Guaranteeing Healthcare

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the sorry state of our healthcare system. In its current form, the American healthcare system is fundamentally broken — it is far too expensive and needlessly convoluted. Of the top 50 highly developed countries around the world, America is the only one without some form of universal healthcare, and we spend more on our flawed healthcare system than any of them. 

Joe believes that healthcare is a basic human right, not a privilege. We have a moral obligation to guarantee quality healthcare coverage for every American. Under our current system, people are forced to pay thousands of dollars for medicine that they need to survive, often leading to bankruptcy. This is inhumane. Corporate profits should not come before lives and livelihoods.

Joe supports any legislation that gets us closer to the goal of universal health care coverage. Every Pennsylvanian should have healthcare coverage that is free at the point of service. We should not have to deal with premiums, deductibles, copays, or surprise bills in order to stay healthy and receive basic care. Coverage should also be comprehensive and expanded to include dental, hearing, vision, home- and community-based long-term care, in-patient and out-patient services, mental health and substance abuse treatment, reproductive and maternity care, prescription drugs, etc.

Joe believes we must identify the gaps in our current healthcare coverage and provide substantial solutions to deliver improved and comprehensive care to our communities that have historically been left behind due to racial or economic disparities. 

We have a long way to go to improve our healthcare system, and if we have learned anything from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that we share a stake in each other’s health and well-being. When it comes to public health, we are all in this together.