Issue Position: Health Care
Issue Position
AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE NOW
Health Care for All: I strongly support accessible, affordable, quality health care for all Americans. We need this coverage now - not another generation from now. It is not acceptable that our nation has 47 million people who are uninsured - including nearly 10% of our children. We don't need to debate this issue for another generation. That's why I support a strategy based on the principle of shared responsibility similar to the Massachusetts Health Care "Connector" Plan. This plan was enacted when business, government, unions, community groups, and medical professionals came together to forge a plan to provide health care coverage to all our state's residents. In the past year, the Massachusetts plan has increased those covered by 135,000, with 98% or greater coverage projected within the next few years.
Health Care Plan Highlights: The national health care plan that I'll actively work to implement includes these features:
-Regional Health Care Markets to lower costs and increase efficiency;
-Enhanced coverage for children through the State Children's Health Insurance -Program (SCHIP);
-Enabling the Federal Government to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices;
-Investing in preventative care and wellness programs, and;
-Supporting and enhancing community health centers
Comprehensive Changes Needed: For a health care system to be effective, long term reforms are necessary. For example, we need a 21st century medical record system, to implement a "culture of safety" that helps hospitals reduce errors and lower costs, to end racial and gender disparities in access to care, and to think of health policy more broadly as family policy. All of these initiatives require shared resources and shared responsibility.
Address the Growing Nursing Shortage: We need to address the nation's increasingly critical nursing shortage. Nurses are a critical source of care and support for patients at the most vulnerable points in their lives. Nearly every person's health care experience involves an nurse. As a result, a sufficient supply of nurses is essential to provide our nation with quality health care. I will advocate for increased nursing education, incentives for instructors, and training funds to improve our capacity to supply a qualified nursing workforce.
Protect Seniors and their Coverage: We need to strengthen the Medicare system through a fair and effective prescription drug benefit. Additionally, patients need more flexibility and rights with regard to their insurers. The Bush prescription drug program is too complicated and is not consumer friendly. I favor reform legislation that will make the program simpler for new applicants and beneficiaries. The Bush administration's policy of restricting Medicare from using its leverage to achieve lower drug prices makes no sense.. The Veterans' Administration uses these tools very effectively to lower prescription costs. We need more competition across the board, not less.
Summary: Thanks to the Massachusetts Health Care Plan, some 135,000 people who didn't have coverage ten months ago have it today. We've proved that it can be done. For our nation as well, it must be done today. In Congress, I'll fight for a health care plan that provides accessible high quality care as quickly as possible.
In addition to serving on the board of a small non-profit community health plan, I have dealt with long-term illness and the health care challenges that presents in a very personal way. As you know, my late husband Paul waged a long, courageous fight against cancer. Because we had health insurance, our family had the benefit of top notch care from incredibly dedicated professionals. Without this opportunity for high quality care, I am convinced that Paul's ability to battle his cancer and his quality of life would have been significantly compromised. I feel very strongly that every American deserves guaranteed access to the highest quality care and as a member of Congress, I'll work to make that happen.
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