I am a physician recently retired from practice in Portland. Every day, I saw residents living with lung diseases, such as COPD, asthma and lung cancer, who depended on access to treatments and medications as well as clean air to ensure that they can stay healthy enough to work, go to family events and live a fulfilling life. I have seen firsthand the effects of air quality on the health of my patients. Quality and affordable health care and clean air are critical to the health of my patients.

Unfortunately, in April, Congress finalized a plan that calls for extreme reductions in federal spending that could only be achieved by making significant cuts to Medicaid and harming clean air programs. Sen. Susan Collins has committed to preserving Medicaid, but all of the Medicaid policies that Congress is considering — including adding work reporting requirements and reducing funding for Medicaid expansion — are cuts that will terminate health care coverage when people need it most. And cuts to clean air programs will worsen air quality, aggravating lung diseases such as COPD, and increasing asthma attacks in Mainers.

I urge readers to contact Sen. Collins and demand she protect Medicaid and clean air programs. Visit Lung.org/Save-Medicaid to learn more and take action.

Douglas Couper
Falmouth