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On the Issues: Health Care

I strongly believe that all Americans must have access to quality, affordable health care. For specific information on Medicare and health care for seniors, visit here. For information on my plan to save Social Security, click here.

Universal Coverage
The need for comprehensive health care reform is obvious and immediate.  Over 47 million Americans do not have health insurance, and if we do nothing, that number will rise to over 54 million over the next ten years.  This growing number is of grave concern and will continue to threaten the well-being of America’s economy as a whole.  Even those who have insurance often find themselves woefully underinsured when face with a medical catastrophe. 

According to the Journal of Health Affairs, half of all personal bankruptcies result from medical costs, and tragically, a substantial percentage of these are individuals over 65.  Our people should not face financial ruin when encountering serious illness.  Americans pay more for health care than any other country, and yet we still have millions uninsured.  We must do better.  Tragically, over 18,000 of our fellow citizens die every year as a result of not having health insurance.  This travesty is preventable.  I join President Obama’s call to provide quality, affordable health care to every American.  I am a committed sponsor of the United States National Health Care Act (H.R. 676).  This bill would create a single-payer, public health insurance plan to provide universal coverage and quality care, while improving efficiency and lowering costs.

I recently met with President Barack Obama with my colleagues on the Progressive Caucus to discuss the need to include a public health care option in the upcoming reform of our nation's health care system. I strongly believe that a public option must be included in the larger reform package as it is the most effective way to ensure competition within the private health insurance market and provide access to the 47 million Americans without health care. As Congress and the President continue to debate health care reform and create a comprehensive reform package, I am committed to ensuring that a public health insurance option is included in the legislation.

Health Insurance for Children
I am proud that the 111th Congress has taken several immediate steps in the direction of universal coverage for America's children so far this year.  On February 4, 2009, the House of Representatives passed and President Obama signed the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (H.R. 2), also known as SCHIP, to allow the 7 million low-income children currently enrolled – including over 300,000 in Florida –to continue receiving coverage and to expand coverage to 4 million more uninsured low-income and middle class children.  I have been a longtime supporter of SCHIP, and I am proud of this legislation and what it means for the families of South Florida.

Health IT
In order to improve effectiveness and reduce medical error, I support investing in health information technology (IT).  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act authorized $48.8 billion for promoting and adopting health IT by 2014.  This will reduce potentially devastating medical errors and will reduce costs to the federal government by $12 billion over the next 10 years.