Healthcare Is a Human Right – A Position Statement of the Summit County Progressive Democrats
The Summit County Progressive Democrats believe healthcare is a fundamental human right. Every person in Summit County and across Ohio deserves access to affordable, high-quality care regardless of income, employment, race, gender identity, disability, or zip code. Our healthcare system must prioritize people and communities over profit.
We support moving toward a universal healthcare system that guarantees comprehensive coverage for all, including primary and specialty care, rehabilitative and long-term care, mental health services, reproductive healthcare, gender-affirming care, dental, vision, and prescription medications. Healthcare must be inclusive, evidence-based, and free from discrimination or political interference.
We support protecting and strengthening the Affordable Care Act while working toward universal coverage, including protecting coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, expanding subsidies that lower premiums, and preserving Medicaid expansion. We also support strengthening Medicare and Medicaid to ensure stable, affordable coverage for seniors, people with disabilities, and working families.
Healthcare costs remain a major burden for families. We support policies that lower drug prices, allow Medicare to negotiate prescription costs, cap insulin prices, eliminate surprise billing, and reduce premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs. No one should face financial ruin because they became sick. We also support eliminating medical debt, preventing abusive collection practices, and removing medical debt from credit reports.
We strongly support reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy, including access to abortion care, contraception, prenatal and maternal healthcare, and fertility treatment. We support repealing the Hyde Amendment so that reproductive healthcare access is not determined by income or insurance status.
We support robust investment in mental health services and community-based addiction treatment, recognizing substance use disorder as a public health issue rather than a criminal one. We are committed to ensuring that veterans have timely access to high-quality healthcare, including fully funding and strengthening the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for those who have served.
Healthcare policy must also respect dignity at the end of life. We support expanded access to hospice and palliative care, the use of advance directives and living wills, and compassionate discussions about patient-directed end-of-life options that allow individuals facing terminal illness to make informed decisions about their care with appropriate safeguards.
Finally, we are committed to addressing persistent health inequities that harm women, communities of color, LGBTQ+ residents, rural communities, and low-income families. We support strong investment in public health infrastructure, science-based health policy, and local health departments to ensure healthier communities for everyone.
The Summit County Progressive Democrats will continue organizing, advocating, and electing leaders who are committed to building a healthcare system that puts people over profit.