Lewiston, ME – Today, at Senator Collins’ office in Lewiston, Mainers held the first stop on the “Retire Susan” recess tour, where they highlighted Senator Collins has failed to protect Mainers’ health care. Last year, Collins voted to advance Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which slashed Medicaid and threatened Affordable Care Act tax credits, spiking health care costs for more than 60,000 Mainers.

At the press conference, Maine Democrats called out how Collins enabled Trump’s assault on Mainers’ health care:

“Senator Collins cast the pivotal, deciding vote to advance this bill,” said Representative Drew Gattine (D-Westbrook). “She walked it right to the finish line. She knew exactly what was in it, gave it the green light to proceed, and now, our state is paying the price. She is responsible for the passage of a bill designed to systematically dismantle MaineCare and strip food support away from hungry Mainers.”

“Once it became clear that the ACA tax credits would expire because of the passage of the bill that Susan advanced with her crucial vote – and it was a crucial vote – Susan didn’t lift a finger to protect my family and friends and the thousands of other Mainers who depend on these credits,” said Senator Henry Ingwersen (D-York). “From September to November of 2025, Susan Collins voted eight times – eight times – in seven weeks against extending the ACA tax credits and called the effort to extend the tax credits a ‘poison pill.’”

“Susan Collins has done such awful things that make it more expensive for Mainers to shop and provide health care for them and their families,” said Jim Lysen, a Lewiston resident and former health clinic operator. “The cuts to MaineCare have devastated the program, the federally qualified health center program.”

Just over one year ago, Senator Collins voted to advance Trump’s One Big Beautiful bill. OBBBA is projected to slash federal Medicaid funding in Maine by $3 billion over the next decade, threatening health care for the hundreds of thousands of Mainers who rely on Medicaid and putting hospitals across the state at risk of reducing services or closing.Since OBBBA became law:

• More than 9,100 Mainers, including 2,850 children, have already lost Medicaid or CHIP coverage.

• Up to 61,000 Mainers are projected to lose health insurance because of the law’s Medicaid cuts and the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits.

• Average Affordable Care Act premiums increased by 77% in 2026, contributing to more than 8,500 Mainers dropping their marketplace coverage.

• More than 15,000 Mainers, including 4,600 children, have already lost SNAP benefits, with an estimated 101,000 Maine families expected to lose some or all of their food assistance.

• Multiple Maine hospitals and rural health care providers remain at risk of reducing services or closing because of the law’s Medicaid cuts.

While the law delivered trillions in tax breaks to wealthy households and large corporations, a new report found Maine is still projected to lose a net $1.75 billion in health care funding.