The Strength of a Healthy America
The United States spends more on healthcare than any other nation in the world, yet nearly 50 million people are without insurance. Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, crippling businesses that are trying to rebuild a strong economy. And despite spending more each year on health care, the value of the care we receive is in question. Our system is broken and we must do something now to fix it.
I believe the following key actions will lead to a stronger, more efficient health care system:
• Ensure affordable access for all: I will fight for quality affordable healthcare for every American. Without this, we will never be able to fully tackle the many difficult issues that plague our current system.
• Reduce costs: We must get a handle on rapidly rising costs in healthcare. In the context of the current health care debate, I support a strong public option as a means to keep costs at bay and provide Americans with an alternative to private insurance companies. I will also rein in costs over the long-term by supporting comparative effectiveness research—studies that will help us really figure out what works and what doesn’t work in healthcare. I also support the expansion of health information technology and chronic disease management programs, both of which have been proven to reduce costs and improve quality.
• Reform insurance companies: The doctor-patient relationship has been co-opted by insurance company administrators. I will support legislation that leaves the decisions up to the patients and their doctors, not the insurance company CEOs. And no more should pre-existing conditions be a barrier to affordable coverage and care—denial of coverage because of pre-existing conditions should be outlawed. Additionally, I will streamline administrative processes for insurance claims and processing so doctors can focus on patient care and not paperwork.
• Improve quality: The incentives in our system must be re-aligned to reward healthcare providers for the quality of care they provide, not the quantity. I will push for universal adoption of patient safety standards and support development of innovative measures to reduce medical errors.
• Promote primary care: Primary care providers are the backbone of the healthcare system, promoting prevention and treating diseases at their earliest and least costly stage. I will see to it that we greatly increase the number of primary care providers and that those who choose these fields be adequately compensated.
• Invest in community health: Because so much of health is determined outside the doctor’s office or hospital, we need to think about health every day, not just the days we visit the doctor. I will work for making all neighborhoods healthier—with walking paths, open spaces, and access to healthy groceries. I will also support programs that ensure healthy food options are available in all schools.
• Focus on women's health: I recognize that healthcare reform is not true reform if it prohibits women's access to reproductive health services. That is why I will fight to preserve a woman's right to choose, and work to ensure that access to contraception, emergency contraception, and pre-natal/maternity care is protected. Additionally, because women comprise the majority of the uninsured, efforts to expand insurance will be a major step forward in improving healthcare for women in America. I also support an increase in NIH research funding for the areas of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease in women, and reproductive health.
