PETER KOUTOUJIAN CONVENES THIRD POLICY ROUND TABLE IN FIFTH DISTRICT, PRESENTS PLAN TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE

In His Third Round Table of Five For The Fifth District, Koutoujian Emphasizes Increasing Preventive Care Services, Investing in Research And Development, And Fighting Childhood Obesity

Peter Koutoujian yesterday detailed another in a series of proposals for the Fifth District: a plan to improve health care in America.  Meeting with residents and experts in the field in the third of five policy round tables, Koutoujian offered his ideas as a means to help working families while investing in our economic future.

“When a parent gets sick—middle class or not—her entire family suffers,” said Koutoujian.  “In addition to taking time off from work, mothers, fathers, and children suffer unimaginable emotional strains.  But with proactive investments in preventive care, research and development, and tackling childhood obesity rates, we can reduce these incidents and keep families at work.  I believe that by increasing the number of primary care physicians and community health centers we can focus resources on reducing preventable illnesses.  If we increase research and development we can develop the medical tools of tomorrow, now.  And if we take serious the childhood obesity endemic sweeping our nation we can improve everyone’s health while reducing everyone’s costs.

“These aren’t just campaign issues for me.  When I took office smoking was allowed in the workplace.  I helped pass the bill that kept that type of secondhand smoke out of offices throughout Massachusetts.  As chair of the Public Health Committee I oversaw the passing and implementation of Massachusetts’ first-of-its-kind health care program.  And for twelve years I fought to pass the school nutrition bill.  It took more than a decade of pushing, convincing, and organizing, but in the end we made it law and our schools are healthier now,” added Koutoujian.

Dr. Dan Palant of Lexington attended the round table, saying, “I have been a pediatrician for over 40 years and have had children with health issues come through my office every day.  The problem is that with the increasing need for primary care—for both children and adults—there aren’t going to be enough physicians to take care of the health needs of every person who needs that initial care.  Then the smaller, treatable problems become larger, costlier issues.  Peter’s proposal would do an incredible amount to reverse that trend.”

Koutoujian has convened three policy round tables, offering proposals to increase access to mental health care and improve our education system in addition to yesterday’s on health care in America.  He will convene two more in the coming weeks, offering five policy proposals that he plans to tackle when he gets to Congress.  As his campaign builds momentum, Koutoujian remains committed to talking about the issues that matter most to the Fifth District of Massachusetts.