Issue Position: Healthcare

Issue Position

Affordable health care - I ultimately believe that a federal "Medicare for All" system is going to be the only way forward to provide all Americans with access to quality, affordable healthcare. Until that time, we can reduce the cost of prescription drugs by preventing the supply chain of pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy benefit managers and insurance companies from inflating the price of prescription drugs. We can make permanent in our state law the requirements of the Affordable Care Act that insurance policies continue to cover a full range of benefits like mental health care, newborn care, emergency and hospital care and prescription drugs. We also need to fight to make sure pre-existing conditions continue to be covered. We can prevent insurance companies from renegotiating with and changing network providers during a plan year.

End the opioid epidemic - We must continue to address the opioid epidemic in our state. Despite the expansion of access to treatment and other substantial policy achievements, the opioid epidemic continues to grip Connecticut. More than 1,000 Connecticut residents died from opioid-related overdoses in 2017 -- more than from car accidents, homicides and suicides combined. We need to continue to work with medical professionals and experts to preserve the gains already made and further expand access to treatment.

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