Issue Position: Access to Quality, Affordable Healthcare

Issue Position

The Affordable Health Care Act has brought health care coverage to millions of people who had no hope of getting affordable healthcare in the past. It also prohibited insurance providers from denying coverage based on past medical issues, which is a significant change that benefits many Californians. Two specific issues concern me:

Medi-Cal Patient Access to Doctors, Especially for Seniors: The number of doctors and healthcare services available to Medi-Cal patients who are seniors or from low-income families are dwindling. Many physicians are limiting the number of Medi-Cal patients they are accepting due to low reimbursement rates from the State. This needs to change so that all patients have access to quality healthcare when they need it most. If elected, I will want to explore ways we can make our healthcare system work more efficiently for seniors and struggling families.
Controlling the High Cost of Prescription Drugs: It is a fact that the high cost of prescription drugs provides a burden to all our families, but especially our sick and the elderly population. Some prescription drugs, like Sovaldi for example, a drug used to treat Hepatitis C, costs $1,000 a pill! While California has placed a cap on the monthly amount a group policy holder can pay for prescription medications, we need to do more to control costs. If you are looking for immediate ways to lower your prescription drug costs, CLICK HERE to read an internet article entitled 6 Ways to Lower Drug Costs.

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