2008 VA Senate Debate between Jim Gilmore and Mark Warner: on Health Care

Jim Gilmore: Health Savings Accounts; association plans; and tort reform

Gilmore: Every American deserves access to affordable, high-quality and reliable health care. In order to achieve this goal, I support a broad range of health care reform including tax reform to help people buy health insurance and maintain health savings accounts; making it easier for small businesses to provide health care for their employees by allowing them to form association health plans. I believe we also need medical liability reforms to reduce frivolous lawsuits and help bring down health care costs.

Warner: We need to fix our nation's health care system. It's both a moral issue and a competitiveness issue-- we simply cannot allow 47 million Americans to go without access to health care. I do not support a government run, single payer system.

Jim Gilmore: Lower Medicare premiums for seniors & keep program solvent

Gilmore: I support lowering Medicare premiums. Seniors face a growing threat from higher Medicare premiums that diminish their Social Security and retirement savings. We have a moral responsibility to older Americans and to future generations to address this difficult problem and if elected to the US Senate, I will work tirelessly to help keep Medicare and Social Security stable and solvent for current and future generations.

Mark Warner: Cannot allow 47 million Americans to go without access

Warner: We need to fix our nation's health care system. It's both a moral issue and a competitiveness issue--we simply cannot allow 47 million Americans to go without access to health care while those who are fortunate enough to have insurance pay twice as much per person as our competitors around the world. By focusing on preventative care and cutting costs through proven measures like switching to electronic medical records, we can expand coverage and increase quality of care. I do not support a government run, single payer system.

Gilmore: I support a broad range of health care reform including tax reform to help people buy health insurance and maintain health savings accounts. I believe we also need medical liability reforms to reduce frivolous lawsuits and help bring down health care costs.