health care affordability & Accessibility
My father battled cancer for six years. In the last year of his life, we received a summary of care bill totaling $1 million. Without insurance, we would be bankrupt. But the reality is - even with insurance - people are going bankrupt. And because of the cost of care and unknown or surprise fees, people are not seeking medical attention. Health care has become a luxury for far too many of us. Health care is a human right and it’s time our healthcare system reflects that.
Treating health care as a human right begins with affordability & accessibility. I support affordable universal health care with broad coverage that includes mental health, vision, dental, and hearing. We must continue to work to drive down costs as we move toward that goal. As such, I support:
Price caps on lifesaving medications.
Expanded access to alternative markets for prescription medicines.
Protections against increasing premiums.
Programs to expand availability of services & care providers.
Paid Leave for Health
Profits & productivity should not come at the expense of your health or the health of your family. That is why I support paid sick day legislation & legislation that would create a public paid family & medical leave insurance program.
women’s health
Health care coverage has, for too long, not covered aspects vital to a woman’s health & should be covered by all insurance plans. I will work on Reproductive Health issues from a lens of Reproductive Justice, fighting to ensure all women’s Reproductive Rights are recognized in legislation.
Behavioral & Mental Health
Investing in behavioral & mental health has taken a back seat for too long & should be included in ALL insurance plans. Access should be simple & meet the needs of all Coloradans especially adolescents, veterans, our neighbors experiencing homelessness, law enforcement & other critical populations.
lgbtq health
Health care as a human right means providing the healthcare needed by ALL Coloradans. As such, I support insurance coverage for gender-affirming health care & initiatives that encourage cultural competency among health care workers.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Our public health has been traumatically impacted by gun violence. We must treat gun safety as the public health threat it truly is.
I also support treating substance abuse as a public health issue rather than a criminal issue. We must continue to see people as people and address their needs, not as problems to sweep aside & imprison.
While we think of health care as hospital-oriented, health care also relates to our living environment. We must measure & track our air and water quality to make sure we are all living in a healthy environment.
Similarly, we must look at community health as it connects to our built environment. I will support programs that support & encourage local governments to enhance walkability & community health.