Richard Cordray, the Democrat running for Ohio governor, laid out his health care plan in Cleveland on Tuesday.
The Former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director said his three-part health care plan keeps Medicaid expansion intact, reduces costs and provides reliable coverage.
“The first part is ensuring that reliable coverage is available for all of us," Cordray said. "The second part is the investments we are making, investing smartly to make sure we get the biggest bang for our buck with our health care money. And third, increasing transparency and accountability so that the system works better for patients."
Cordray also promised to crack down on pharmacy benefit managers, just one day after Republican candidate and Attorney General Mike DeWine promised the same. Those managers have been criticized for manipulating drug prices to benefit certain drug store chains.
Cordray said that DeWine should have stepped in earlier.
“If there are unexplained disparities that are not justified, then someone is paying the price for that. And ultimately it’s going to be taxpayers and consumers in the state," he said. "So I think we need to police these things more carefully. That starts at the top. That starts with the governor, starts with the people the governor appoints. This is something that has gone off the rails in Ohio and needs to be corrected.”
As part of his proposed health care policy, Cordray wants the state to offer more coverage for women and children and to help healthcare providers operate in rural, underserved areas.
DeWine, couldn’t be reached for comment. Spokesman Josh Eck said in a statement that Cordray’s plan lays out problems, but DeWine offers solutions.
