Issue Position: Health Care

Issue Position

Massachusetts is at the forefront of health care policy with nearly 98% of our residents covered. I am proud to have worked on legislation advancing health care reform, from strengthening our safety net to making family planning waivers available. As a senior staff member for the key House committee drafting the landmark 2006 state health reform bill, I worked hard to make sure the final law strengthened our safety net and included coverage for legal immigrants. Our bill in Massachusetts provided the model for the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"), and since 2010 I have worked for a national organization dedicated to supporting and strengthening the ACA.

While Massachusetts has made many gains in health care, there is much more work to be done to create a system that meets the needs of all and is sustainable. Our healthcare system must reflect our values. I strongly support efforts to continue to move the Commonwealth forward on health reform, starting with addressing the high cost of health care.

My work as an analyst and advocate has given me an in depth knowledge our complex health care system, values that put patients' needs first, and prepared me to be an effective advocate on behalf of constituents. My work as an analyst and advocate has given me an in depth knowledge our complex health care system and prepared me to be an effective advocate.

I have a two-pronged approach to health care: we should continue to drive progressive reforms ultimately toward a single-payer system for the future as well as continuing to improve on our current model. We must not give up on improving the current system in our pursuit of single-payer. Improvements in the systems currently in place will also serve to provide a foundation of experience within government to make the implementation of a single-payer system smoother and more effective in the future.

Our healthcare system is extremely expensive, with severe disparities in health care. We rank a dismal 48th in terms of healthcare costs. These are the ways I plan on containing costs and addressing inequalities in health care:

People with chronic illnesses face an incredible burden from the cost of the treatments they need to stay healthy. We need to address this situation while providing incentives for cost-effective treatments. I will work to eliminate co-pays and deductibles for cost-effective care for chronic disease, like asthma, diabetes and HIV.

One of the driving costs of our medical care is the model of care that places insurance companies above patients. We need change this model so patients are at the center. I will work to expand coordinated care and innovated models that can both save money and improve health outcomes. I plan to improve patient care through models that focuses on the patient and employ care managers provide patients with most effective treatments they need to stay healthy.

I am acutely aware of disparities in health care facing people due to race, language spoken, religion, and sexual orientation and gender identity in Massachusetts. I support the creation of a state Office of Health Equity, as well as greater translation assistance and culturally appropriate care for immigrant communities.

We need to negotiate as a state for health care. I support a single payer system because it makes financial, medical and ethical sense. Negotiating costs as a larger pool allows Massachusetts to provide lower cost care to all its citizens.

We also need to curtail the pushing of high cost drugs and devices by pharmaceutical companies which increase cost without improving health outcomes for patients. I would work to place limits on the marketing excesses drug companies use to push their most expensive drugs.

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