Mainers Want Fresh New Faces to Repesent them in Washington, DC Such as Oyster Farmer and US Marine Vet Graham Platner
Today, alongside nurses at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, Graham Platner, candidate for US Senate in Maine, released his ambitious and comprehensive health care policy: “Rebuilding Our Health Care System : Medicare for All and Beyond.”
The plan outlines a bold agenda to guarantee high-quality, affordable health care for every American. It calls for breaking up health care monopolies, cracking down on Big Pharma’s corruption, establishing a Universiy of Maine medical school, establishing a robust public drug manufacturing sector and fighting to pass Medicare for All.
“I will always fight back. I will always hold the line and I will not blink when it comes to fighting for your health care,” said Graham Platner. “We have the most expensive health care system on Earth, but too much of tht money isn’t going toward care — it’s being taken by insurance companies and their shareholders. Our money should be invested in care, supporting patients, nurses and hospital staff, not used as a mechanism to make the ultra-weathy even richer at the expense of hardworking Americans.”
The “Rebuilding Our Health Care System: Medicare for All and Beyond” includes:
o Free, Convenient Mental Healthcare for all: All Americans must have access to free, timelly and easilly scheduled mental healthcare,
o Breaking Up Healthcare Monopolies: Ending corporate consolidation by banning insurer and privae equity ownership of care providers and cracking down on PBM abuses to lower costs and protect patients,
o Cracking Down on Pharma Corruption: Banning prescription drug ads, expanding drug price negoiation, importing lower-cost prescription drugs, banning stock buybacks and reining in executive compensation,
o Establishing a Nationwide Public Drug Manufacturing Sector: Public drug manufacturing has already succeeded in lowering naloxone and insulin prices, and offers a powerful tool to close the gap between prices paid by American consumers and those paid by the rest of the world,
o Opening a Medical School at UMaine: Investing in a University of Maine medical school, expanding residence opportunities, reducing student debt and training more doctors to meet Maine’s critical workforce shortages,
o Federal Funding to Reopen Shutered Hospitals: Investing federal resources to reopen closed hospitals, clinics, and birthing units and restore access to care in communities left behind,
o Making Medicare Telehealth Coverage Permanent: Make Medicare telehealth coverage permanent to expand access to care and ensure rural patients can get the care they need,
o Protect and Strengthen VA Health Care: Reverse cuts, restore staff and block privtization while expanding the VA’s world-class public care model,
o National Safe Staffing Legislation: Pass national standards for safe nurse-to-patient rations to protect patient health and address hospital understaffing,
o Medicare For All: Replace for-profit insurance with a universal system that guarantees health care for every American — no copays, no deductibles and full coverage including dental. vision and reproductive care.
“When will Senator Susan Collins (R) be releasing her health care plan for Mainers?” wonders this blogger. “She already did. She supported RFK, Jr. for Secretary.”