Election Day: Medical Questions Appearing on Ballots

Election Day: Medical Questions Appearing on Ballots

Today is Election Day, and the fate of our communities are in the hands of those registered to vote. Voters are familiar with questions appearing on the ballot. This year is no exception. States across the country are asking medically inclined questions for the people to answer. The power that voting holds can change the way healthcare is regulated in both the government and private sectors. Click to read more about the questions in health care asked on today’s ballots. None of these questions are reflective of Soma’s core values.

Alabama

Alabama seeks to ask its voters if they support the rights of fetuses. They are also asking if residents to state if they recognize that the state does not provide a right to abortions or funding for abortions.

California

California’s Proposition 8 is asking voters to decide if there should be regulations for dialysis amongst private clinics and institutions. This would enable patients of any financial background to receive proper treatment regardless of ability to pay. Proposition 11 asks voters to decide if people who are private sector emergency responders should be on call during their paid breaks. This may result in a monetary benefit to government by millions each year.

Georgia

A question on Georgia’s ballot asks if there should be tax incentives for those who run not for profit homes for the mentally disabled.

Maine

Question 1 in Maine is asking if there should be an implementation of a tax on people with higher incomes to fund elderly and disabled home health care. This action is also seeking to implement a board of people to administer the funds collected by these higher income tax brackets.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts’ Question 1 is asking residents if there should be a limit on the amount of patients nurses in a hospital can see at one time. If the hospitals are found to violate this, they will be fined $25,000.00.

Michigan

Michigan is asking if marijuana should be legalized.

Missouri

Missouri is also asking questions about the legalization of medical marijuana.

Montana

Montana is asking voters if the taxes made from tobacco should be contributed to other health initiatives such as Medicaid.

North Dakota

North Dakota is seeking to ask voters if marijuana should be removed from the list of controlled substances, and would expunge criminal records or convictions from previous offenses.

Oklahoma

SQ 793 is asking voters if optometrists and opticians should be regulated. Currently, all prescription eyewear stores need to have over 50% of their revenue from the sale of eye care.

Oregon

Oregon is seeking to ask voters if they support healthcare insurance premiums tax to fund Medicaid.

Utah

Utah is leaning very heavily on medical questions this year. Proposition 2 asks voters if private facilities can grow and distribute medical marijuana,  and asks if the state can control people who grow it independently. Proposition 3 asks voters to decide if the state should expand health coverage of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program to ineligible adults with a low income.

West Virginia

This is quite a controversial topic. West Virginia seeks to ask if there should be language implemented to protect abortion under their Constitution.

Final Thoughts

Did you vote today? What are your opinions on the questions that were asked? Do you generally support regulations on the medical community, or think it should be a free market? Comment below! Check out one of our previous posts on Election Day.