Issue Position: Health Care

Issue Position

Mike Quigley proudly voted in favor of President Obama's Affordable Health Care for America Act. Mike is committed to ensuring that the Act is implemented in a manner that achieves the goals of increased access for all Americans to affordable, portable and comprehensive healthcare. Fifth District families are already seeing benefits from this Act, in the elimination of pre-existing conditions as a barrier to health insurance and the inclusion of recent college graduates on their parents' health care plans.

In the months leading up to passage of the bill, Mike sent several letters to House leadership urging the inclusion of key provisions in the final bill such as closing the Medicare prescription drug donut hole, retaining cost-curbing delivery system reforms, and protecting middle-class workers from taxes on their insurance plans. He also led the charge against the inclusion of anti-choice language in the final health care bill. He continues to work with local small businesses and health care professionals through his Health Care Advisory Committee to address concerns during the rulemaking and implementation process.

Mike is a fighter for health care professionals. He is a cosponsor of H.R. 2381, the Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act, requiring the Department of Labor to issue safety standards to eliminate the manual lifting of patients that nurses currently must endure. He also fought for the right of health care professionals to collectively bargain and seek improved working conditions, wages and hours.

In 2005, as Cook County Commissioner, Mike proposed and passed a secondhand smoke ban, which prohibited smoking indoors throughout Cook County. Soon after, his legislation led to a similar state-wide ban that prevented smoking in public places, places of employment, government vehicles and within 15 feet of any entrance to a public place. Mike also worked to expanded health care services and provide funds to Access to Care, a primary health care program serving low-income uninsured individuals in suburban Cook County, Illinois and in Northwest Chicago. He has fought for increased access to reproductive healthcare for all women throughout Cook County and helped secure county funding to provide enhanced medical and legal services for rape victims at Stroger Hospital.

Mike is a supporter of Community Choice, allowing individuals with disabilities the right to live with dignity using Medicaid and Social Security for home and community based care instead of institutional settings.

Mike opposes any effort to privatize Medicare. As part of his Reinventing Federal Government study, he proposed several long term steps that can be taken to shore up Medicare and ensure the long term viability of the program. He has also cosponsored legislation to allow price negotiation in the Medicare prescription drug program, and legislation to increase transparency and combat fraud in Medicare.

Mike has been a vocal opponent of cuts in Medicaid funding which would have a devastating impact on the health care workforce and the health plans of public sector workers. He co-chaired a hearing on the subject with Representative Jan Schakowsky and led an Illinois delegation letter opposing the proposed cuts.

Source