reflects a decrease of 13.1 percent in monthly premiums in the market.
The health insurance rates submitted by Anthem, Harvard Pilgrim, and Maine Community Health Options range from a decrease of 26.5 percent to a decrease of 4.3 percent, depending on the plan. Other factors used to determine an individual’s premiums are age, county of residence, and whether or not the individual uses tobacco.
The cost to most consumers who buy insurance on the individual market is lowered further by financial assistance available through the HealthCare.gov marketplace. In Maine, 85 percent of consumers qualified for this assistance to lower their premiums in the 2020 plan year.
The trend reflects the effect of the Maine Guaranteed Access Reinsurance Association (MGARA) which was relaunched in 2019. The MGARA helps insurers keep premiums low by ceding coverage of members with high-cost conditions to the reinsurance program. As noted above, the majority of those purchasing their own insurance do not pay full price. Those who are at 400 percent or more of the federal poverty level do pay full price and directly benefit from any lowering of premiums on the individual market.
Individuals are encouraged to visit CoverME.gov for more information about their coverage options, including MaineCare, prior to open enrollment this fall or if they are currently without health coverage.
Consumers with questions about insurance matters can contact the Bureau’s consumer divisions by calling 800-300-5000 (TTY call Maine Relay 711), e-mailing Insurance.PFR@maine.gov, or visiting www.maine.gov/insurance.
MaineHousing’s Community Aging in Place Grant
With the belief that safe, stable housing is critical to the health and wellness of a community, MaineHousing’s Community Aging in Place Grant began in 2017 to support the replication of Bath Housing’s aging in place initiative. The inaugural funding year provided support for five public housing authorities (PHA) and expanded to six PHAs in 2018. Now in its third year, the program has expanded to 10 partner agencies, eight PHAs, and two community action agencies.
The program concept, modeled after Bath Housing’s Comfortably Home program, was originally established in 2015 and based on the evidenced based CAPABLE program from Johns Hopkins University. The Community Aging in Place Grant Program offers no-cost home safety checks, minor maintenance repairs, and accessibility modifications to eligible low-income elderly and disabled homeowners. These services enable recipients to continue living safely and comfortably at home.
This Program created a progressive solution for aging homeowners by establishing a model to address the housing and wellness issues of a growing segment of Maine residents.
Examples of Scope of Work
Accessibility Modifications
- grab bars and handrails
- shower wand
- shower seat
- raised toilet seat
- drawer pulls
- doorbell
- lighting
- kitchen faucet
Minor Repairs
- winterizing
- flooring repairs
- storm door installation
- gutter work
- steps/existing ramps
- minor plumbing and electrical
- build shelf
- adjust cabinet height
Safety Checks
- smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- dryer vents
- refrigerator coils
- light bulbs
- furnace filters
Eligibility
You may be eligible for services from the Community Aging in Place Grant if:
- you are age 55+ or have a disability;
- you own your home or live in a home owned by a family member;
- your annual household income limits are 80% of area median income (AMI); and
- you live within the service area of our partners.
To apply, click here for a list of partner agencies.
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