A looming health care crisis poses an enormous challenge to our country.  Americans are seeing skyrocketing costs, less access to care, and more uninsured than ever before.  I want to work towards an America where everyone has access to affordable health care.  I want to ensure that Medicare and Medicaid, two of our bedrock safety net programs, remain strong and solvent for generations to come.   And, I want to ensure that every American child has access to the healthcare they need.  In the 110^th Congress we worked to pass legislation that would expand coverage of the Children's Health Insurance Program.  But, the President and Republicans in Congress blocked those efforts.

No American should ever have to choose between buying medication and feeding their family.  But, with the rising cost of prescription drugs, that is precisely the decision many families are making.

And, no American should be denied coverage for mental health or substance abuse treatment.  That is why I fully supported legislation in the 110^th Congress to make insurance companies provide equal coverage for physical and mental health ailments.

The debate over reforming our healthcare system must involve everyone from the insurance companies and doctors to the average American.  We all must be at the table for this historic conversation. I invite all of my friends and neighbors in the First District to tell me about their experiences with the health care system and their ideas for reform.

More Issues:

- Supporting the Healthcare Needs of Our Troops and Veterans

- Cancer Prevention and Women's Healthcare 

- HIV/AIDS