WHERE I STAND Access to a Quality Education Access to Quality Health Care Protecting Our Children From Gun Violence Fiscal Responsibility Protecting Social Security and Medicare Campaign Finance Reform Women's Issues Preserving Open Space and Our Natural Resources

Pass A Real Patients’ Bill of Rights.
Maryanne Connelly believes that Americans who are battling illnesses shouldn’t have to battle insurance companies as well.  Because of her experiences as a human resources executive working as an advocate for sick employees, Maryanne Connelly believes that patients should have the right to sue HMOs for denial of care.  They should also be allowed to go to the nearest emergency room, to see a specialist, to choose their own doctors, and to be protected from being forced to switch doctors in the middle of treatment.  And patients deserve to know that their personal physician, not an HMO bureaucrat, will make medical decisions.  Most importantly, these protections should apply to all 161 million Americans with health insurance.  Maryanne Connelly has refused to accept campaign contributions from insurance companies because she believes this fight is too important.

Ensure Affordable Health Care.
Maryanne Connelly believes that there are too many Americans who do not have access to affordable health care.  While the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has made progress in covering uninsured children, Maryanne will fight to expand the effort to ensure that every child who is eligible for CHIP is enrolled.  She will also work to allow uninsured parents to enroll in CHIP, because healthy parents are better able to care for their children.  Maryanne will also work in Congress to make health care premiums tax deductible, ensure that health insurance is truly portable, and make sure that every working family has access to health care coverage.

Improve Access to Prescription Drugs for Seniors.
When Medicare was first established in 1965, prescription drug coverage was not included in the plan, nor was it included in most private coverage plans.  However, over time, private plans have added prescription drug coverage, while Medicare has not.  Seniors are finding it harder and more expensive to get access to the life-saving prescription drugs they need.  Maryanne Connelly supports allowing seniors to use their Medicare for prescription drug coverage and requiring pharmaceutical companies to offer prescription drugs to seniors at the same discount rates they offer the big insurance companies.

Expand Long Term Care Coverage.
As the nation ages and individuals live longer, long-term care will become a more important priority for a majority of Americans.  As a Member of Congress, Maryanne Connelly will fight to offer a tax credit for the cost of long-term care, expand access to home-based care through Medicaid, and establish new support networks for dedicated care givers.