Paul Forlenza - Public Policy Advisor Former Democratic Candidate for Vermont Senate - 2004

Heath Care

FACTS: Health care for everyone is good common sense. It reflects core American principles of fairness and community. All Americans – regardless of age, health  status, gender, race, ethnicity, or income – deserve secure access to quality, affordable health care. It is estimated that barely half of each health care dollar in this country now reaches the doctors, nurses, and hospitals that provide our care. Dwindling reimbursement rates have forced increasing numbers of physicians to reduce care for both insured and uninsured patients.

VERMONT:               -  annual health care costs exceed $3 billion dollars in Vermont               -  administrative costs account for 25% of medical expenses               -  heath care premiums cost Vermont families  an average of $9,800               -  this is an increase of $2,700 since 2000               -  60,000 Vermonters have no health care insurance               -  90,000 Vermonters  are under insured

SOLUTION:  I will work for affordable universal coverage, which must include ready access to: preventive and primary care, hospital and emergency care, home  health care, mental health and substance abuse care, long term care, prescription drugs, chiropractors, acupuncture and alternative medicine. As a start, the Doctor Dynasaur program must be expanded to cover young adults 18 to 25 year olds. We must encourage more use of information technology to decrease the cost of heath care and improve the quality of patient records.

Home                                                                                                                                         paul@forlenza.us