The Legislature faces a great challenge this year in resolving the $221 million shortfall in the MaineCare system.

We must come up with $120 million in savings by April 1 or MaineCare will run out of money. No one in the Legislature looks forward to the upcoming task of cutting MaineCare.

We will do all we can to preserve our health care safety net for vulnerable Mainers in these difficult financial times. At the same time, we need to face some basic facts.

MaineCare has grown to the point where it cannot be supported by Maine taxpayers. The state adds tens of millions of dollars to the program every year, essentially “cannibalizing” other important government functions to pay for it. It is never enough. Cost overruns in the program keep us in perpetual budget crisis.

I serve as a member of the Health and Human Services Committee. As a result, I have been spending much of my time trying to fix this problem, trying to work within our limited financial resources.

Below are some facts to bear in mind:

— MaineCare consumes one third of our state budget.

— MaineCare is growing at three times the rate of Maine’s revenue growth.

— MaineCare has gone over budget every year for the last nine years.

— MaineCare enrollment is 35 percent higher than the national average.

— MaineCare enrollment has increased 78 percent since 2002 to 361,000.

— Maine has one of the two most expensive health care systems in the world.

— Maine’s health care costs are growing 7.8 percent annually, the fastest growth rate in the country.

— MaineCare is much more generous than the federal government mandates.

— MaineCare is about $ 300 million behind in its payments to Maine hospitals.

— If we don’t fix our long-term care system, the federal government will cut our funding.

— Unless we find the needed savings, covering this shortfall will cost the average tax filer about $500.

We have an almost impossible task facing us. While I know we cannot continue to fund all our current MaineCare programs, I also know that the Legislature will find a way to substantially improve Gov. Paul LePage’s proposals.

Every legislator I have spoken with is committed to reaching consensus and passing bipartisan legislation that brings our budget back within our resources, without damaging the health of Mainers.

REP. LES FOSSEL is a Republican from Alna who represents House District 53, which includes Alna, Dresden, Pittston and Wiscasset.