Augusta, Maine – Today marks the 16th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which thousands of Mainers relied on to afford their health care last year. 

However, because Susan Collins refused to extend the lifesaving ACA enhanced tax credits, more than 50,000 Mainers are seeing their insurance premiums “double, triple or even quadruple” and thousands of people who buy marketplace health insurance canceled their 2026 coverage.

Maine Democratic Party spokesperson Kristi Johnston released the following statement: 

“Because of Susan Collins, health care is more expensive for tens of thousands of Mainers. She chose Donald Trump and the extreme GOP agenda over Maine families – siding with efforts to repeal the ACA, drive up costs, and put insurance company profits first. Collins is directly responsible for skyrocketing premiums, and Mainers won’t forget it at the ballot box.”

Here is a reminder of Susan Collins’ long record refusing to extend ACA tax credits:

• Collins and Republicans refused to include an extension for ACA Tax Credits in the One Big Ugly Bill that Collins voted to advance.
• Collins forced a government shutdown to avoid extending ACA tax credits.
• Collins repeatedly voted against extending ACA tax credits.
• Collins refused to include an extension of ACA tax credits in the deal to reopen the government that she claimed credit for negotiating.
• Collins called ACA tax credits “poison pills.”
• Collins claimed extending the enhanced premium ACA tax credits “does not have a Sept. 30 deadline,” despite Maine insurance rates already going up and Maine state officials warning action must be taken before September 30th.
• Then, Collins made a new excuse for not extending ACA tax credits saying “the insurance rates have already been issued for the year and the marketplace is already open, so it makes it very difficult” to make changes and negotiate a deal to extend ACA tax credits.