Issue Position: Health Care

Issue Position

Senator Reed has supported efforts to improve the quality of our health care system and reduce costs for consumers, and has been nationally recognized for his work to provide all children with access to affordable health care. He helped author key provisions of the landmark health insurance reform law, which in its first year has already provided over $50 million for Rhode Island to improve health coverage and wellness.

Reed brokered a bipartisan agreement that prevented over 600,000 children nationwide from potentially losing their health insurance and boosted State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) funding for Rhode Island from $13.2 million to $69.5 million -- the highest percentage increase of any state.

He also wrote the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, a law that expands research programs aimed at improving childhood cancer treatments and ultimately finding a cure for childhood cancer. And he earned national recognition for increasing funds for vital immunization and disease prevention programs for children and adults.

Key Priorities & Accomplishments

Reed wrote the Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act, which was signed into law by President Bush in 2007, establishing critical care networks nationwide so that more paramedics and first responders get trauma care patients to the right doctor at the right time.
Reed has worked on a bipartisan basis to expand mental health care services, and prevent youth suicide, improve childhood cancer treatments, and support the National Marrow Donor Program, which provides donor matching information for patients in need of a bone marrow transplant.
Successfully pressured the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen labeling and testing standards for sunscreen products.
As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Reed strongly supports medical research funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), medical education and training programs, as well as national immunization programs for the uninsured and underinsured.

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