Issue Position: Our District Needs Better Health Care

Issue Position

It is critical that we continue to fight to improve our community's health and increase access to affordable, comprehensive health care. As a registered professional nurse, I have a front row seat to the challenges our community faces when it comes to our health outcomes and access to quality health care.

Last year, Bronx County was ranked as the least healthy of all counties in New York State. The Bronx also has the highest rate of children living in poverty. This problem is reflected in how we access healthcare. Over 30% of our district relies on Medicaid to pay for health care. It is imperative that our district continues to fight for better health care funding, and increased access to health care services.

I was part of a larger fight to expand funding to critical community and safety-net hospitals across New York, and we won! Funding has been allocated to these hospitals in the state budget, and that is critically important for our hospitals in the Bronx, specifically our public hospitals like Jacobi Medical Center, North Central Bronx Hospital, and Lincoln Medical Center. This is not enough! Our public health system is constantly under attack at both the state and federal level. Funding for the most vulnerable patients in our community and our district is always threatened with cuts from short-sighted legislators. My vision is to continue the fight to preserve and expand services, and my track record shows my commitment to that fight.

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