Issue Position: Healthcare

Issue Position

"Health care is a right, not a privilege. It is unconscionable that 43 million Americans are without health insurance, and millions more are underinsured. Increasing access to healthcare and improving healthcare services for everyone is one of my top priorities."- Jim McGovern

Jim's Vision:

Jim believes in providing health insurance for every American. He believes in a REAL patient's bill of rights, so that doctors and patients can make health care decisions, not HMO's and insurance companies. Jim is concerned that the shortages of healthcare professionals - doctors, nurses, pharmacists - and the demands placed on these professionals - such as increased insurance costs and increased paperwork - are reducing the access to and the quality of healthcare in this country. Jim supports comprehensive legislation that will reform the medical malpractice industry, as well as the insurance industry. This legislation would stop frivolous lawsuits without restricting the rights of legitimate claims.

Jim's Record:

* Home Health Care: Jim McGovern has led the charge to protect home health care services in this country. A co-chair of the bipartisan congressional Home Health Working Group, Jim has worked tirelessly to protect home health care servicIssue Position: Healthcare from funding cuts. Since 1998, he has helped restore over $1 billion to these vital services. Jim has been recognized by the American Association for Homecare for his work in this area.

* Addressing the nursing shortage: Jim was a primary advocate for the Nurse Reinvestment Act, a recently enacted law to increase the number of qualified nurses and the quality of nursing programs. This important program provides grants, scholarships, and loan repayment programs to nurses and institutions in order to recruit and retain more qualified nurses. Jim has also been a strong opponent of mandatory overtime for nurses, and stood shoulder to shoulder with nurses at Worcester Medical Center on that issue.

* Addressing the pharmacist shortage: In a society that is becoming increasingly dependent on pharmaceuticals, and in a healthcare system that can treat various ailments with prescriptions instead of overnight trips to the hospital, the pharmacist is an increasingly important part of the healthcare system. Unfortunately, not enough pharmacists are graduating from medical schools, and there is a severe shortage of pharmacists in this country. Jim has responded to this threat by introducing the Pharmacy Education Aid Act, legislation that will allow pharmacists to participate in the National Health Service Corps and receive scholarships and loan repayments for serving in underserved areas of the country.

* Help for workers exposed to Beryllium: Rep. McGovern worked succeeded in passing legislation directing the Department of Energy to establish a screening and outreach program in Central Massachusetts. The program is being organized by the Boston University School of Public Health and United Steelworkers Local 2285. Many former workers in the area may have been exposed to beryllium dust and oxides, and other hazards that could have long-term effects on their health, during their employment.

* Strong support for research into cancer and other diseases: Jim has been a passionate advocate for health care research, including supporting the effort to double funding for the National Institutes of Health. He is a legislative spokesman for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and has worked to increase awareness and funding to end these deadly diseases.

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