There is no question that our nation’s health care system requires substantial reform. The status quo of soaring health care costs, struggling families, and health care provider shortages across Maine and the nation is unacceptable. Senator Collins frequently works with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address these and other important issues facing our nation such as improved mental health care, drug treatment programs, supporting America’s caregivers, and nutrition programs.
As a native to northern Maine, Senator Collins understands the specific challenges that rural communities face for medical care. Throughout her time in the Senate, Senator Collins has consistently supported programs to expand access to and improve the health care system, particularly for citizens living in rural areas.
As a freshman legislator, Senator Collins founded the Senate Diabetes Caucus and has since led the effort to more than triple federal funding for diabetes research.
Senators Collins, Baldwin’s RAISE Family Caregivers Act Clears Key Senate Hurdle
Washington, D.C. — The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee unanimously passed legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), the Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to establish a national strategy to support family caregivers. The Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage, or RAISE, Family Caregivers Act will now be considered by the full Senate.
ICYMI: Senator Collins on ABC’s This Week
Click HERE to watch the interview
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins on ABC’s This Week today with host George Stephanopoulos to discuss health care.
A transcript of the interview follows:
“THIS WEEK”
May 7, 2017
Senator Collins Announces More Than $1 Billion to Combat the Heroin and Opioid Abuse Epidemic
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that the bipartisan funding bill that was signed into law today contains significant funding for which she advocated to combat the heroin and opioid abuse crisis.
Senator Susan Collins’ Statement on Passage of House Health Care Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, released this statement following the passage of the House health care bill:
“Our current health care system is under considerable stress. In several states, the individual insurance market is on the verge of collapse, leaving consumers with no insurer willing to sell them insurance that qualifies for ACA subsidies. In many other states, those who do have coverage are experiencing large increases in premium costs, deductibles, and co-pays.
Bipartisan Funding Bill That Includes Numerous Measures Championed by Senator Collins Passes Senate
Washington, D.C. - By a vote of 79-18 the Senate passed a bipartisan appropriations omnibus this afternoon that will fund the government at updated levels through the end of September. U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, successfully pushed for a number of provisions that were incorporated in the final bill.
Senators Collins, Baldwin Introduce RAISE Family Caregivers Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), the Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage, or RAISE, Family Caregivers Act today.
Senators Collins, King Announce Maine Locations for 2017 Drug Take-Back Day
Washington, D.C. — Ahead of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day tomorrow, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) announced the locations of the Maine collection sites. Click HERE for locations.
Senators Collins and Shaheen’s Bipartisan Legislation to Establish National Diabetes Commission Heads to Senate Floor
Washington, D.C. - Bipartisan legislation reintroduced by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, to establish a national commission of health care experts to advance diabetes care and prevention will be sent to the Senate floor after being unanimously passed today by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
Senator Collins Announces Maine to Receive More Than $2 Million to Fight the Opioid Crisis
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will award the State of Maine $2,039,029 to fight the heroin and opioid abuse epidemic. HHS is releasing a total of $485 million in funding to all 50 states to combat drug addiction.
New York Times' Columnist Profiles Senator Susan Collins: “A Senator Listens to Voters’ Quiet Desperation”
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Collins, Klobuchar, Heitkamp Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Number of Doctors in Rural and Other Medically Underserved Areas
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) introduced bipartisan legislation to boost the number of doctors able to work in rural America. The Conrad State 30 & Physician Access Act would allow international doctors to remain in the U.S. upon completing their residency under the condition that they practice in underserved areas, such as rural communities.
Senator Collins Participates in Panel Discussion on the Future of Health Care
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins participated in a health care panel hosted by Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston and organized by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). The discussion was part of a series of panels ACS CAN is organizing in Maine and other states to promote meaningful dialogue about health reform.
Maine Primary Care Association Presents Senator Collins with Health Advocate Award
Washington, D.C. - The Maine Primary Care Association recently presented U.S. Senator Susan Collins with the National Association of Community Health Centers’ 2017 Distinguished Community Health Advocate Award. Senator Collins received this honor for her leadership as well as her longstanding support of Maine’s community health centers.
Senator Collins Raises Concern about Skyrocketing Price of Off-Patent Drugs with FDA Director at Senate Hearing
Click HERE to watch Senator Collins’ Q&A with Dr. Woodcock
Senators Collins, King Announce $143,825 for the Maine Educational Center For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Collins, King Announce $143,825 for the Maine Educational Center For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
U.S. Senator Collins’ Statement on Release of CBO Score for House ACA Replacement Bill
Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Susan Collins made the following statement after the Congressional Budget Office released its cost estimate for the House ACA replacement bill:
Senators Collins, Brown, Nelson, Capito Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Seniors from High Costs of Necessary Medical Care
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to update a current loophole in Medicare policy that would help protect seniors from high medical costs for the skilled nursing care they require after hospitalization. The Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act would allow for the time patients spend in the hospital under “observation status” to count toward the requisite three-day hospital stay for coverage of skilled nursing care.
Sens. Collins, Cardin Introduce Legislation to Make Home Health Care More Accessible to Medicare Patients
Collins, King Call on New HHS Secretary to Support Quality Health Care for Rural Maine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined 39 of their colleagues today in sending a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price urging him to work with Congress to prioritize quality health care for rural states like Maine. In the letter, the Senators also emphasized the importance of rural health care providers and their critical role in rural communities.
Collins, Klobuchar Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Families and Caregivers of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced legislation to expand training and support services for families and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The legislation would authorize grants to public and non-profit organizations that improve caregiver health and allow patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias to stay in their homes longer.
Senators Collins, Klobuchar Lead Effort Calling On Congress To Make Fighting Alzheimer's Disease An Urgent National Priority
Washington, D.C. — Citing the tremendous personal and economic toll Alzheimer’s disease takes on our nation, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) today introduced a bipartisan Senate Resolution declaring that that the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s by 2025 is an “urgent national priority”.
Collins, McCaskill Reintroduce Legislation to Help Ensure Patient Access to Affordable Medication
Click HERE to view the text of the bill
Sens. Collins, Cardin, Casey, and Heller Renew Call for an End to Caps on Therapy Services under Medicare
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Dean Heller (R-NV) have re-introduced the Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act, which would protect Medicare beneficiaries from arbitrary limits on outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services that are often needed to recover from debilitating illnesses, such as stroke, or support the effective management of conditions including multiple sclerosis and arthritis.
Recap of This Week's Coverage of the Cassidy-Collins Patient Freedom Act
"Some Republicans Wary of Repealing ACA Without Replacement Plan"
Wall Street Journal | Louise Radnofsky and Siobhan Hughes
“Senate Republicans’ narrow margin of power creates plenty of questions for leaders tasked with steering through the party’s repeal of the 2010 Affordable Care Act. High on the list: What does Susan Collins want?”
ICYMI: "Is an Obamacare solution already staring Congress in the face?"
WASHINGTON - Sen. Susan Collins was “disappointed” – decorous Senate speak for really, really unhappy.
The Mainer is arguably the most moderate Republican in the Senate, a reliable bridge-builder across the partisan divide. She came to the floor on Monday to introduce a compromise bill co-sponsored with Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican doctor from Louisiana, to replace the Affordable Care Act.
Patient Freedom Act Gains Support in Senate
Washington, D.C. — US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) joins US Senators Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) in cosponsoring the Patient Freedom Act of 2017, a comprehensive replacement plan for Obamacare.
NYT Columnist Makes Strong Case for Cassidy-Collins Compromise
"Repeal and Compete"
By: Ross Douthat
Cassidy, Collins Release Legislative Text for Obamacare Replacement Plan
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) released the legislative text for the Patient Freedom Act of 2017, a comprehensive replacement plan for Obamacare.
Cassidy, Collins Introduce Comprehensive Obamacare Replacement Plan
Click HERE for a copy of Senator Collins' floor remarks as prepared for delivery
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