Jack Markell on Health Care

	Jack Markell on Health Care Delaware Democratic Governor

Reduce costs by moving away from fee-for-service model

Employers, hospitals, physicians, and behavioral health specialists have spent thousands of hours on plans to move away from an expensive fee-for-service model & toward a system that emphasizes quality outcomes at an affordable cost. Today's system does virtually nothing to help people focus on costs, so we'll give employees the information and better incentives to choose cost-effective, high quality care--like using urgent care instead of the emergency room or telemedicine instead of an office visit. Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Delaware legislature , Jan 21, 2016

Government funding will lower health care costs

Many chronic diseases are preventable. We want to be doing everything we can to help Delawareans lead healthier lives. Wellness makes for a better quality of life, a stronger workforce, and it lowers health care costs.

Delaware was awarded a grant from HHS to help prevent chronic diseases and promote health. Chronic diseases are responsible for 7 out of 10 deaths among Americans each year and they account for nearly three-fourths of the more than $2.5 trillion our nation spends annually on medical care

Source: 2011 gubernatorial press release, "Chronic Disease" , Oct 4, 2011

Ensure that every Delawarean owns health insurance

My comprehensive health care plan will provide health insurance to over 100,000 uninsured Delawareans, including 20,000 children, so no individual or family will be forced to forgo medical care due to an illness, job loss, or simply because their employer does not provide coverage. When elected Governor, my health care plan will ensure that every Delawarean owns health insurance and has access to primary care facilities, thus improving the health of Delawareans while cutting costs on future emergency room visits and treatment for preventable illnesses.

[I propose] the Diamond State Marketplace to serve as a one-stop shop for uninsured individuals, families, small businesses and sole proprietors to purchase comprehensive, affordable and portable pre-tax rate health insurance.

Source: 2008 Gubernatorial campaign website, markell.org, "Issues" , Nov 4, 2008

3.2% funding increase for National Institutes of Health.

Markell signed Letter from 24 Governors to leaders in Congress

NIH, as well as the indirect job benefits of laboratories needing space, supplies, services, and equipment. We are also deeply aware that NIH-funded discoveries are the basis of new companies and even new industries in our communities.

NIH research is an instrumental part of the success of the US life sciences industry and its 6 million high-wage US jobs. Moreover, follow-on life science research advances are now stimulating new jobs and new solutions in green energy, agriculture, the environment and industrial manufacturing. NIH funding enables the scientific talent and discoveries that are at the heart of this vast array of economic activity.

As you develop the Congressional Budget Resolution, we urge you to enable the 3.2% funding increase for NIH contained in the President`s budget request. We thank you for your past support for biomedical research and ask you to craft a budget resolution that accommodates the President`s $32.2 billion FY 2011 NIH budget request.

The greatest contribution NIH makes is to the health and well-being of Americans. Past federal investments in medical research, combined with those from the private sector, have led to improved health, better quality of life, and improved productivity of millions of patients and their families.

But NIH is also an important national, regional, and local economic engine. Together, our states received more than $19 billion from the NIH last year for promising research efforts. NIH funding directly supports 350,000 jobs across the US. In our states, we see firsthand the world class research institutions and scientific teams enabled by

Source: Letter from 24 Governors to leaders in Congress 100413-Gov on Apr 13, 2010

Adopt national health reform legislation before the end of the year.

Markell signed a letter from 22 Governors to Congressional leaders:

In a letter to congressional leadership, 22 governors are urging federal lawmakers to adopt national health reform legislation before the end of the year to provide families and businesses with much-needed security and stability.

`We commend you and your colleagues for provisions included in your bills that will help states,` the governors wrote. `Many of the provisions will allow states to achieve long term savings and help cover those who currently go without health coverage. We recognize that health reform is a shared responsibility and everyone, including state governments, needs to partner to reform our broken health care system.`

`Efforts at the federal level, like the recent and critical investments that support states` HIV and prevention initiatives, are beginning the work to lower health care costs. Our citizens and our states, however, will only achieve the health care security and stability they need if we succeed in working together to achieve health care reform.`

Source: Letter from CO Gov. Bill Ritter and 21 other Governors 10-GOV1 on Oct 1, 2009