In Congress, I will work to bring intelligent, workable solutions to our nation’s healthcare system. We must work towards three long-term goals: (1) offering more people the ability to receive quality, affordable medical care throughout their lives; (2) consistently improving the outcomes of our health care system as measured by healthier, longer lives; and (3) consistently reducing the average per person cost of health care without compromising on quality or access.
We currently spend 1 ½ times as much per person on health care than any other nation and still we don’t have the longer life expectancies or healthier lifetimes. I know we can do better if we come together and focus on improving our system in smart, sensible ways.
As me move forward, there are key aspects of health reform that must be protected against Republicans’ attempts to repeal.
- Insurance companies cannot be allowed to deny coverage to those with preexisting conditions. These are the millions of Americans who desperately need health care, and for too long we have letting companies pad their bottom lines at their expense. Extending coverage to those who need it most will also cut down on the emergency costs that have been spread among the populace.
- Providing incentives to small businesses that offer healthcare coverage to their employees will ensure that businesses continue to grow and prosper, while protecting the wellbeing of the workforce.
- Children should be permitted to stay on their parents’ plans until they are 26. In these uncertain economic times, and with more and more students graduating from college unemployed and with mounting debt, sharing the protections of the parents with the kids is an important part of easing the burden on the next generation.
But health care means more than just insurance reform. Health care means protecting the Medicare guarantees that our seniors were promised. Now more than ever, we need to protect Medicare from Republican attacks and attempts to end the guarantee, replacing it with an expensive and risky voucher. Our seniors have worked too hard for too long for us to pay for the wealthiest 2%’s tax cuts with their Medicare guarantee. I believe in making health care more affordable and easier to access, not purposely limiting its recipients.
