Secretary of Health comes to Oakland's Clinica de la Raza
Oakland, California - As the political season kicks into high gear, the Biden Administration is sending top officials around the nation to make its case for another four years. On Tuesday, the Secretary of Health, a native-born Californian through and through, came home to highlight the Biden Administration's healthcare investments.
U.S. Secretary of Health Xavier Becerra visited Clinica de la Raza Tuesday morning, the final event in the Secretary's week-long "National Latino Health Tour." The Secretary discussed healthcare equity, mental health, cancer research and treatment, the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, and lowering drug prices within the Latino and Hispanic community, a key demographic in the upcoming election.
Under a new initiative, La Clinica de la Raza, has opened its doors to any and all care seekers regardless of insurance, legal status or other potential disqualifiers.
"Once we have a couple of years under our belt, this experiment of this expansion, what we can prove is that by opening up our doors and focusing on these services, that we're saving the system money," said Jane Garcia, Clinica de la Raza CEO. "I think President Biden has demonstrated if you work hard in this country, and you do things the right way, there will be a path for you," said Secretary Becerra.
It stands on the policy pillars of fairness in care for all, lower drug prices, more and better insurance coverage, the new national 988 Suicide and Crisis service and healthcare jobs for a more diverse pool of people at all levels. But, many super powerful healthcare interests from Big Pharma to health insurance to healthcare conglomerates that spend upwards of a billion dollars on political lobbying, oppose many of Biden’s measures.
"Don't fight us. Join us. President Biden has made it very clear: We're gonna expand healthcare to more Americans. And so, if you're in the way, a CEO of one of those companies that are in the way, we're gonna fight back," said Becerra.
Since healthcare is neither completely private or public, voters will have to decide what advocates and policies they prefer.
"The best way to insure that we have an open and fair and free election is for every single person who is registered to go vote, get out and vote," said Julian Castro, head of the Latino Community Foundation. And, nowhere is it easier to vote than here in California.