Issue Position: Increase Access to Affordable Health Care for All

Issue Position

My first exposure to the challenges caused by our health care system was when I worked with low-income families at Legal Aid. I saw the stress that people experience when they do not have access to health care. Medical bills can create a downward spiral of debt and other tragic consequences in the lives of families, and it was my job to do all I could to get these people back on solid financial ground.

This experience, along with my work as a state legislator on the House Health Care Committee and my work as co-chair of the Mental Health Caucus, helped to solidify my commitment to work for affordable and accessible health care for all.

Action: Continue health care reform efforts.
Congress took the first steps to reform our health care system, but more needs to be done. Right now, paying for health care is a struggle for families and small businesses. We need to continue to work toward a health care system that is truly accessible so that when people need care, they can get the services they need. When people are healthy, our families, communities, and businesses thrive.

No one is satisfied with the website failure in Oregon, and I support an investigation to determine how taxpayer dollars were managed; however, the failed website has not prevented hundreds of thousands of Oregonians from accessing affordable insurance that provides greater coverage and protections. If the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is repealed, insurers could continue to deny health coverage based on pre-existing conditions like diabetes and cancer; insurers could drop your coverage when you get sick and need it most; and young adults would no longer be able to remain on their parents' health plan until age 26. The ACA is not a perfect law, but we must not return to the days of high-cost plans that don't provide adequate coverage.

Action: Reduce Medicare costs and save seniors money.
States like Oregon negotiate prescription drug prices to save taxpayer dollars, and the federal government should do the same. It's a logical step to control Medicare costs and save money for our seniors-- many of whom are on fixed incomes. It's time to stand up for seniors and take this important step to control Medicare costs. We also need to continue to crack down on Medicare fraud.

Action: Focus on growing the nursing workforce.
In Congress, I support increases in funding for nursing workforce development programs. I've introduced legislation to support pay equity for our nursing workforce, and I'm working to eliminate arbitrary barriers that limit the ability of nurses to provide care to the full extent of their education, licensure, and training. This issue is especially prominent in rural and underserved areas, where there are additional challenges to accessible health care.

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