Health & Wellness
We are strongest when we are healthy. That means individuals, families, schools, workplaces and communities - along with our health care industry - all have important roles in helping us stay healthy and productive.
To provide every American with quality health care, control skyrocketing costs, and ensure that patients have choices, we need to improve our health care system. I continue to fight for affordable insurance for the one-in-four New Mexicans who live without health insurance and to stop skyrocketing premiums for New Mexicans who are paying too much. The new health reform law, the Affordable Care Act, is the blueprint for a health care system that focuses on health promotion and disease prevention, affordable health insurance with accountable insurance companies, and quality, affordable coverage for all Americans.
Focusing on Preventive Care
We need to convert our "sick care" system into a "health care" system. This means placing a higher emphasis on preventive care. Increasing access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans will be a significant step to insuring that people are treated in a doctor's office rather than in the emergency room. We also need incentives to change our habits and make sure that New Mexicans are finding time to exercise and eat healthy. I am working to make sure that federal dollars are available to our state for promoting healthy communities.
Lowering Health Care Costs through Increased Competition
Across the country, most health care markets are dominated by one or two insurance companies. In New Mexico, two companies control 65 percent of the market. We need more competition to drive down health care costs for consumers. I believe that the best way to achieve this goal is by creating a public health insurance option that provides an alternative choice for New Mexicans who don't have insurance, while stimulating the necessary competition to drive down prices for those who are happy with their coverage. Creating fair competition in the health care industry will assure the affordability, accessibility and availability of quality health care.
Increasing Transparency in the Health Care Industry
From my time as New Mexico's Attorney General, I know that the key to consumer protection is corporate transparency. That's why I continue to push for increased transparency from the health care industry. Opening up the relationship between health care providers and drug and medical device manufacturers will help to keep them honest and reduce costs. The new health reform law requires insurance company to inform consumers about how much of their premium is used to pay their medical health insurance claim, and how much is used for administrative costs.
Improving Access in Rural Areas
New Mexicans living in remote areas too often have trouble accessing quality health care. For those living in rural or tribal areas, and veterans, that can mean hours of driving to the nearest doctor or medical facility. I've visited many of New Mexico's rural hospitals and clinics across the state and am committed to making sure these important facilities have the necessary equipment and workforce to provide quality care. In Congress, I've proposed increasing the incentives, training, reimbursement and other opportunities for skilled health care workers choosing to live and work in these underserved areas. I am also proposing initiatives to expand the use and availability of telehealth so that consumers and their health care providers can access experts and other resources at the click of a mouse.
