Healthcare
Universal Health Care
Health care is a human right. Plain and simple. It is not a good or service that’s price or scarcity should be left up to the free market. The median family of four in the United States is making about $60,000 a year but can pay upwards of $10,000 a year on healthcare costs alone. These astronomical costs leave upwards of 37 million Americans uninsured and an additional 41 million are underinsured. In the richest country in the world, this is astronomically unacceptable and 83% of college students agree we need to achieve universal health care coverage in the United States.
Reproductive Healthcare
Everyone deserves autonomy over their bodies without interference from politicians. People with uteruses deserve access to abortions, birth control, and reproductive healthcare overall. 79% of college students believe we need new legislation that accomplishes these goals while simultaneously barring attempts to strip the rights of people with uteruses from doing what’s best for their own body. The strictest abortion law in the United States now bans abortions after the 6th week of pregnancy, before a majority of people know that they’re pregnant. Not only is it important we address the problems of reproductive healthcare now, establishing comprehensive sexual education programs for the future is also necessary for decreases in accidental pregnancies as well as sexually transmitted diseases.
Mental Health Care
Any true universal health care system must include mental health care. Our mental health is a crucial part of our overall well-being and it is time that the US healthcare system begins to treat it as the health care issue it is. Mental Health conditions can be disabling and that needs to be recognized by our government so people can feel supported and work to get better. Additionally, we need to continue to destigmatize mental health care treatment so people feel comfortable and empowered to seek out the best treatment options for themselves.
Lowering the Cost of Prescription Drugs
Cost should not be a barrier to anyone seeking the medicine they need to live and be healthy. In the case of lifesaving drugs like insulin, it is horrifying that most Americans are paying roughly 15 times as much for a single vial of insulin than our neighbors to the north in Canada. That has got to change. Medicine is a necessity, not a luxury and we must take the steps necessary to ensure cost is not a barrier to receiving it. While there was a noticeable change with the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, there must be more done to protect Americans.
If you’re interested in reading more, you can download the full Voters of Tomorrow Policy Platform.