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Martha Coakley on Health Care

 

 


System is broken and needs to be fixed now

Promises to be the 60th "yea" vote, assuring passage of the health-care bill. She says the system is broken and needs to be fixed now.

"We do not have transparency, competition," Coakley said at the debate. "We do not have, for the money we spend now, the type of health care we can and should have."

Source: Nancy Reardon, Quincy Patriot-Ledger: 2010 MA Senate debate , Jan 14, 2010

Individual mandate with public insurance option

Q: What policies would you support to make health care more affordable--particularly for the 50-64 age population? A: I will work to expand access to those without insurance coverage by supporting: an individual mandate and a public insurance option that will complement the existing employer- sponsored insurance framework by providing coverage to those that lack it, a change in payment incentives so that we no longer reward volume and complexity, and greater transparency of health care cost and quality information. I believe that doctors and patients--not insurance companies--should be in charge of health care decisions. Any health care reform package [should] preserve and strengthen Medicare, give seniors improved quality and access to care, and provide prescription drugs at lower prices.
Source: 2009 AARP Voter Guide: MA Senate , Dec 1, 2009

Target enforcement against corrupt long term care facilities

Q: How would you shift long-term care services and financing so that people can afford to stay in their homes and communities as long as appropriate?A: I support shifting long-term care services and financing so that people can afford to stay in their homes and communities as long as they are able. I believe in programs that encourage the growth of quality care for seniors, and incentives that promote the growth of home caregiving services, such as respite care, to ease the burden on families caring for loved ones in their home. Finally, as Attorney General, I targeted enforcement actions against corrupt long term care facilities, and as Senator, I will support legislation to strengthen oversight of the long term care workforce.
Source: 2009 AARP Voter Guide: MA Senate , Dec 1, 2009

Require health insurance to cover abortion

The Stupak amendment, the controversial abortion-related provision in the House health care bill, has placed abortion rights center stage. While all of the top contenders for the nomination support abortion rights--not to mention th a health care overhaul--the debate surrounding the amendment has nevertheless emerged as a key issue.

State Attorney General Martha Coakley laid down the first marker by declaring soon after the House vote last week that she wou the bill because of the amendment restricting the sale of insurance policies covering abortion through the proposed national health insurance exchange--or to women who receive health care subsidies from the federal government. Asked with a Boston radio station whether she would have voted for the bill, Coakley said, "I believe that I would not. I think that this particular amendment that was put in is really a poison pill for that bill, and it's taking two ste

Source: Politico.com, "Stupak amendment" , Nov 9, 2009

Expand coverage; improve quality; reduce costs

The American health care system is broken and the time to fix it is now. Martha supports comprehensive health care reform now because America cannot afford to wait. As Attorney General, Martha filed lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies and health insurers that drive up health care costs. Martha believes health care reform should build on the successes we've had in Massachusetts and focus on accomplishing three key goals: (1) expanding coverage; (2) improving quality; and (3) reducing costs.
Source: 2010 Senate campaign website, marthacoakley.com, "Issues" , Oct 1, 2009

Pushed Pfizer to pay $15M for Medicare fraud

Attorney General Coakley's Office reached an agreement with pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer, resolving allegations that the company engaged in improper marketing practices to promote the sales of a variety of its drugs. Under the terms of this landmar settlement, Pfizer will pay $14,728,408 to the Massachusetts Medicaid Program, which provides funds for health care products and services to eligible low-income individuals, including people with disabilities, children and elder citizens. This is the largest national settlement in history in a health care fraud matter [totaling $700M in 9 states].

"This settlement sends a strong message to the pharmaceutical industry and to the broader healthcare community that illegal and improper practices will not be tolerated," said Coakley. "State and federal prosecutors take very seriously their responsibility to police the Medicaid program, and we will continue to work together to identify and root out fraud and abuse in the health care industry."

Source: Press release on Attorney General website, www.mass.gov , Sep 2, 2009

Require drug manufacturers to disclose risks

Attorney General Coakley applauded the US Supreme Court's 6-3 decision in Wyeth v. Levine. "The Supreme Court recognized the critical role that states play to ensure that drug manufacturers disclose risks promptly," said Coakley.

The case involved Diane Levine, who was given Wyeth's anti-nausea drug, Phenergan. In April 2000, Levine received Phenergan through the "IV Push" method, and the drug was mistakenly injected into an artery, causing injuries that led to the amputation of her right arm belo the elbow. A jury awarded Levine $6.8 million, on grounds that Wyeth failed to provide adequate warnings about the IV Push method.

In the past year, AG Coakley's office has settled several state law consumer protection cases against pharmaceutical companies, including a $58 million multistate case against Merck relating to painkiller Vioxx; a $62 million case against Eli Lilly relating to antipsychotic drug Zyprexa; and a $60 million case against Pfizer relating to anti-inflammatory drug Bextra.

Source: Press release on Attorney General website, www.mass.gov , Mar 4, 2009

Other governors on Health Care: Martha Coakley on other issues:
MA Gubernatorial:
Bill Weld
Bob Massie
Charlie Baker
Dan Wolf
Deval Patrick
Don Berwick
Jay Gonzalez
Karyn Polito
Lawrence Lessig
Marty Walsh
Richard Tisei
Steve Grossman
Tom Menino
Warren Tolman
MA Senatorial:
Brian Herr
Bruce Skarin
Ed Markey
Elizabeth Warren
Gabriel Gomez
John Kerry
Mo Cowan

Gubernatorial Debates 2017:
NJ: Guadagno(R) vs.Phil Murphy(D, won 2017 primary) vs.Ray Lesniak(D, lost 2017 primary) vs.Mayor Steve Fulop(declined Dem. primary, Sept. 2016) vs.Lesniak(D) vs.Wisniewski(D) vs.Ciattarelli(R) vs.Rullo(R)
VA: Gillespie(R) vs.Perriello(D) vs.Wittman(R) vs.Wagner(R) vs.Northam(D)
Gubernatorial Debates 2018:
AK: Walker(i) vs.(no opponent yet)
AL: Kay Ivey(R) vs.Countryman(D) vs.David Carrington (R) vs.Tommy Battle (R)
AR: Hutchinson(R) vs.(no opponent yet)
AZ: Ducey(R) vs.David Garcia (D)
CA: Newsom(D) vs.Chiang(D) vs.Villaraigosa(D) vs.Delaine Eastin (D) vs.David Hadley (R) vs.John Cox (R) vs.Zoltan Istvan (I)
CO: Ed Perlmutter (D) vs.Johnston(D) vs.Mitchell(R) vs.Cary Kennedy (D) vs.George Brauchler (R) vs.Doug Robinson (R)
CT: Malloy(D) vs.Drew(D) vs.Srinivasan(R) vs.David Walker (R)
FL: Gillum(D) vs.Graham(D) vs.Mike Huckabee (R) vs.Adam Putnam (R)
GA: Kemp(R) vs.Casey Cagle (R) vs.Hunter Hill (R) vs.Stacey Abrams (R)
HI: Ige(D) vs.(no opponent yet)
IA: Kim_Reynolds(R) vs.Leopold(D) vs.Andy McGuire (D) vs.Nate Boulton (D)
ID: Little(R) vs.Fulcher(R)
IL: Rauner(R) vs.Kennedy(D) vs.Pawar(D) vs.Daniel Biss (D) vs.J.B. Pritzker (D)
KS: Brewer(D) vs.Wink Hartman (R)
MA: Baker(R) vs.Gonzalez(D) vs.Setti Warren (D) vs.Bob Massie (R)
MD: Hogan(R) vs.Alec Ross (D) vs.Richard Madaleno (D)
ME: (no candidate yet)
MI: Whitmer(R) vs.El-Sayed(D) vs.Tim Walz (D)
MN: Coleman(D) vs.Murphy(D) vs.Otto(D) vs.Tina Liebling (DFL) vs.Tim Walz (DFL) vs.Matt Dean (R)
NE: Ricketts(R) vs.(no opponent yet)
NH: Sununu(R) vs.Steve Marchand (D, Portsmouth Mayor)
NM: Grisham(D) vs.(no opponent yet)
NV: Jared Fisher (R) vs.(no opponent yet)
NY: Cuomo(R) vs.(no opponent yet)
OH: DeWine(R) vs.Schiavoni(D) vs.Sutton(D) vs.Taylor(R) vs.Jim Renacci (R) vs.Jon Husted (R) vs.Connie Pillich (D)
OK: Gary Richardson (R) vs.Connie Johnson (D)
OR: Brown(D) vs.Scott Inman (D)
PA: Wolf(D) vs.Wagner(R)
RI: Raimondo(D) vs.(no opponent yet)
SC: McMaster(R) vs.McGill(R) vs.Pope(R)
SD: Noem(R) vs.Jackley(R)
TN: Green(R) vs.Dean(D)
TX: Abbott(R) vs.(no opponent yet)
VT: Scott(R) vs.(no opponent yet)
WI: Walker(R) vs.Harlow(D)
WY: (no candidate yet)
Newly-elected governors (first seated in Jan. 2017):
DE-D: Carney
IN-R: Holcomb
MO-R: Greitens
NH-R: Sununu
NC-D: Cooper
ND-R: Burgum
VT-R: Scott
WV-D: Justice

Retiring 2017-18:
AL-R: Robert Bentley(R)
(term-limited 2018)
CA-D: Jerry Brown
(term-limited 2018)
CO-D: John Hickenlooper
(term-limited 2018)
FL-R: Rick Scott
(term-limited 2018)
GA-R: Nathan Deal
(term-limited 2018)
IA-R: Terry Branstad
(appointed ambassador, 2017)
ID-R: Butch Otter
(retiring 2018)
KS-R: Sam Brownback
(term-limited 2018)
ME-R: Paul LePage
(term-limited 2018)
MI-R: Rick Snyder
(term-limited 2018)
MN-D: Mark Dayton
(retiring 2018)
NM-R: Susana Martinez
(term-limited 2018)
OH-R: John Kasich
(term-limited 2018)
OK-R: Mary Fallin
(term-limited 2018)
SC-R: Nikki Haley
(appointed ambassador, 2017)
SD-R: Dennis Daugaard
(term-limited 2018)
TN-R: Bill Haslam
(term-limited 2018)
WY-R: Matt Mead
(term-limited 2018)
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Page last updated: Jul 20, 2017