The Policy Plan
Policies to protect ALL Pennsylvanians
Good healthcare policy is just not enough to protect us from the economic damage this virus will bring. The ongoing pandemic has been creating unique challenges to our community’s economic wellbeing and threatens the livelihoods and housing of millions of Pennsylvanians.
This campaign has created a COVID-19 Housing and Debt Crisis Relief Plan. In order to properly address the the ongoing crises in housing and economic precariousness among Pennsylvanians, a new set of protections must be put in place.
- Mandate a moratorium on mortgages and freeze rents
- Halt all evictions and stop utility shut-offs .
- Waive payments on student loans for all state colleges.
- Increase quality shelter space for displaced populations and people experiencing homelessness.
In addition to this expansion of economic protection, Pennsylvania and the federal government must also increase the social safety net for the unique circumstances of the day, beyond what the CARES Act calls for.
- Expand unemployment benefits beyond 26+13 weeks established by the CARES Act.
- Institute free childcare for essential employees.
- Expand food stamps (SNAP) by working with the federal government to doubling the minimum monthly benefit and increasing the maximum benefit by 15 percent; also, to include food deliveries and more expensive goods during food shortages.
- Increase bankruptcy protection for individuals and small businesses.
- Investigate price-gouging of essential materials.
This campaign is built on real healthcare experience.
Our commonwealth was not prepared at first to deal with COVID-19 and the enormous implications it brings to our community. We must improve Pennsylvania’s healthcare system.
I promise to fight tirelessly for the policies that will keep you and your families healthy and safe, just as I spent years in healthcare fighting for patients and lower prescription costs in DC and Harrisburg.
- Mandate paid sick leave for all employees and take advantage of federal funds to help protect overwhelmed small businesses. This will transition into a permanent system for all Pennsylvanians.
- Create health departments in every county in the commonwealth and increase their access to state grants.
- Create a public option through a universally affordable medicare buy-in and encourage medicare and medicaid expansion.
- Waive all co-pays during the pandemic and provide more state grants for hospitals, labs, and research facilities.
- Protect reproductive rights and access to reproductive healthcare.
This may be a scary time, but this campaign will fight for quality healthcare for you and your families. With this COVID-19 Healthcare Action Plan, and the campaign’s full Healthcare Plan, we can make better public health decisions on behalf of all Pennsylvanians.
These are just some of the policies we need to institute immediately in order to protect Pennsylvania’s residents and economy from lasting damage. In the coming weeks, as the situation becomes more clear, we will be updating this list with further policy options, some of which Pennsylvania will address.