A single-payer system would be the most effective in terms of reducing administrative costs, and I would be thrilled to support such a system. But I believe that today’s political environment requires a creative and flexible approach to covering every
American. I would require every state to cover every one of its citizens, and the federal government to provide funding to fulfill that requirement. Each individual state would be free to offer a variety of options, as long as they add up to universal
coverage, giving us 51 laboratories (if you count DC) to figure out which system works best. I would add one constraint: each state must cover every child 18 and under with a single-payer system similar to Medicare.
I would fight to make Medicare a true single-payer system. Right now, we overpay insurance companies, who then turn around and cherry-pick only the healthiest seniors to cover. That’s not fair and we should change it.
Source: Campaign website, www.AlFranken.com, “Issues”
May 14, 2008
Address the quality and cost of care
Medicare should be allowed to negotiate with the pharmaceutical companies for lower prices on prescription drugs. Simple, secure, electronic medical records would cut down on errors and streamline care. We should establish safe staffing levels for nurses
--when the people on the front lines of health care tell us that they need reinforcements to maintain their high standards of care, we should listen. We should pass Wellstone’s bill ensuring full mental health parity.
Source: Campaign website, www.AlFranken.com, “Issues”
May 14, 2008
Kids without health insurance grew to 8.3 million in 2005
During the Bush administration, the number of Americans living without health insurance has grown from 39.8 million in 2000 to 46.6 million as of the most recent Census Bureau data. That includes 21.5 million people who work full time.
Especially disturbing is that the number of children without health insurance actually grew to 8.3 million in 2005. Children who lack health insurance are more likely to miss school and 70% less likely to get treated for an ear infection.
Source: Campaign website, www.AlFranken.com, “Issues”
May 14, 2008
Full funding for state-based coverage, but not single payer
A single-payer system would be the most effective in terms of reducing administrative costs. But I believe that today’s political environment requires a flexible approach to covering every American. Here’s mine:
I would require every state
to cover every one of its citizens, & the federal government to provide funding to fulfill that requirement.
Each state must cover every child 18 & under with a single-payer system similar to Medicare.
Make Medicare a true single-payer system.
Source: Campaign website, www.alfranken.com, “Issues”
Mar 9, 2008
Universal health care as soon as possible
We need to go to universal health care as soon as possible. Health care is at the center of almost every public policy issue--from veterans’ affairs to small business to personal finances (nearly half of all bankruptcies are caused by a medical
crisis in the family). Access to affordable health care should come with living in the world’s richest, most advanced nation. But during the Bush administration, the number of Americans living without health insurance has grown from 39.8 million to 46.6
Source: Campaign website, www.alfranken.com, “Issues”
Mar 9, 2008
1994: Wrote spoof ads for Hillary defending health reforms
[In TV ads], Harry & Louise asked each other cleverly contrived questions about the plan and wondered aloud what it might cost them.
For the Gridiron Dinner, comedian Al Franken wrote a script.
Bill and I were seated on a sofa, examining a massive
sheaf of papers.
Me: I've just read the Clinton health security plan.
Bill: Health care reform sounds like a great idea to me.
Me: Well, I know, but some of these details sure scare the heck out of me.
Bill: Like what?
Me: Like for example, it
says here on page 3,764 that under the Clinton health security plan, we could get sick.
Bill: That's terrible.
Me: Well, I know. And look at this, it gets worse. On page 12,743--no, I get that wrong--on page 27,655, it says that eventually we're all
going to die.
Bill: You mean after Bill & Hillary put all those bureaucrats and taxes on us, we're still going to die?
Together: There's got to be a better way.
Announcer: "Paid for by the Coalition to Scare Your Pants Off."
Disclose payments from manufacturers to physicians.
Franken signed Physician Payments Sunshine Act
An amendment to provide for transparency in the relationship between physicians and applicable manufacturers with respect to payments and other transfers of value and physician ownership or investment interests in manufacturers.
Requires any manufacturer of a covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply that makes a payment or another transfer of value to a physician, a physician medical practice, or a physician group practice to report annually, in electronic form, specified information on such transactions to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Requires any such manufacturer, or related group purchasing organization, also to report annually to the Secretary, in electronic form, certain information regarding any ownership or investment interest (other than in a publicly traded security and mutual fund) held by a physician (or an immediate family member) in the manufacturer or group purchasing organization during the preceding year.
Prescribes administrative penalties for failure to comply with these requirements.
Requires report submission procedures to ensure public availability of required information on a website.
