Issue Position: Health Care

Issue Position

Providing Hope, Lowering Costs, Expanding Access

Every American deserves high quality health care. Congresswoman Hirono is working in Congress to support Hawai"i's patients and providers. The new Democratic majority has already given hope to millions of Americans with diseases, made health care more affordable and increased access to health insurance.

The President proposed significant cuts in Medicare and other vital programs that enable millions of Americans to live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives. And Republicans in Congress have not adequately funded health programs.

In contrast, Congresswoman Hirono has supported continued improvements in health care.

Giving hope to Americans with diseases (and their loved ones)

* Promoting life saving research:

Congresswoman Hirono voted to improve health care by expanding federal funding for life-saving embryonic stem cell research, a position supported by two-thirds of Americans. Both the House and Senate passed this legislation (H.R. 3 and S. 5). However, defying the will of the people, the President vetoed it. Congresswoman Hirono will continue to support research that offers the potential to treat and cure millions of Americans.

* Making wise investments:

Congresswoman Hirono supported the Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations bill (H.R. 3043) that passed the House in July because it invested in the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, and other agencies engaged in promising research that will lead to breakthroughs in disease prevention and treatment.

We have made gains in fighting breast cancer, AIDS, diabetes and other diseases, but we must continue to fund efforts to find solutions to leading health problems.

Making health care more affordable

* Lowering prices for prescription drugs:

In January, the House passed the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act (H.R. 4), which requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries.

Protecting our most vulnerable populations

* Covering Children:

As a strong supporter of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Congresswoman Hirono voted to protect health coverage for 20,000 children in Hawai"i and 6 million children nationwide and extend coverage to 12,000 Hawai"i children and 4 million more low-income children throughout the U.S. who are already eligible but not enrolled.

* Protecting seniors and their health care providers:

Congresswoman Hirono voted for legislation that protects and improves Medicare for America's seniors and people with disabilities.

* The legislation also eliminates the pay cuts that physicians who serve Medicare patients were facing. The scheduled 10 percent per service pay cut in fees in 2008 and a five percent cut each year thereafter were replaced with a positive .5 percent increase in 2008 and 2009. This helps make sure seniors can continue to see the doctor of their choice.

Strengthening rural health services

* Bringing services to underserved areas:

Congresswoman Hirono worked to ensure funds for a new Community Health Center on Lana"i, which will provide core primary health care services including medical, dental, mental health, substance abuse treatment, perinatal, nutrition, family planning, and telepharmacy.

* Ensures seniors' access to rural health care.

Congresswoman Hirono voted to support legislation that includes $3 billion rural package that sustains the rural health care safety net, extending for two years important add-on payments for congressional action, these provisions were set to expire, which would leave rural providers facing Medicare payment cuts.

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