INDEPENDENT PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT BACKS DELLINGER CRITIQUE OF DALTON'S RECORD

(Asheville) - Adam Searing, project director for the NC Justice Center's Health Access Coalition, today told the Asheville Citizen Times that state senator Walter Dalton's tenure was "marked by him trying to cut care for the most vulnerable, including prescription drugs." ("Ads tout resumés of WNC Dems," Asheville Citizen Times, April 8, 2008). Searing's comments came in response to Dalton's first TV ad, in which Dalton claimed among other things that he had "made prescription drugs more affordable."

The NC Justice Center is one of the state's leading private, nonprofit anti-poverty organizations. Searing joined the Center in 1997 as Director of the North Carolina Health Access Coalition. In the decade since, he's won and helped implement expansions of the state Medicaid program, helped win passage of the state's Children's Health Insurance Program (Health Choice), and fought for consumer rights for North Carolinians in HMOs. His work has been recognized by the NC Public Health Association, the NC Primary Health Care Association, regional and state newspapers, and the honorary societies Delta Omega (public health) and Pi Sigma Alpha (political science).

Drawing on this experience, Searing pointed to Dalton's support for a 2005 budget plan that would have trimmed the Medicaid rolls. Searing said the failed proposal would have dropped or cut health coverage for 65,000 aged or disabled people.

"If Dalton's running around saying, 'I made things more affordable,' I think the main part of his tenure in the Senate was … marked by him trying to cut care for the most vulnerable, including prescription drugs," Searing said.

On Friday, the Dellinger Campaign provided a fact check on Dalton's claims. Dellinger specifically commented on Dalton's claim to have protected prescription drugs, as well as his claims to have raised the state minimum wage and teacher salaries. The full list is available here.

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