Biden Cabinet members actions and issues: on Health Care

Xavier Becerra: Healthcare is a right, will fight for access to all services

Attorney General Becerra is committed to protecting access to health care for all Californians. Health care is a right, and the Attorney General will fight for your right to access all health care services. Source: California Attorney General website: Biden Cabinet Dec 16, 2020

Marcia Fudge: ACA addressed a major need in our nation

The Affordable Care Act addressed a major need in our nation. Prior to its passage, 47 million Americans had no health insurance and millions more were financially burdened by the limited coverage. In addition to expanding health coverage, the ACA has protected Americans from losing coverage because of a pre-existing condition, among other protections, and saved seniors billions of dollars on their prescription drugs. Source: Fudge.House.gov website on Biden Cabinet Dec 15, 2020

Marcia Fudge: Strong supporter of the Medicare program

I am a strong supporter of the Medicare program, and have spoken out against attempts by my Republican colleagues to drastically decrease services for beneficiaries and make Medicare a voucher program. Beneficiaries of the program worked hard for their earned benefits and deserve to keep them. Source: Fudge.House.gov website on Biden Cabinet Dec 15, 2020

Xavier Becerra: 2016: rescind patents for government funded medicine

Back in 2016, Becerra was one of the 51 House Democratic lawmakers who signed a letter calling on Obama's Health and Human Services secretary to use "march-in rights" to effectively rescind exclusive patents for medicines whose research and development was originally funded by government agencies. The lawmakers wrote, "The failure to act in the past has undoubtedly sent an unfortunate signal that prices for federally-funded inventions can be set as high as a sick or dying consumer will pay." Source: Jacobin magazine on Biden Cabinet Dec 7, 2020

Gina Raimondo: COVID: civil liability immunity for hospitals, nursing homes

On April 9, top officials from Rhode Island's nursing home lobbying groups sent a letter to Raimondo's office requesting immunity from civil liability if their residents faced injury or death from COVID-19. One day later, the governor's office issued an executive order granting the lobbyists what they had asked for: hospitals and nursing homes were classified as emergency management facilities and granted immunity from civil liability, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct. Source: Jacobin magazine on 2021 Biden Cabinet Dec 2, 2020

Gina Raimondo: Privatized & cut budgets for Medicaid

Raimondo's plan involved privatizing management of Medicaid in the state, outsourcing management to private insurers. By 2018, over 60% of the state's Medicaid budget went to private health insurers. That year, hospital administrators called Raimondo's round of cuts to Medicaid "devastating." The governor's proposed budget for 2020, introduced before the pandemic broke out in the United States, included nearly $60 million in Medicaid cuts. Source: Jacobin magazine on 2021 Biden Cabinet Dec 2, 2020

Bill Nelson: COVID: wearing a mask must not be a partisan issue

I am a Democrat, but this must not be a partisan issue. Republican Gov. Jeb Bush recently encouraged Floridians to follow CDC guidelines by wearing a mask, washing your hands, and social distancing in public. Jeb and I are united on this singular priority matter--to support common-sense mitigation of this deadly disease. So, my beloved Florida, let's show the rest of America that wearing a mask isn't a political symbol. It's a sign of solidarity with our fellow humans. Source: Orlando Sentinel on 2021 Biden Cabinet Aug 2, 2020

Bill Nelson: Medicaid expansion is difference between life or death

Nelson had made a fierce case to protect the Affordable Care Act, and he assailed his rival, Gov. Rick Scott, for blocking 800,000 low-income Floridians from access to federal healthcare through Medicaid. "This is literally the difference between life or death," Nelson said, flanked by the parents of children with lifelong medical ailments like diabetes. "This is the difference between a quality of life or not. This is the difference between bankruptcy or not to so many families." Source: Tampa Bay Times on 2021 Biden Cabinet Oct 31, 2018

The above quotations are from Biden Cabinet members actions and issues. Click here for definitions & background information on Health Care. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Donald Biden on Health Care. Click here for more quotes by Mike Pence on Health Care.
*2020 Presidential contenders on Health Care:*
	*Democrats running for President:* Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO) V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE) Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC) Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT) Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN) Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ) Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX) Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI) Rep.John Delaney (D-MD) Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA) Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT) CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA) Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) Marianne Williamson (D-CA) CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY) *2020 Third Party Candidates:* Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI) CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV) Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI) Howie Hawkins (G-NY) ~~Gov.Gary Johnson~~(L-NM) ~~Howard Schultz~~(I-WA) Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)	*Republicans running for President:* ~~Sen.Ted Cruz~~(R-TX) ~~Gov.Larry Hogan~~ (R-MD) ~~Gov.John Kasich~~(R-OH) V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN) ~~Gov.Mark Sanford~~ (R-SC) Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY) Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL) Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY) *2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:* Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA) Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC) Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK) Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA) Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO) Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA) Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL) Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA) Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX) Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA) Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA) Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: May 20, 2021