What is the greatest health care challenge facing Maryland today, and how do you plan to address it?
There are several significant health care challenges facing Maryland including access to quality, affordable care and insurance, recruitment and retention of health care workers at virtually every level of the system, increasing mental health needs, and the on-going impacts of COVID. All of these challenges are complex ones. As a new Delegate I will be looking to knowledgeable Delegates, health professionals and advocates to learn more about these challenges and ways to address them.
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?
Based on my understanding of the program and its focus on quality, equity and community health, I support the continuation of this unique approach and would work to ensure the contract with Medicare and Medicaid is continued and the process of fair and independent rate setting is maintained.
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?
Maryland is not unique in this challenge. In the 2022 General Assembly required the Department of Health to look at ways to incentivize joining and staying in the nursing profession including tax credit programs and loan assistance repayment programs. The Department of Health has also been tasked with finding ways to further incentivize people to enter the profession. While this is a long-term challenge, prompt actions - on multiple fronts including the Department of Health, hospital systems within the state, and community and state university systems with nursing programs - to make students aware of nursing programs and opportunities is critical.
How would you increase availability of and access to health care for Marylanders?
Availability and access to health care for Marylanders is a complex challenge and there is no silver bullet solution. As noted above, as a new Delegate I will be looking to knowledgeable Delegates, health professionals and advocates to learn more about the challenges and ways to address them.
What policies will you pursue to improve health for all Marylanders? Please also consider the social determinants of health?
A core determinant for me will be a policy's impact on increasing people's stability around the social determinants of health. Taking steps to improve education (universal pre-K, equitable schools, wrap-around services in close proximity to schools, etc), housing stability, food security, job safety and security, and access to reliable transportation will reduce stress and provide people with the bandwidth to improve their overall health. Mitigating environmental hazards and increasing access to green spaces is also important.
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?
As a new Delegate I will be looking to knowledgeable Delegates, health professionals and advocates regarding opportunities to address these persistent, multi-faceted and complex issues.
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?
There has long been contention around medical malpractice and as with many legal issues, the lens one looks through significantly impacts the view seen. Finding and maintaining a reasonable balance between supporting those harmed and ensuring continued access to services will be an on-going effort. My support for any reform will depend on factors related to the content and impact of proposed legislation on that balance. I will always ask questions of and listen to advocates who may be impacted by the legislation.
What are your priorities should you be elected, not confined to health care?
In one way or another all my priorities are likely to impact health care in some way. My interest in the success of the Maryland Blueprint for education has health care implications because not only is educational access and success a social determinant of health but also because the Blueprint includes increasing wrap around services at/near schools which should improve access to health services - both physical and mental - for families. Similarly, addressing environmental challenges - eliminating diesel fueled school buses or closing incinerators as examples - should help reduce incidents and severity of asthma.
My long standing interest in supporting the developmental disabilities community to live inclusive and full lives will always be a priority.