Achieve universal health care

Health care is a human right. Our health care system is too complicated, it’s too expensive, and it leaves too many people out. With the current system, many families are burdened by medical debt or can’t afford the care they need. We need affordable, accessible health care for everyone, and all proposals to achieve that, including Medicare for All, must be on the table. No one should have to choose between putting groceries on the table and paying for medicine, which is why I’m working to lower the cost of prescription drugs. The Inflation Reduction Act took a meaningful first step to lower monthly out-of-pocket insulin costs for seniors to $35/month, saving seniors hundreds to thousands of dollars a year. This new law also gave the Administration new powers to negotiate other drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, and I will continue to do more to make prescription drugs affordable for everyone. I am also a strong supporter of medical research and support investments in the National Institutes of Health so our country can lead new, innovative treatments and cures for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, Parkinson’s, mental illness, substance-use disorders, and more.

Unfortunately, Republicans are still working to repeal or replace the Affordable Care Act and take away health care from millions of Americans. I’m doing everything I can to stop these attacks and protect coverage for everyone. We are also facing a significant substance use disorder crisis here in Oregon that is devastating our communities. We must do a better job of investing in access to mental and behavioral health services and we need to grow a workforce to provide the treatment and care people need.