Schwartz was known as one of the leading health care experts in government. She authored several key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including increasing access to primary care, banning pre-existing conditions exclusions and allowing young adults to remain on their parent's health coverage. She is pro-choice and received a 100% rating from NARAL in 2011. She voted twice against Republican-led efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, and supported legislation requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortion care to women who could die without it.