Senator Amy Klobuchar had her best moments in the third Democratic Debate, Sept. 12, in addressing health care and drawing the distinction between Senator Bernie Sanders’ Medicare-for-All solution in the quest, shared by all the Democratic candidates, of universal health care at an affordable cost, health care as a right, not a privilege.
This is from the Klobuchar campaign:
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Senator Amy Klobuchar has been a leader in the Senate to lower the cost of prescription drugs, expand access to affordable health care and protect reproductive rights. She was the first candidate in this race to release a comprehensive plan to combat addiction and prioritize mental health — two issues she’s championed her entire career.
Senator Klobuchar supports:
Universal health care for all Americans, and she believes the quickest way to get there is through a public option that expands Medicare or Medicaid.
Changes to the Affordable Care Act to help bring down costs to consumers including providing cost-sharing reductions, making it easier for states to put reinsurance in place, and continuing to implement delivery system reform.
Lifting the ban on Medicare negotiations for prescription drugs, allowing personal importation of safe drugs from countries like Canada, and stopping pharmaceutical companies from blocking less-expensive generics.
Taking on mental health and addiction by launching new prevention and early intervention initiatives, expanding access to treatment, and giving Americans a path to sustainable recovery because she believes everyone has the right — and the opportunity — to receive effective, professional treatment and help.
Stopping the concerted attack to undermine and eliminate a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions. She believes recent bans in states are dangerous, they are unconstitutional, and they are out of step with the majority of Americans. Amy will continue working to protect the health and lives of women across the country.
In her first 100 days as president, Senator Klobuchar will take the following actions:
Immediately suspend the Trump Administration’s efforts to eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
Immediately allow for the safe importation of prescription drugs from countries like Canada.
Expand VA health benefits for women veterans and their babies.
Prioritize mental health and addiction.
End “pay for delay” agreements that increase the cost of prescription drugs.
Propose legislation to get us to universal health care.
Develop best models of care to address disparities in maternal and infant mortality and address the shortage of maternity care health professional in underserved rural and urban areas.
Stop Trump sabotage of the ACA by ending workarounds that allow states to raise premiums for sicker people and shift ACA premium subsidies away from lower-income enrollees.
End the sale of junk insurance policies that eliminate existing protections for consumers.
End anticompetitive practices that increase the price of prescription drugs.
Encourage reinsurance programs.
Expand Medicaid reimbursement for people receiving mental health or substance use treatment.
Ensure funding for Planned Parenthood, end the gag rule, and restore the Title X program.
Expand investments in veterans telehealth services.
Invest in the Veterans Health Administration.
Reassess the granting of Medicaid waivers, including states that have privatized Medicaid.
Direct the Department of Defense and VA to track servicemembers and veterans exposed to toxic chemicals.
Direct the Department of Health and Human Services to consider VHA facilities when designating Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Strengthen the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
Invest in Alzheimer’s research.
Prioritize health care delivery system reform to reduce health care costs.
Expand the open enrollment period for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act so more people can get insurance coverage.