HEALTHCARE Healthcare coverage has become more expensive,
more restrictive, with more uninsured under Bush and Spano’s
Republican regime.
GEORGE BUSH
NICK SPANO
• Uninsured Under
His Watch : The number of Americans lacking
health insurance increased for the 5th year in a row
-- by 1.3 million -- and by 6.8 million since Bush
took office in 2001. Today, a total of nearly 47 million
Americans are uninsured.
• Uninsured Under
His Watch : In New York State, approximately
2.7 million people are uninsured; over 500,000 are
children.
• Opposes stem
cell research on embryonic stem cells.
• Opposes stem
cell research : Spano says he supports stem
cell research but he and Senate Republicans bottled
up a bill in a Senate committee that would allow research
on embryonic stem cells.
• Against Emergency
Contraception : Although the FDA did approve
over-the-counter emergency contraception, it was over
President Bush’s opposition.
• Failed to Support
Emergency Contraception : Spano and Senate
Republicans denied access to those who need emergency
contraception by not voting for S.1576-a.
• Siding with Drug
Companies : As a result of Bush's Medicare
bill, the drug industry will receive an additional
$139.2 billion in profits over eight years. That will
amount to 61 percent of the spending in the bill for
prescription drugs. [Alan Sager, Boston University
School of Public Health, 4/12/04].
• Siding with Drug
Companies : Spano and Senate Republicans
denied a vote on two critical measures endorsed by
the AARP, and passed by the Assembly – bulk
purchasing and gift disclosure legislation –
that would reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
Once again, Spano says he’s for an issue while
letting related bills die in committee.
