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I believe that health care should be
available to all people, regardless of sex, sexual orientation or
income. Our state faces alarming disparities in health care
availability and quality. 550,000 people in Massachusetts have no
health coverage. The uninsured receive no preventative care and turn
to emergency rooms only when it is too late. The costs, both in human
and economic terms, are staggering.
Last year’s comprehensive health reform
that expands access to quality coverage and establishes employer
responsibility is a very good step towards providing affordable health
care coverage for everyone living in Massachusetts. As Senator, I
will work hard to ensure that our health care system is fully funded,
so that individuals below 300% of the federal poverty line receive the
full coverage they need. I will also work to place tougher penalties
on businesses that drop coverage of their employees in response to the
individual mandate in the new bill.
Ultimately, the
Commonwealth can and should lead the way for our country to move
toward a single-payer health care system. Single-payer healthcare
will eliminate excessive paperwork, will make prescription drugs
entirely affordable, and will profit businesses because of the
decreased cost of health insurance. A lot of work remains to be
done. I will work hard to create a health care system that is
responsive to the needs of all people, particularly the most
vulnerable, to end racial and ethnic disparities, to provide
incentives for irresponsible companies to finally provide health
insurance to all their employees, and to improve the quality and
affordability of health care for all. |
