$2 Million for MaineGeneral in Augusta Secured by Senator Collins in Funding Bill in First Key Step

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $2,000,000 for MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta in the draft Fiscal Year 2023 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill.  The bill, which was officially released by the full Senate Appropriations Committee today, must still be voted upon by the full Senate and House.

“Mainers in every part of our state should be able to receive the vital medical services they need, which is why I have long advocated for funding to support access to quality rural health care,” said Senator Collins.  “Upgrading MaineGeneral’s surgical equipment with this cutting-edge robotic-assistance surgical system will provide Central Maine residents with access to the most advanced care, improving health outcomes.  As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to champion this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”

The funding would be used by MaineGeneral to acquire a new da Vinci Xi® robotic-assisted surgical system. Investment in this upgraded robotic-assisted surgical system would: enhance MaineGeneral’s ability to perform minimally invasive surgeries with precision and accuracy, leading to better health outcomes for patients; increase access to high-quality health care for residents in Central Maine; and improve MaineGeneral’s ability to recruit and retain health care professionals in rural Maine.