New federal Medicaid director is former Maine official Mayhew

Mary Mayhew, who as Maine Gov. Paul LePage's top health official staunchly opposed the state's ballot measure to expand Medicaid, will lead Medicaid policy at the federal level in her new position as new deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services.

The CMS announced on Monday that Mayhew will fill the position vacated by Brian Neale in late January. Neale left after approving the country's first state waiver to make work requirements a condition for Medicaid enrollment.

Earlier this summer, Mayhew came in third in a four-way primary race to secure the GOP nomination to succeed LePage as governor. Mayhew had served seven years under LePage as commissioner for the state's Health and Human Services Department. She also spent more than a decade as vice president of the Maine Hospital Association and was a partner in a public affairs firm.

Mayhew takes her post as the Trump administration is embroiled in lawsuits over its approval of Medicaid work requirements for Kentucky and Arkansas.

A federal district court has blocked implementation of the work requirements in Kentucky. Indiana and New Hampshire have had similar waivers approved and at least nine additional states have applied for them as well.

Meanwhile, ballot initiatives like Maine's that would expand Medicaid are moving forward this November in Idaho, Nebraska and Utah.