Chris Dodd believes that all Americans deserve access to quality and affordable health care services. As one of the Senate’s foremost leaders in improving the quality and affordability of health care for all Americans, Dodd has authored and sponsored numerous bills to control skyrocketing health care and prescription drug costs. At the same time, Senator Dodd has led efforts to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens – our children, the elderly and the poor – are not left behind when it comes to health care.
Throughout his career, Senator Dodd has worked to ensure and protect the health of our nation’s children. As the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development, Dodd has authored legislation to help guarantee that prescription drugs are safe and appropriate for use in children, to increase the screening of newborns for genetic disorders, to expand research into the causes and possible treatments for premature birth, and to make sure that the mental health needs of children are addressed during the preparations for or in the aftermath of a terrorist attack.
Senator Dodd has also worked to make prescription medicines more affordable for seniors, the poor, and working families. Recognizing that millions of Americans today rely on prescription medicines for their health, Senator Dodd believes it is important to encourage and expand their often lifesaving benefits. In his view, these medicines offer the hope of healthier lives for millions of Americans. Dodd also believes that more should be done to ensure the safety and efficacy of medicines for all patients. That is why he has authored legislation to give the FDA new tools to monitor the safety of medicines already on the market. It is also why he has introduced legislation to give patients, doctors, and the public more information about clinical drug trials, so they can make informed decisions about their health care.
During this age of rapidly-developing technologies, Chris Dodd has long-recognized that these promising advances may lead to improvements in the quality, affordability and efficiency of health care. He has authored innovative legislation to increase the use of information technology in health care, which can improve the safety and quality of care, and reduce its cost. At the same time, Senator Dodd believes that Americans should not have to sacrifice privacy and confidentiality in order to receive quality health care. In his view, patients will only make use of the best medical technologies and techniques if they are confident that their privacy will be protected. For that reason, He supports efforts to ensure that our advances in medical research do not outpace laws designed to protect Americans from discrimination. Accordingly, he has worked to help pass bipartisan legislation that prevents health plan issuers or employers from discriminating on the basis of genetic information. New technologies and developments in health care, in Dodd’s view, should never endanger the ability of patients and their families to protect their private medical information.
Chris Dodd believes that no one should be forced to go without needed medical care due to the lack of health insurance and believes that quality, accessible and affordable health care is essential to all American families. Because of this belief, Dodd has worked throughout his career to address the needs of the millions of uninsured Americans. No one should face financial ruin by seeking needed medical care for themselves or their loved ones.
