Anthony is 100% pro-choice and stands with Planned Parenthood. He wants to ensure that reproductive rights are fully funded and accessible in county hospitals where majority poor and low income people go for healthcare services. As commissioner Anthony will join the movement to codify Roe v. Wade and fight to protect a woman’s right to choose. He will work to maintain Illinois's protections for abortion access.
Cook County is home to the third-largest public health system in the nation, with two major hospitals and over 30 neighborhood clinics. It’s also home to one of the largest healthcare providers to low-income people through the Medicaid County Care program. The Cook County Health System serves more than 500,000 individuals annually.
As Commissioner, I will work to:
- Fully fund Cook County hospitals and clinics.
The people of Cook County deserve fully funded and fully staffed hospitals and clinics. I will work to address wait lines and improve nurse-to-patient ratios to ensure workers are not overworked and patients are cared for. I will fight against any effort to privatize or cut funding to our hospitals and clinics and make sure public employees provide public services.
- Fund existing mental healthcare clinics and build new facilities.
Our communities are experiencing a mental healthcare crisis due to years of disinvestment in our public healthcare system. I will work to build local, neighborhood clinics to provide high-quality mental healthcare services to begin addressing this crisis.
- Expand CountyCare.
I will work to build on the success of the CountyCare Medicaid health plan by fighting to expand access to more people, including undocumented residents.
- Protect our healthcare workers.
Frontline healthcare workers have put their lives on the line to serve Cook County throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, providing thousands of residents with essential services and lifesaving medical care. I will use my office to amplify the voices of nurses, hospital staff, and healthcare workers to secure safer working conditions.