2016 CO Senate race: on Health Care

Darryl Glenn: ObamaCare is entitlement program that we cannot afford

Darryl Glenn: ObamaCare is the latest example of a government entitlement program that neither the federal government nor individual citizens can afford and Colorado has been particularly hard hit. Premiums have skyrocketed, and the state-run co-op, Colorado HealthOP, has shut down due to insolvency. This is unsustainable and unaffordable. The solution is clear: we must repeal and replace ObamaCare in favor of a more affordable and practical approach for families. My plan would be to free people of the unconstitutional burden of being mandated to purchase increasingly costly insurance or face a financial punishment from the government. ObamaCare must be replaced with a more commonsense approach to healthcare that includes tort reform, permitting insurance to be purchased across state lines, and improving public health to decrease the demand for medical care.

Michael Bennet: Help seniors on Medicare; speed up drug approval

Michael Bennet: The first thing we need to address is the cost of care. I have a bipartisan bill that would help seniors on Medicare get to their appointments, get the medicine they need, focus on preventative care and coordinate their care between doctors and facilities. 15% of Medicare recipients account for $300 billion in Medicare spending. We could cut billions off that without affecting benefits. I've also cosponsored the Health Care Premium Reduction Act, which will help states fight big premium increases. We also need to do more to ensure people have access to lifesaving drugs they need. One of my proudest legislative accomplishments was working with Republicans to cut through red tape and speed up the approval process for potentially life-saving treatments and drugs. And we need to take serious steps towards transparency across the health care sector--drugs, hospitals, and insurance companies.

Darryl Glenn: ObamaCare has made health insurance much more expensive

A: ObamaCare has made health insurance much more expensive for Coloradans across the state. And in many cases, people who now have insurance either can't afford their doctor visit, or can't find a doctor willing to accept their government-mandated insurance. In fact, Senator Bennet wanted to go even further than ObamaCare and institute a public option. But now that it's an election year, he comes back to Colorado and says he opposes Colorado's single payer healthcare initiative. Senator Bennet recently admitted that ObamaCare has been devastating for Coloradans--some of whom will see their premiums go up by almost 30% in the coming year alone.

Q: How would you approach reforming the Affordable Care Act?

A: We need to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with innovative, free-market solutions that focus on healthcare outcomes and the doctor-patient relationship.

Darryl Glenn: Repeal & Replace ObamaCare, and Restore out freedoms

First, we must Repeal the Affordable Care Act! We have to restore our individual freedoms because they are the bedrock of our nation. We cannot allow the government to mandate health care coverage on its free people. That is against our founding principles. This law has weighed down many and helped very few. Our citizens deserve the right and freedom to make their own choices about their health care from the type of policy to the level of care. These should be their choices, not the government's mandate.

My vision for this great nation is to restore our freedom and allow individuals the opportunity to determine their own future.

Darryl Glenn: Tort reform; catastrophic coverage; wellness programs

The marketplace can effectively and efficiently produce 21st century health care programs. If individuals elect to carry health insurance, and we actually want to improve the health care system. the recommended changes below should be adopted:
• Guiding tort reform
• Providing policy options by allowing individuals to purchase insurance across state lines
• Universal coverage of catastrophic health events
• Wellness programs that reward a proactive healthy lifestyle

Peg Littleton: ObamaCare makes healthcare less accessible & more expensive

I will fight for genuinely affordable access to health care in Colorado & throughout the country. The key to affordable health care is supply. More doctors, nurses, hospitals and clinics will result in more access and lower prices. In the Senate, I will support policies that encourage investment in medical facilities, medical research and restore the desire among our best and brightest young people to pursue medical careers.

I will also fight for legislation that will allow the imposition of market forces in the medical marketplace. If consumers are allowed to shop for better medical bargains, prices will come down.

We must devise a system that protects the interests and choices of patients by putting them in control of health care and insurance markets.