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Two important bills that are meant to improve the health of senior citizens won financial backing from a legislative budget committee Wednesday, one creating a public guardian program for vulnerable people and the other allowing people without Medicaid to hire a caregiver from the state home care registry.

As the state government implements HB 2391 and designs programs to stabilize health insurance rates, the Republican firebrand from the south Portland suburbs is hoping to get 59,000 signatures to allow voters a chance to sign off on the funding package for Medicaid and market stabilization.

Kaiser, Regence BlueCross BlueShield, BridgeSpan and Providence all reported profits in the first nine months of 2016, while five other insurance companies suffered financial losses