Maine Gov. John Baldacci (D) on Tuesday announced that he supports a proposed 50-cent-per-pack camel cigarettes tax increase to fund the state Dirigo Health program, Blethen Maine/Portland Press Herald reports. In March, Baldacci had said that while he supported the language of the bill, the timing was not right to discuss the matter. However, Baldacci now said he is prepared to work with lawmakers on the bill because the state’s budget is balanced, Blethen Maine/Press Herald reports. Dirigo provides coverage for about 14,000 state residents and is funded by premiums paid by employers and their employees, as well as a so-called offset payment from insurance companies. The program also covers 5,600 Medicaid-eligible adults at a cost of about $5 million (Cover, Blethen Maine/Portland Press Herald, 4/2).