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Information provided below was taken directly from candidate's website 8/4/10
Virgil Bernero - Democratic Candidate
Throughout his career, Virg Bernero has demonstrated a proven track record of pursuing health care reform.
Access to Care
Virg has long been a champion of ensuring access to care. Well before talking about health care was in vogue, Virg was on the front lines fighting to offer help to those that need it. Some of Virg’s accomplishments include:
• Creating the groundbreaking Ingham Health Plan, a countywide health insurance program that provides basic health care coverage for people without health insurance
• Creating the Otto Community Health Clinic, which serves many low-income parents, children, and residents in the community.
President Obama’s Health Care Reform
Virg has been an outspoken proponent of the President’s Health Care bill that was recently written into law. To people in Michigan, this means more than 141,000 people with pre-existing conditions will no longer be denied insurance coverage. It also provides tax credits to nearly 800,000 people and tax cuts for more than 100,000 small businesses in Michigan.
To learn more about what this historic legislation means for Michiganders, click here:
Virg has never wavered on his support for this historic health care legislation. As Governor, Virg will continue to fight for universal access to quality, affordable health care.
Mental Health
Standing up for people who are not well-connected and who have no voice is a trademark for Virg Bernero. Before serving in the State Legislature, Virg served as the Executive Director for the Michigan Association for Children with Emotional Disorders (MACED). This organization fought and advocated for vital treatment and special education services for thousands of children throughout Michigan.
Growing up in a family directly affected by mental illness, Virg gained an early understanding of how closely mental health is tied to overall health. Virg’s brother suffers from schizophrenia. As a result, Virg has a unique appreciation of the many problems associated with mental health and the overall lack of available mental health care. Virg is deeply concerned for the welfare of mental health patients, and as Governor, will continue to provide help for this often-overlooked community.
As a State Legislator, Virg reached across the aisle, embracing bipartisanship, to introduce and pass landmark legislation for those coping with mental health issues. This bill, that Virg co-authored, is known as Kevin’s Law. Kevin’s Law allows courts to order treatment for individuals with serious mental illness who did not meet the criteria for involuntary hospitalization but who do need outpatient mental health treatment to protect themselves and others.
Read about Kevin’s Law here:
Treatment Advocacy Center
Office of the Governor, Press Release
School Nutrition
Virg has always a vocal advocate for improving dietary habits of children. As a state legislator, Virg fought for better school nutrition to help tackle juvenile health problems that are dramatically on the rise, such as diabetes and obesity. Specifically, Virg took on the widespread problem of soda machines, which provide sugary drinks laden with high fructose corn syrup to our children.
His advocacy in this area and efforts to raise early public awareness on an issue that receives little public attention earned him recognition from the Michigan Association of Local Public Health.
As Governor, Virg will continue his advocacy of preventive health measures, including reaching out to young people about better nutrition habits before those habits turn into chronic diseases that decrease their quality of life and increase the cost of medical care.
Rick Snyder, Republican Candidate for Governor
"Michigan citizens should have access to the highest quality care available. As Governor, I will manage rising costs by implementing innovative management strategies, expanding access through community based solutions, and promoting wellness programs that identify problems before they become chronic or more serious. -Rick."
Download complete white paper
http://www.rickformichigan.com/sites/default/files/health.pdf
Promoting Patient-Centered Medical Homes will improve Michigan’s overall health. Michigan needs an improved healthcare delivery model that is affordable, accessible, and efficient. Each citizen should have a Patient-Centered Medical Home, which will improve the quality of healthcare and reduce costs by identifying health problems and focusing on wellness prevention early, before issues become severe or chronic.
Poor lifestyle choices and an outdated approach to healthcare have caused Michigan to be one of the unhealthiest states in the nation. Roughly half of the causes of death in Michigan are related to preventable risk factors like cigarette smoking, overeating, and lack of exercise. While the highest value is placed on making sure that the younger members of the population are healthy and cared for (see chart at right), the larger adult population has not taken on enough responsibility for its own personal decisions. For years, discussions across Michigan have looked at healthcare as a way to treat disease. Now, people are beginning to understand that this is only half the equation.
Public-Private Partnerships will increase access to health care for those in dire need. The state should support public-private partnerships, local community pilot projects, and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) that help reduce costs and increase access for vulnerable citizens. These programs provide a viable alternative for the uninsured and under-insured who would normally go directly to the emergency room for costly care.
Rick Snyder is the best candidate to reform Michigan’s healthcare system. A lack of leadership by career politicians is partly to blame for Michigan’s unhealthiness. Rick, on the other hand, co-founded a successful Michigan company that combines innovative technology with traditional healthcare expertise to provide an interactive, web-based health-coach for individuals to develop a personal plan to live healthier. The ailing political system needs its own health plan, and Rick Snyder is the leader to turn things around for Michigan.
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