BALTIMORE –
U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Maryland School of Law’s Law & Health Care Program for his efforts to provide Marylanders and all Americans with access to quality and affordable health care.

“We are the richest nation in the world and all our citizens deserve access to quality, affordable health care,” said
Senator Cardin.
  “Improving access to health care is one of my passions and I am committed to making sure that universal health care becomes a reality in our nation.”

Senator Cardin was honored last night for his commitment to expand access to quality health care, one of his top priorities since coming to Congress in 1987.
 During his
20 years in the House, he became a national leader on health care.
  His proposal to expand Medicare to include preventive benefits such as colorectal, prostate, mammogram, and osteoporosis screening was enacted into law.
  He also authored legislation to fund graduate medical education, guarantee coverage for emergency services, and improve the Medicare drug benefit for seniors.
 

In the Senate, he introduced the

Universal Health Coverage Act of 2007
, S. 1899, which would require every American to have health insurance coverage.
 Earlier this year, Senator Cardin was successful in getting a guaranteed dental benefit included in the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program
. He
also has fought for better defined prescription drug benefit plans, waiving fees for preventive services and initial examinations, an increase in the number of federally qualified health centers, and a plan to allow individuals between ages 55-64 to buy into Medicare early.

This is the University of Maryland Law & Health Care Program’s first Lifetime Achievement Award and it is being presented on the occasion of the 25
^th anniversary of the Program.
  Senator Cardin graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1967.