What is the greatest health care challenge facing Maryland today, and how do you plan to address it?
We need to invest in prevention to have a robust COVID-19 recovery. I'm focused on mass distribution of N95 masks, state investments in HEPA filtration/better ventillation in hospitals, and vaccination campaigns.
Maryland’s hospitals operate under a unique contract with the federal government that promotes community, equity, and value. It also contributes significantly to Maryland's economy. How do you plan to support the continued success of the Maryland Model?
The Maryland model allows hospitals to bill everyone the same, holds hospitals accountable to their communities, and gives hospitals a set budget to keep their communities healthy. I'm focused on supporting hospitals through this crisis.
Maryland is experiencing a shortage of health care practitioners, especially nurses, that we project will worsen in the years ahead. How do you plan to address the immediate crisis and what will you do to make sure we have a robust and sustainable health care workforce pipeline?
I'm focused on expanding enrollment at University of Maryland Schools of Nursing/Medicine and expanding healthcare certification programs at our high schools and community colleges.
How would you increase availability of and access to health care for Marylanders?
I'm focused on helping to enroll all eligible individuals into Medicaid/federal health insurance assistance and to allow immigrants to access health insurance regardless of immigration status.
What policies will you pursue to improve health for all Marylanders? Please also consider the social determinants of health?
I'm focused on equipping every school with a federally certified school-based health center, which would allow nurses and social workers to bill medicaid. I will also steer state investment towards Emergency Room Intervention programs such as Umaryland's Violence Intervention Program, to intervene with gunshot room victims, overdose patients, and other high risk individuals to prevent them from having to take multiple trips to the ER.
How do you plan to address consumers' growing exposure to health care costs, such as high deductible health plans and rising prescription drug prices in Maryland?
My background is in pharmaceutical policy. I will work to strengthen Maryland's Prescription Drug Affordability Board to cap the costs of prescription drugs and prevent price gauging.
Maryland’s worsening medical liability climate, as noted in a recent independent report, threatens access to, and affordability of, health care services in Maryland. Plaintiffs’ attorneys typically take 40% of a medical malpractice judgment. Do you support limiting attorneys’ fees so that the affected individuals can receive more of their settlement or judgment? What additional reforms would you support that balance supporting individuals and families harmed by medical malpractice with ensuring continued access to services in a community?
I support limiting attorney's fees because it threatens the financial stability of Maryland's . I will also push for tort reform to cap non-economic damages.
What are your priorities should you be elected, not confined to health care?
My focus is public health and violence prevention. Ensuring that we invest in N-95s, COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, school-based health centers, HEPA filtration, and higher ventilation standards to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks. I'm also keen to invest in public health interventions to reduce violence: expanding women's shelters and social worker home visitation programs to combat domestic violence, work with Moms Demand Action on gun reform laws.