Maine Democrats Accuse Senator Collins of Enabling Medicaid Cuts

Democratic leaders gathered in Lewiston to launch a “Retire Susan” recess tour, asserting that Sen. Susan Collins cast the pivotal vote that allowed President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBBA) to advance. They argue the legislation slashed Medicaid funding and threatened Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, raising health-care costs for tens of thousands of Mainers.

WGME - CBS 13In Lewiston, Mainers Slam Collins for Failing to Protect Mainers’ Health Care

OBBBA, passed after a procedural vote Collins supported last year, proposes to cut federal Medicaid funding in Maine by roughly $3 billion over the next decade. The bill also eliminates the enhanced ACA tax credits that many Mainers rely on, prompting projections that up to 61,000 residents could lose health-insurance coverage.

In Lewiston, Mainers Slam Collins for Failing to Protect Mainers’ Health Care WGME - CBS 13

Maine Democrats cite several figures to illustrate the bill’s effects: more than 9,100 Mainers—including 2,850 children—have already lost Medicaid or CHIP coverage; over 8,500 Mainers dropped marketplace coverage after ACA premiums rose 77 % in 2026; more than 15,000 Mainers, including 4,600 children, have lost SNAP benefits, with an estimated 101,000 families expected to lose some or all food assistance. A new report projects a net loss of $1.75 billion in health-care funding for the state, while multiple hospitals and rural providers face service reductions or closure.

In Lewiston, Mainers Slam Collins for Failing to Protect Mainers’ Health Care WGME - CBS 13

Collins’ office counters that the senator has voted against Medicaid cuts more than a dozen times and received an award for opposing OBBBA. The campaign highlights her rural-health transformation proposal, which secured $190 million in federal funding for Maine hospitals. While acknowledging her procedural vote, the statement emphasizes that Collins ultimately voted against the bill on the Senate floor.

WGME - CBS 13

• “Senator Collins cast the pivotal, deciding vote to advance this bill,” — Representative Drew Gattine

In Lewiston, Mainers Slam Collins for Failing to Protect Mainers’ Health Care

• “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,” — Senator Henry Ingwersen, said senator

In Lewiston, Mainers Slam Collins for Failing to Protect Mainers’ Health Care

• “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,” — Jim Lysen, a Lewiston resident and former health clinic operator

In Lewiston, Mainers Slam Collins for Failing to Protect Mainers’ Health Care