Universal health coverage is a win-win solution for people and small businesses
I believe that access to quality, affordable health care is a right that every family in America should have, especially our children.
Children can’t control the families they are born into, and therefore every child should have access to healthcare that keeps them well and promotes their growth.
As a federal employee, I had a great government-sponsored health plan — just like members of Congress. I never had to worry about being able to access or afford medical care if something happened to me or my children. I believe that every American should have that peace of mind.
I believe that no family in the Third Congressional District should have to take out a second mortgage or face bankruptcy if a child or a breadwinner gets sick or is injured. An affordable, effective health care system allows people to see a provider when it will do the most good, and not wait until a visit to the Emergency Room is the only option.
Likewise, we must immediately rein in the cost of prescription drugs so that people can get their medications regardless of their earnings or employer.
Our eventual goal should be a Medicare-for-All type system, where administrative costs are drastically reduced and the government’s purchasing power is leveraged to keep down premiums and the cost of prescription drugs and treatments.
In the meantime, there are steps we can take to fix the ACA and undo the sabotage done by Republicans so that health coverage is broader, more affordable and more accessible. Creating a public option on the individual market exchanges would fill the gaps in regions where there is only one provider, offering choice and competitive pricing to consumers. We must also address the monopolies that the ACA has created with hospitals, which are driving up the cost of health care.