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Ensure the Health and Safety of All Americans
Democrats have been fighting to secure universal health care for the American people for
generations, and we are proud to be the party that passed Medicare, Medicaid, and the
Affordable Care Act (ACA). Being stronger together means finally achieving that goal. We are
going to fight to make sure every American has access to quality, affordable health care. We will
tackle the problems that remain in our health care system, including cracking down on runaway
prescription drug prices and addressing mental health with the same seriousness that we treat
physical health. We will fight Republican efforts to roll back the clock on women’s health and
reproductive rights, and stand up for Planned Parenthood. And we will tackle the epidemics of
substance abuse and gun violence, which each claim tens of thousands of lives every year.
Securing Universal Health Care
Democrats believe that health care is a right, not a privilege, and our health care system should
put people before profits. Thanks to the hard work of President Obama and Democrats in
Congress, we took a critically important step toward the goal of universal health care by passing
the Affordable Care Act, which has covered 20 million more Americans and ensured millions
more will never be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Democrats will never
falter in our generations-long fight to guarantee health care as a fundamental right for every
American. As part of that guarantee, Americans should be able to access public coverage through
a public option, and those over 55 should be able to opt in to Medicare. Democrats will empower
the states, which are the true laboratories of democracy, to use innovation waivers under the
ACA to develop unique locally tailored approaches to health coverage. This will include
removing barriers to states which seek to experiment with plans to ensure universal health care to
every person in their state. By contrast, Donald Trump wants to repeal the ACA, leaving tens of
millions of Americans without coverage.
For too many of us, health care costs are still too high, even for those with insurance. And
medical debt is a problem for far too many working families, with one-quarter of Americans
reporting that they or someone in their household had problems or an inability to pay medical
bills in the past year. Democrats will also work to end surprise billing and other practices that
lead to out-of-control medical debt that place an unconscionable economic strain on American
households. We will repeal the excise tax on high-cost health insurance and find revenue to
offset it because we need to contain the long-term growth of health care costs, but should not risk
passing on too much of the burden to workers. Democrats will keep costs down by making
premiums more affordable, reducing out-of-pocket expenses, and capping prescription drug
costs. And we will fight against insurers trying to impose excessive premium increases.
Democrats will fight any attempts by Republicans in Congress to privatize, voucherize, or
“phase out” Medicare as we know it. And we will oppose Republican plans to slash funding and
block grant Medicaid and SNAP, which would harm millions of Americans.
We will keep fighting until the ACA’s Medicaid expansion has been adopted in every state.
Nineteen states have not yet expanded Medicaid. This means that millions of low-income
Americans still lack health insurance and are not getting the care they need. Additionally, health
care providers, clinics, hospitals, and taxpayers are footing a higher bill when people without
insurance visit expensive emergency rooms.
Democrats believe your zip code or census tract should not be a predictor of your health, which
is why we will make health equity a central part of our commitment to revitalizing communities
left behind. Democrats believe that all health care services should be culturally and linguistically
appropriate, and that neither fear nor immigration status should be barriers that impede health
care access.
Supporting Community Health Centers
We must renew and expand our commitment to Community Health Centers, as well as
community mental health centers and family planning centers. These health centers provide
critically important, community-based prevention and treatment in underserved communities,
prevent unnecessary and expensive trips to emergency rooms, and are essential to the successful
implementation of the ACA. We will fight for a comprehensive system of primary health care,
including dental, mental health care, and low-cost prescription drugs by doubling of funding for
federally qualified community health centers over the next decade, which currently serve 25
million people.
Democrats also know that one of the key ingredients to the success of these health centers is a
well-supported and qualified workforce in community-based settings. We will fight to train and
support this workforce, encourage providers to work with underserved populations through the
National Health Service Corps, and create a comprehensive strategy to increase the pool of
primary health care professionals.
Reducing Prescription Drug Costs
It is unacceptable that the United States pays, by far, the highest prices in the world for
prescription drugs and that too many Americans between the ages of 18 and 64 cannot afford to
fill their prescriptions. A lifesaving drug is no good if it is unaffordable to the very people who
need it most. And many drug companies are spending more on advertising than on research. The
largest pharmaceutical companies are making billions of dollars per year in profits at higher
margins compared to other industries while many stash their profits in offshore tax havens.
Meanwhile, they charge Americans thousands of dollars for new drugs—often at much higher
costs than in other developed nations. Democrats are committed to investing in the research,
development, and innovation that creates lifesaving drugs and lowers overall health costs, but the
profiteering of pharmaceutical companies is simply unacceptable.
We will crack down on price gouging by drug companies and cap the amount Americans have to
pay out-of-pocket every month on prescription drugs. We will prohibit anti-competitive “pay for
delay” deals that keep generic drugs off the market, and we will allow individuals, pharmacists,
and wholesalers to import prescription drugs from licensed pharmacies in Canada and other
countries with appropriate safety protections. Democrats will also fight to make sure that
Medicare will negotiate lower prices with drug manufacturers.
Enabling Cutting-Edge Medical Research
Democrats believe we must accelerate the pace of medical progress, ensuring that we invest
more in our scientists and give them the resources they need to invigorate our fundamental
studies in the life sciences in a growing, stable, and predictable way. We must make progress
against the full range of diseases, including Alzheimer’s, HIV and AIDS, cancer, and other
diseases, especially chronic ones. We recognize the critical importance of a fully-funded
National Institutes of Health to accelerate the pace of medical progress.
Combating Drug and Alcohol Addiction
We must confront the epidemic of drug and alcohol addiction, specifically the opioid crisis and
other drugs plaguing our communities, by vastly expanding access to prevention and treatment,
supporting recovery, helping community organizations, and promoting better practices by
prescribers. The Democratic Party is committed to assisting the estimated 20 million people
struggling with addiction in this country to find and sustain healthy lives by encouraging full
recovery and integration into society and working to remove common barriers to gainful
employment, housing, and education. We will continue to fight to expand access to care for
addiction services, and ensure that insurance coverage is equal to that for any other health
conditions. We think it is time for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the
Department of Labor, and state regulatory agencies to fully implement the protections of the
Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act of 2008—which means that American medical
insurers, including the federal government, will need to disclose how they make their medical
management decisions.
We should also do more to educate our youth, as well as their families, teachers, coaches,
mentors, and friends, to intervene early to prevent drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. We
should help state and local leaders establish evidence-based, age-appropriate, and locally-tailored
prevention programs. These programs include school-based drug education programs that have
been shown to have meaningful effects on risky behavior; community-based peer mentorship and
leadership programs; and after-school activities that deter drug use and encourage life skills.
Treating Mental Health
We must treat mental health issues with the same care and seriousness that we treat issues of
physical health, support a robust mental health workforce, and promote better integration of the
behavioral and general health care systems. Recognizing that maintaining good mental health is critical to all people, including young people’s health and development, we will work with health
professionals to ensure that all children have access to mental health care. We must also expand
community-based treatment for substance abuse disorders and mental health conditions and fully
enforce our parity law. And we should create a national initiative around suicide prevention
across the lifespan—to move toward the HHS-promoted Zero Suicide commitment.
Supporting Those Living with Autism and their Families
Democrats believe that our country must make supporting the millions of individuals with autism
and those diagnosed in the future and their families a priority. We will conduct a nationwide
early screening outreach campaign to ensure that all children, and in particular children from
underserved backgrounds, can get screened for autism. We will expand services and support for
adults and individuals transitioning into adulthood, including employment and housing
assistance. And we will push states to require health insurance coverage for autism services in
private insurance plans as well as state marketplaces so that people with autism are not denied
care.[7]
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Kaine on healthcare
