Issue Position: Health

Issue Position

*Having affordable health care for my family gives me peace of mind and financial security against crippling health care bills. As a legislator I fought to control health insurance premiums, to increase access to Medicare, and for greater Medicaid funding. President Obama's Affordable Care Act helped us reduce the number of uninsured Marylanders by tens of thousands. I will protect his achievement from Republican attacks.

*I'm also proud of my work for Marylanders during nine years in Maryland's General Assembly. I was the lead sponsor of a law that saves money and improves health care delivery by making medical records digital. That means improved sharing of your health records with your doctors, fewer duplicative tests, and better health care decisions. I have also moved many bills into law dealing with women's and children's health, including bills on family planning, mammograms, childhood obesity and to protect our children from harmful chemicals in infant formula and children's toys. For example, I supported successful legislation to expand family planning services to women at less than 200% of the poverty level.

*The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation called me "A Leader for Healthy Communities" for my work in childhood obesity prevention. And the Maryland PTA gave me "Legislator of the Year" honors for my leadership in sponsoring Lauryn's Law, a bill that will provide school counselors with specialized training in recognizing risk factors for suicide. Good health is a blessing and I will continue to fight for better and more affordable health care in Congress.

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