Paul Richardson’s July 27 op-ed, “Maine’s rural hospitals cannot survive another Susan Collins term,” was a piece of partisan nonsense, insinuating Sen. Collins supported $1.5 trillion in healthcare cuts while promoting $50 billion for the Rural Health Transformation Fund.

The op-ed conveniently ignored that Collins consistently votes against Medicaid cuts and voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, demonstrating courage to stand out on this issue and put Maine needs first. 

Quotes are like tattoos — forever. Sen. Collins said: “A dramatic reduction in future Medicaid funding, an estimated $5.9 billion in Maine over the next 10 years, could threaten not only Mainers’ access to health care, but also the very existence of several of our state’s rural hospitals … I could not support these Medicaid changes and other issues.” 

Mr. Richardson attempts to undermine the program which Collins proposed that is the largest generational investment in rural health. Collins is a healthcare champion who supports the largest employer in Maine, regardless of affiliation. She delivered by being the Senate’s most effective bipartisan legislator. About 57% of Maine’s population is enrolled in federal health services.

Instead, try promoting what Troy Jackson has demonstrated in his years of driving between Augusta and the Allagash — and how this could benefit the healthcare of the state? Let Jackson’s record speak for him. We can’t afford to replace effective bipartisan leadership with a freshman blathering the words “free” and “abolish.”

Extremism does not build hospitals, only bipartisanship and moderation do.

Ian Dickey
Bangor

Read the full letter at the Central Maine.