Aaraj Vij: Rashid is Right on Healthcare

COVID-19 patients are being met with thousands of dollars in medical bills, after insurance. While these price tags are appalling, consider the costs for the 700,000 Virginians who entered this pandemic with no health insurance at all. It couldn’t be clearer: our health care system is broken. Rep. Rob Wittman has been ineffectual in providing Virginians high quality, affordable care, but his challenger Qasim Rashid has a plan to do just that.

Rashid’s health care plan will guarantee every American medical coverage including vision, dental, and hearing. Under his plan, every American will be able to see the doctor without being charged an exorbitant medical bill. And by eliminating costly administrative burdens, Rashid’s plan is substantially cheaper than the current system.

Rep. Wittman defends our employer-based health insurance system, insisting that it preserves our “choice.” Does it? If our employer decides to switch our health insurance provider, our long-time doctors might suddenly be out of network. If we lose our job, like millions of Americans have this year, we lose our health insurance altogether. How much “choice” do we have when our employers dictate the terms of our health care?

Here’s what real choice looks like: Being able to go to any doctor, not just those in network, even if you lose your job. Being able to seek medical care without fear of insurmountable medical debt. Rashid’s plan ditches the platitude and makes choice a reality.

District 1 needs a candidate who takes health care seriously. Choose Qasim Rashid.

Aaraj Vij is a student at the College of William and Mary.