What is the greatest health care challenge facing Maryland today, and how do you plan to address it?
Actual access to real care, not just coverage. That's why I led the effort to pass the Health Equity Resource Community Initiative to incentivize healthcare providers locating in high needs areas across Maryland.
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?
I plan to continue supporting Maryland's all-payer model.
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?
We need to pipeline more healthcare practioners into the field. This can be done through connecting credential programs to our high schools, to train workers during and right out of high school for our highest need roles, much like the apprenticeships we see in the building trades. We are currently pipelining this with the 3D scholar program through UMGC and Prince George's Community College, a program that allows high school freshmen to graduate with a bachelor's degree in nursing and healthcare services within 2 years of finishing high school, all while providing on site job learning along the way.
How would you increase availability of and access to health care for Marylanders?
As stated before, I led the effort to pass the HERC bill to increase the availability and access of actual health care to citizens across the state of Maryland.
What policies will you pursue to improve health for all Marylanders? Please also consider the social determinants of health?
Via the community schools model, I support more expanded healthcare services in our schools, which will reach all corners of the state of Maryland. In particular, I also support expanded mental health services to help address many of the challenges we are seeing.
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?
Among other things, we should make medical school more affordable and empower nurses and other professions in the healthcare space to do more non-invasive procedures with the supervision of doctors. Doing so will lower the cost of care while also lessening the time it takes in training a dynamic healthcare workforce.
MD has implemented the prescription affordability board, which I think will help with drug prices as well.
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 a expedited process where plaintiffs have more assurance of reaching compensation and keeping more the award.
What are your priorities should you be elected, not confined to health care?
I plan to continue pushing efforts to reform our criminal justice system and expand access to fresh and healthy food. Further, I also plan to increase transit access and transit-oriented development to create more walkable, bikeable communities that are connected to good jobs, where seniors and working-age adults can comfortably age in place.