ICYMI: Maine Dems, Health Care Leaders Call Out Collins for Failing To Protect Mainers’ Health Care

Portland, Maine - In case you missed it, today the Maine Democratic Party held a press conference in Portland highlighting how Susan Collins has both refused to act and has voted against legislation to protect Mainers' health care and costs, choosing to shut down the government rather than address the crises she's helped create.

Collins has voted numerous times against a bill that would have saved health care for more than 50,000 Mainers who are at risk of seeing their insurance premiums skyrocket when enhanced premium ACA tax credits expire. Reporting has pointed out Susan Collins "has yet to sponsor" any legislative move to extend the tax credits.

Watch:

Here are some key moments:

Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson:

• Mainers and people across this country are already facing rising costs. Senator Susan Collins and Washington Republicans are driving up costs on everything from groceries to electricity bills. Maine hospitals are expected to shut down, primary care clinics have already closed, and 61,000 Mainers are on track to lose insurance thanks to the health care cuts that Collins greenlit when she voted to advance the GOP tax bill this summer.

• Now, Maine is facing a potential health care coverage crisis when the ACA's enhanced premium tax credits expire - and Susan Collins has once again refused to act.

• Susan Collins hasn't done anything to protect Mainers who rely on these tax credits. Instead, Collins has voted against a bill numerous times that would have prevented health care from getting more expensive by extending the tax credits.

• Throughout her career, Susan Collins has shown us she is more concerned with fighting for her party bosses, her own bottom line, and the insurance companies that fund her campaign than she is with helping everyday Mainers.

• In fact, Collins is raking in campaign donations from the very insurance companies that are set to make a killing from raising rates on Mainers. So while Collins reaps the fundraising benefits of her votes and her party cashes in on their always reliable Senator Collins vote, Mainers will be the ones paying the price, potentially closing their businesses, and losing their health care coverage.

• Come 2026 voters will reject Susan Collins for failing us and refusing to protect our health care when she had the chance.

Chair of Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee Rep. Drew Gattine:

• Unfortunately Susan Collins, Donald Trump and their cronies in Washington are trying to take us backwards. Not only do they accept the status quo, but they are taking steps to drive up the health care costs of millions of Americans and thousands of Mainers.

• If the premium tax credits are not extended, if Congress does not act now, 85% of the people who access insurance through the marketplace will see spikes in their costs. These working families will face average premium increases of $258 per month - over $3000 per year.

• Approximately 9,500 consumers - representing 18 percent of those receiving assistance - will lose all premium support if Susan Collins doesn't vote to extend those tax credits. Those 9,500 Mainers will face average increases of over $10,000 per year.

• These impacts will have a particularly harsh impact in rural Maine. People in Aroostook County and Washington County would see their premiums increase by over 70%. Middle income Mainers will be hit hard. If your income is between $60,000 and $75,000 per year you'll see an average of $705 per month premium increase if these tax credits expire. Some households, including older adults and families with children will need to come up with 11% of their annual income in order to pay for their insurance. Across the board Mainers will need to come up with $88 million to absorb these costs.

• None of this has to happen. All of this can be avoided. This can be avoided if Susan Collins and Republicans in Congress step up and do the right thing. We've seen them step up for billionaires who are receiving massive tax cuts. We've seen them step up for giant corporations. We've seen them step up for the people who invest massively in their campaigns. The time has come for them to step up for working Maine people across our state who are just looking for the chance to see their doctor or get the medicine they need.

Retired pediatric nurse practitioner Rep. Annie Graham:

• I want to share first my deep, deep disappointment in Susan Collins. I've known Susan Collins for many, many years. I've reached out to her about health care issues. She appears to be responsive, but then votes against all the things that we really care about in the state of Maine.

• I had the opportunity to go to Health Care for Me, a conference that the Consumers for Affordable Healthcare had the other day. And there, Hilary Schneider, Director of the Maine healthcare marketplace, shared some scenarios with us about what will happen to real people, your neighbors, you and I.

• Case study of a family in Fort Kent. A family of two in their 60s, with an annual household income of $85,000. Their premium with the earned income tax credit for a plan is $7200 per year, 8.5% of their income. Without the earned income tax credit for this family, their premium will be $25,000 a year, 29% of their income.

• Another case. A family of three, ages 60, 63, and 25 [...] They live in Calais with an annual household income of $200,000. Their premium with an earned income tax credit is $17,000 a year. Without it, the same plan, their premium will be $37,000 per year, 19% of their income.

• I share these with you because this is real. This is happening to all of us. middle income, working class individuals. This is not some pie in the sky concept that Washington can play with.

• This is going to hurt us all, and Susan Collins has let us down consistently. She has said she'll support health care, but then she doesn't. Actions speak much louder than her words.

• When one has high healthcare costs, that is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy. That's what we're gonna be looking at if Susan Collins doesn't step up.

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