2009 MA Senate Primary Debate: on Health Care

Scott Brown: MA already has health bill; don't impose new federal bill

A: I'm shocked at the four people that are running on the other side and the twelve people that are representing us [as the Massachusetts delegation in Congress] are pushing this so hard--in Massachusetts we have a law already that's working. It's not perfect, but the same bill at the federal level is going to be in direct competition in Massachusetts and it's not going to be good for Massachusetts businesses. Massachusetts citizens are taxpayers: it's going to cost upwards of three trillion dollars. Why don't we take a little bit of federal money and fix the approach to the problems that we may have here: mandates and a lot of the managed care issues we've go --let the other states do it [as Massachusetts did]. I think it's inappropriate for the federal government to come down and put their will on our people. I'm not saying that I think everybody should have some form of coverage. But we already have it.

Scott Brown: Public option is really a government option

A: It's really a government option and for us in Massachusetts, we have almost 94% of our people insured here in Massachusetts. And we have a fantastic health care system, teaching hospitals, insurance companies that provide great benefits for our state. Why would we want to--I feel--dumb down the medical services and medical insurance in Massachusetts to provide for that type of plan? So I'm not in favor of it.