Improving Healthcare for All
Access to quality, affordable healthcare is essential for the well-being of Senate District 6 residents. As your representative, I will fight to expand access, reduce costs, and ensure preventive and mental health care are priorities for our communities.
Expanding Accessibility to Quality Care: I will work to expand telehealth services which will enable individuals across the district to connect with specialists and primary care providers. This will improve access to timely care and reduce costs associated with travel. I will advocate for rural healthcare incentives, such as expanded student loan forgiveness, to attract healthcare providers to underserved areas. Another priority would be collaborating with educational institutions to promote healthcare careers tailored to rural needs.
Improving Mental Health Resources: Mental health services are severely lacking in Senate District 6. I will pursue establishing grants and low-interest loans for community mental health centers, enhance funding for school-based mental health programs, and support therapy, counseling, and crisis intervention initiatives.
Reducing costs: Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States. Long-term systemic change, but there are some short-term solutions in for the meantime. I will help expand prescription assistance programs, increase MinnesotaCare access for serious illnesses, and implement a sliding-scale subsidy system tied to income to make healthcare more affordable.
Increase Preventative Care: As a biomedical scientist, I cannot underscore this enough: Prevention will always be more cost-effective than a cure. I will work to develop mobile clinic programs offering screenings, vaccinations, and health education to our most remote Minnesotans and pursue programs that provide low-cost or no-cost wellness exams for the uninsured.
Maintaining and Improving Accessibility to Healthcare for Veterans: Federal cuts to Veterans Affairs have made it clear that we must take action at the state level to ensure veterans receive the healthcare they deserve. I will push for state funding to strengthen VA hospitals, mental health programs, and transportation services, ensuring veterans have access to the care they deserve, including expanded telehealth options.