Health Care

Ensuring access to high quality, low cost health care is essential for people in Northwest Washington and across the country. Throughout my time in Congress, I have advocated for health care that fits Northwest Washington’s specific needs, including funding for critical access hospitals, affordable health care, and better health services for veterans and Medicare beneficiaries.

Health Care Reform

In March 2010, I voted for and Congress passed historic health care reform legislation. The Affordable Care Act lowers the cost of health care to make coverage more affordable for families, holds insurance companies accountable, closes the Medicare “donut hole,” and helps to ensure small businesses no longer have to choose between health care and hiring.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirms that the law is fiscally responsible and will reduce the deficit by $138 billion in this decade and by $1.2 trillion in 20 years. This law helps us build a foundation for long-term growth by tackling the unsustainable cost of health care and providing much-needed financial relief for families and businesses.

Click here for a Frequently Asked Questions document about the health care reform law.

Another resource available to you is healthcare.gov. This website makes it easier to find health care coverage and clearly explains how the Affordable Care Act will benefit you, your family, or your business.

Improving Medicare for Seniors

Medicare is one of the cornerstones of our social safety net. I believe that Medicare beneficiaries deserve the best treatments possible. To that end, I supported measures in the health care reform law that strengthen Medicare and improve its long-term viability.

I fought for better access to health care for Medicare beneficiaries in health care reform by supporting free preventative care, maintaining Washington state’s high physician reimbursement rate, and closing the “donut hole” for Medicare prescriptions. Ensuring that Medicare and Medicaid are protected for future generations is something I have stood by through every budget and deficit negotiation. I do not support any proposal that ends the guaranteed benefit of Medicare.

Accomplishments

• Fought to improve Medicare reimbursement rates for Washington state doctors included the health care reform legislation

• Opposed the Ryan Budget, which would have turned Medicare into a voucher system

• Successfully fought against the implementation of new provider taxes for rural hospitals, which would harm rural critical access hospitals including Whidbey General and United

• Working for new hospital safety net assessment that will protect Washington state's services for Medicaid and CHIP enrollees

• Supported the expansion of health care access for 11 million kids through SCHIP