What is the greatest health care challenge facing Maryland today, and how do you plan to address it?
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge U.S. health care. COVID-19 shed light on the inequalities in health care services and resources, the inefficiencies in health care delivery, and the high cost of obtaining quality health care. This has forced the Maryland General Assembly to directly address these inequities, to be more innovative in providing delivery of services, and address the high costs of health care and prescription drugs. I will continue to support the provisions and provide resources to implement the Maryland Health Equity Resource Act, expand implicit bias training for all health care providers working in public and private settings, and provide greater mental health and wellness checks and support for health care providers who have been mentally stressed from the pandemic.
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 is working to keep costs down with an independent state body that regulates hospital rates and uses an innovative all-payer model in which the same rate for the same service at the same hospital is charged to all payees (private, commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, and self-pay). This approach works and I will support the continuation of the implementation of this 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?
This is an issue that many states are facing. In the past Maryland General Assembly bills passed to implement a Commission to Study the Health Care Workforce Crisis in Maryland, expand the health care workforce, and extend the interstate medical licensure compact. Additionally, Maryland should consider approaches that other states are using which include: increasing recruitment and retention of health care practitioners with hiring and retention bonuses with defined internal career paths; providing incentives like tuition reimbursement, salary increase, and promotions for obtaining certifications and advanced training; and working in partnership with local medical schools and training programs to accelerate onboarding, increase part-time work, and create bridge programs.
How would you increase availability of and access to health care for Marylanders?
Major barriers to healthcare access are the cost and delivery of healthcare services. Greater availability and access to health care can be achieved by extending telehealth services for routine health care. Also, efforts to reduce healthcare costs will increase access to health care. In recent Maryland General Assembly sessions, Medicaid coverage was extended for maternal care, medical debt protections were enacted, and Medicaid coverage was extended for adult dental care. These types of policy changes will increase access to healthcare for more Marylanders.
What policies will you pursue to improve health for all Marylanders? Please also consider the social determinants of health?
Efforts to address healthcare disparities will greatly benefit many Marylanders. I support efforts to raise community awareness about Maryland’s Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities and ensure that this office has all the resources to better serve underserved communities.
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?
I support strategies implemented in other states to lower health care costs and prescription drug prices. These approaches include enacting “no surprises act” in which consumers know the health care costs upfront, lowering “out-of-pocket” costs for prescription drugs, and setting price caps.
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?
This is not an area in which I am well-versed, but as a consumer, I support efforts in which affected individuals receive more in settlements or judgments. I would favor a 33.3% limit for attorneys' fees.
What are your priorities should you be elected, not confined to health care?
My priorities include continuing to address the cost of childcare, expanding the availability of affordable housing, improving gun safety, and limiting access to deadly assault weapons for individuals. From a health safety perspective, Maryland experiences many suicides from firearms and the loss of life of children from gun violence which is a major health crisis that we must address.