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Tom Reilly on Health Care
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Experienced with saving struggling hospitals
Q: The average worker pays 26% of the cost of family health insurance, while Massachusetts state employees pay about 15%. Is it fair to ask taxpayers to subsidize state workers?REILLY: For the past eight years, I've been working to save the health
insurance for over a million people with the Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare plan when that company was going under. Saving and turning around struggling hospitals, so I understand that system. I'm the only one with that kind of experience going into this
race. The next governor better know something about healthcare. We can't continue like this because of the cost of healthcare. We have to make it more affordable. I know where to start, cutting those administrative costs, 1/3 of the amount of money
that's spent on our healthcare delivery system is spent on administrative overhead--those forms going back and forth, endless waste of money--we have to change it. Government can drive that change, we're the largest purchaser of health insurance.
Source: MA gubernatorial debate on CBS4 news, moderator: Jon Keller
Sep 13, 2006
Opposes $295/yr employer fee for uninsured employees
Although Reilly supports the new universal healthcare law in principle, he opposes one of its most controversial provisions: a $295 per employee, per year fee for businesses that don't provide their workers with health insurance.
Source: Boston Globe Issue Outlines: Health Care
Jun 3, 2006
Universal access to quality, affordable health care
Ensuring access to affordable, high-quality health care for all is a moral and economic imperative for Massachusetts, keeping our people healthy and productive and enhancing the stability of our health care system.
As Governor, Reilly will keep the Commonwealth on track to achieve universal access to quality, affordable health care by:-
Working to ensure that consumers throughout the Commonwealth have access to specialty health care, including mental health providers and dentists
- Setting bold statewide goals for improving children`s health
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Reducing the number of children who are hospitalized for asthma, diabetes, mental health disorders, and other chronic conditions o with proper management, these conditions should rarely result in hospitalization.
Source: Campaign booklet, "Prescription for a Healthy Massachusetts"
Jun 2, 2006
Expand access to insurance and affordable care
Reilly laid out many of his goals as Governor, including: Making health care more affordable for all of our families and expanding access to insurance and the highest quality care.
Source: Campaign kickoff speech
Jan 24, 2006
Worked to protect coverage during HMO bankruptcy
When Harvard Pilgrim was on the brink of financial ruin, Tom stepped in and took prompt action to protect coverage for the plan's one million members and make sure doctors and health care providers were paid.
Today, Harvard Pilgrim has returned to financial health and is consistently rated among the top health plans nationally.
Source: Campaign website, www.tomreilly.org
Jan 8, 2006