Issue Position: Health Care

Issue Position

A healthy community is a community that prospers, thrives and creates opportunities. I believe we must do everything possible to provide all Marylanders with access to healthcare and opportunities for healthy living. Health status should not vary by race or income, but unfortunately it still does. While many Marylanders are covered by private insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare, many remain uninsured and not everyone has access to the healthcare providers and services they need.
My plan to improve our community's health:

Providing Coverage for the Uninsured
Maryland is leading the way in implementing the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"). Great efforts are underway to enroll the uninsured in Medicaid and exchange plans through the Maryland Health Connection. However, it is important not only that everyone is enrolled in coverage, but that coverage remains affordable and that everyone understands how their health insurance works so they are not faced with unexpected costs or barriers to the care they need.
I will work to make sure the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange continues to have the resources needed to oversee insurers, keep coverage affordable, and to sustain enrollment and education efforts beyond their implementation in 2014.

Ensuring Access for All
Improving health is not just about having insurance. It is also about being able to see a doctor, or have access to health services. Healthcare providers need to be accessible, which means local offices and clinics need to be available beyond the typical workday. While all Marylanders need to make their health a priority, securing time off work and child and family care can make it difficult for busy individuals to access preventative healthcare services.
Working closely with communities and healthcare providers, I plan to create solutions to make healthcare more accessible to all. This includes expanding incentives that already exist to make it easier for everyone in Maryland to utilize the services to get and keep them healthy.

Reducing Disparities
While making healthcare in Maryland affordable and more accessible will address many of the disparities in health, there is still work to be done. On April 10, 2012, Governor O'Malley signed into law the Health Improvement and Disparities Reduction Act of 2012. This first of its kind legislation provides incentives to community and healthcare organizations for developing and implementing interventions that reduce health disparities. While this legislation allows for a diverse array of interventions, they will take time to implement, and results are dependant on organizations and communities following the right procedures.
I will seek out ways to reward providers who are already serving minority communities and who take part in health literacy training. As part of a longer-term strategy, I will work to encourage more diversity in the healthcare workforce by fostering high school and college programs that introduce minorities to career opportunities in healthcare.

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