I am a primary care physician in Harlem.
And I am a political independent. I am running
because there is a health care crisis in our communities
that our current elected officials have failed
to address. Their partisan political machine gave
up fighting for our health needs a long time ago.
Two-hundred and fifty thousand people in Manhattan
— including children — do not have medical coverage.
Every day thousands go to emergency rooms for
acute medical problems that could have been avoided
had they had access to primary care services.
The estimate is currently that two thirds of emergency
room visits are for what should be primary
care treatment.
The lack of primary care is particularly acute
in Black and Latino communities, which have higher
rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and
hypertension and the worst access to medical care
at all levels.
What is the cause of this policy failure? Political
mismanagement by local government and health care
mismanagement by the insurance industry.
The Democrats promised to deliver quality health
care for all, but broke that promise. The Democratic
Party has become the political equivalent of your
managed care company. It makes all of your decisions
for you. It refuses to take your actual problems,
needs and desires into account. It won’t let you
go “out of network” without permission.
But to solve our health care crisis, we must go
“out of network”- we must become independent
and reform our electoral process to involve ordinary
citizens in the policymaking process.
I will campaign for nonpartisan municipal elections,
non-partisan judgeship races and same day voter
registration which can spur new coalitions and
a new politic for all New Yorkers. That’s my prescription
for this crisis. Partisanship is simply bad for
our health.
(Statement reprinted as supplied by the candidates.)
Participating in the NYC
Campaign Finance Program.
View
Candidate Statement Disclaimer
|
