Healthcare
I support expanding health coverage for those without insurance. More than 800,000 Marylanders have no health insurance, and many others have inadequate insurance. In a state as wealthy as Maryland, no resident should lack access to primary health care. I support Health Care for All’s plan to increase the tobacco tax by $1.00 to provide additional coverage to the uninsured.
I also support efforts to reform the medical malpractice system. Very high medical malpractice premiums are increasing costs for patients and causing physicians, especially in the OB/GYN field, to leave their practice or retire early. I support creation of special health courts, whose judges would work exclusively on health care cases. I also support structured settlements in malpractice cases, as well as efforts to level the negotiating playing field between physicians and HMOs.