Kean Jr.’s Record on Health Care and Special Interest Ties Disqualifying
As voters prepare to hear from Tom Kean Jr. for the first time since ducking questions about Donald Trump and campaigning with candidates who have made racist, sexist, and homophobic comments online, we’d like to remind you just how toxic Tom Kean Jr. is for New Jersey families.
While voters consistently say access to quality, affordable health care is a top priority, Kean Jr. and his party are still pursuing a lawsuit to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. If successful, they would gut protections for almost 400,000 people in NJ-07 with pre-existing conditions and 26,000 in the district would lose coverage.
But that’s only part of the story. Kean Jr. has consistently sided with big insurance companies and drug manufacturers over the people of New Jersey, and one look at his campaign coffers and stock holdings shows his millions of reasons why: to support his donors and his own financial interests.
Kean Jr.’s record on health care is reckless and makes New Jerseyans sick. He’s:
- Against The Affordable Care Act: Tom Kean Jr. has a long record of opposition to the ACA. He’s said, “I disagree with the ACA,” and voted twice against creating a statewide health insurance program, voted against a public awareness campaign promoting the health insurance exchange, voted against expanding Medicaid in New Jersey, and voted in support of the lawsuit against the ACA. Throughout his career, Kean Jr. has been rewarded for these votes with almost $1 million in donations from the insurance, health care, and drug manufacturing industries.
- For Surprise Medical Billing: The same year Kean Jr. voted to allow insurance companies to continue the practice of surprise out-of-network billing, he earned up to $50,000 from his investment in the largest health insurance company in the country.
- For Higher Prescription Drug Prices: Kean Jr. voted against $11 million for a prescription drug program to assist seniors and people with disabilities. He’s frequently bashed a bipartisan bill in Congress that would lower prescription drug costs, parroted talking points from big drug manufacturers and protected his stock holdings in many large drug manufacturers — including one that has been held responsible for the opioid crisis. His donors have raised prescription drug prices too: Kean Jr. has pocketed over $15,000 from Bob Hugin, a drug company CEO who made his fortune by jacking up the costs of life saving drugs. Hugin’s company Celgene increased the price of lifesaving cancer medication by over 500%. Celgene even increased the price of the drug for patients in the U.S. while *lowering* the price significantly in Russia.
- Against Paid Sick Leave: Kean Jr. voted against paid sick leave twice. One bill he opposed created a specific provision to provide financial security to New Jersey workers and families during epidemics – exactly like the crisis we are facing today with COVID-19. The sick leave bill also allowed for paid sick time for employees who need to watch their children if a child’s school closes or if an employee needs to take care of sick family members.
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