Issue Position: Health Care
Issue Position
Congresswoman Sanchez is a firm believer that every American, and particularly every child, should have access to quality medical care. She was a proud supporter of H.R. 2, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization bill, which was signed into law by President Obama on February 4, 2009. The SCHIP law will preserve healthcare for the 7 million children who are currently covered by SCHIP and extend coverage to an additional 4 million uninsured children who have been eligible for, but not enrolled in, SCHIP and Medicaid.
Congresswoman Sanchez believes that health care reform must be pursued in a fair and fiscally responsible manner. She continues to support legislation that will give employees who have lost their jobs the opportunity to keep their medical insurance while they are transitioning between jobs. In the 111th Congress, Congresswoman Sanchez will continue to support legislation that creates an accessible, affordable, and quality universal health care system.
Medicaid
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is a strong supporter of adequate funding for the Medicaid program. Over 55 million Americans, predominantly those who are lower income or have disabilities, rely on Medicaid for their health care coverage. In the 110th Congress, the Congresswoman supported the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008. This legislation, which became law on June 30, 2008, supports the continuation of health care access for beneficiaries but also prevents a devastating loss of funding to states, public hospitals, and local schools- many of which are already struggling during the economic downturn.
Medicare
Millions of senior citizens depend on Medicare+Choice (M+C) plans for health care. Reducing payments to Medicare providers does not take into consideration a disproportionate increase in the cost of health care. Representative Sanchez opposes any further cuts in the payments to Medicare providers and supports restoring Medicare funding. She recognizes the importance of bipartisan support for efforts to recalibrate the payments for M+C plans.
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