While he has raked in big bucks from his friends in the health insurance field, Trunzo's failed leadership is resulting in millions of people lacking adequate health coverage. Trunzo, who is running on the slogan, "don't fix what's not broken", has a record that's resulted in our healthcare system being broken. Whenever there are legislative battles pitting insurance companies against every-day consumers struggling to pay their healthcare premiums, Trunzo's is a vote the insurance companies can and do count on.
Senator Trunzo voted against women and in favor of HMO's when he voted "No" on the Women's Health and Wellness Bill. The legislation sought to make insurance companies cover mammograms for women over 40.
Despite the fact that Long Islanders face the highest rate of breast cancer in the United States, Senator Trunzo chose to side with insurance companies over prevention, the best defense against breast cancer. In addition to mammograms, the bill would have forced HMO's to cover cervical cancer screenings.
Senator Trunzo and his colleagues killed major legislation that would have held HMO's legally liable for the consequences of their decisions. Under the bill, patients who suffer pain, injuries, and even death because of the denial of care or delays in approving care would have the right to place the blame on the insurer, just as a patient would sue a physician for medical malpractice. Thanks to Trunzo's inaction, the bill died on the Senate Calendar.
"Senator Trunzo takes $66,000 from the healthcare industry; then protects the industry from having to care for sick New Yorkers," said Ibrahim Khan, Communications Director for the Foley for Senate campaign. "I think voters can connect the dots. Trunzo's failed policies of the past demonstrate that he's either unwilling or unable to stand up for us when it matters most."
Trunzo's voting pattern demonstrates his commitment to making sure his buddies in Big Business are always taken care of, even if it means his constituents can't go to the doctor's when they're sick. In a shocking vote, Trunzo voted against making Walmart and other large employers provide healthcare benefits to their employees. This, despite that fact that most of these corporations have multi-million dollar budgets and all of them employ at least 50 people.
Trunzo seems to be your typical Republican. He's in bed with the insurance companies and votes against measures that would improve health care instead of trying to diminish it.
The folks in SD-3 have a clear choice on Tuesday: Vote for Trunzo, the status quo, or vote for Brian Foley, someone who will bring real change and real leadership to the district and to Albany.
