Gubernatorial campaign websites: on Health Care
Lupe Valdez:
Must expand Medicaid; give access to rural communities
Instead of working to make quality healthcare more affordable and accessible, Gov Abbott has done everything he can to end pre-existing condition protections. Therefore, we must accept the $9 billion dollar Medicaid expansion, which would insure
1.5 million people. We must expand access to critical healthcare in our rural communities, which have become medical deserts after Texas has closed down more rural hospitals than any other state in the country in the last eight years.
Source: 2018 Texas Gubernatorial campaign website LupeValdez.com
Oct 9, 2018
Molly Kelly:
Backed Medicaid expansion; opposes efforts to limit access
I believe health care is a right for every person. That's why I voted for Medicaid expansion that now covers 50K people in NH. I oppose efforts that make accessing care more difficult, such as the work requirement. Efforts in Washington to remove
critical rights and protections made possible by the ACA pose a threat to the health and well-being of Granite Staters. No one should face bankruptcy due to a medical emergency or be denied health insurance because they have a pre-existing condition.
Source: 2018 New Hampshire Governor campaign website MollyKelly.com
Oct 9, 2018
Philip Levine:
Expand Medicaid; give healthcare access to everyone
Floridians' access to healthcare has been a political game under Rick Scott's Administration. As Governor, Philip will direct the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration to work with the Federal Government and
expand Medicaid and help almost 700,000 Floridians gain access to the care they badly need. Philip believes it is crucial we build a state where everyone has access to the care they need.
Source: 2018 Florida Governor campaign website PhilipLevine2018.com
Oct 9, 2018
Keith Stern:
Healthcare the community way through medical cost sharing
Healthcare reform must occur. Current system is rigged against the middle class, lining the pockets of the wealthy insurance companies. Now is the time for a new way...an affordable way to offer citizens healthcare. The community way is through medical
cost sharing.It removes over billing by insurance companies and is a free-market solution. With a claim system and a price adjudication system bills get reduced keeping costs down. Holding the feet of the provider to the fire to get a fair price.
Source: 2018 VT Gubernatorial campaign website VermontGetsStern.org
Sep 18, 2018
Christine Hallquist:
Wants to lay groundwork for universal healthcare system
Work with like-minded states to lay the groundwork for a universal healthcare system--despite Vermont not having achieved this in years past, it must still be our goal. Work with Vermont's congressional delegation and like-minded leaders of other states
to fight any cuts to Medicare or Medicaid. Support current legislation, S.53, relating to access to universal primary care in Vermont, that has passed out of the Vermont State Senate.
Source: 2018 VT governor Campaign website ChristineForVermont.com
Sep 1, 2018
Jeff Johnson:
For multi state buying, selling insurance across state lines
Between the skyrocketing cost of health insurance and the declining lack of access, nearly every family has been impacted. I will work to return power over health care to patients and citizens and take advantage of federal waivers allowing Minnesota to
abandon the provisions of Obamacare that have limited choice and increased costs. I will also start negotiating with other Midwestern states to increase competition by creating an interstate compact to sell and buy insurance across state lines.
Source: 2018 Minnesota JohnsonForGovernor.org campaign website
Sep 1, 2018
Laura Kelly:
Expand Medicaid for more coverage and jobs
More than 150,000 Kansans have been left without healthcare coverage due to Brownback and Colyer's failure to expand Medicaid. Not only that, hospitals and clinics across the state are at risk of closing. Laura Kelly has consistently supported expanding
Medicaid to provide health coverage to more Kansas families. She also knows that expanding Medicaid will provide significant impact on our state's economy and create thousands of jobs in the process.
Source: 2018 Gubernatorial campaign website LauraKellyForKansas.com
Aug 14, 2018
Lori Swanson:
Plans to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all
Health care costs--which comprise about 20% of the economy--are straining the budgets of too many families and businesses. We need to make health care more affordable and accessible: Farmers, the self-employed, and everyone else should be able
to buy into Minnesota Care. Lori will lower prescription drug costs allowing Minnesotans to purchase prescriptions at reduced prices that the state pays to drug companies using its buying power. Lori will expand access to treatment for drug dependency.
Source: 2018 Minnesota governor campaign website LoriSwanson.com
Jul 4, 2018
Mick Cornett:
Wants personal responsibility part of a healthcare approach
Mick believes we must prioritize health and wellness to reduce medical costs and live up to our full potential. Mick led Oklahoma City through a transformational shift in its approach to obesity. Relying on individual responsibility and improving
the built environment, Oklahoma City's health statistics have improved in nearly every measurement. Mick wants to create a state that will attract the top doctors and medical care, and he wants all to have access to quality emergency care and hospitals.
Source: 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial campaign website Mick2018.com
Jul 4, 2018
Walt Maddox:
Expand Medicaid so all citizens receive care
Alabama's health ranking is 47th in the nation. In the past seven years, seven rural hospitals have closed or are scheduled to be closed. Pediatricians, dentists, nursing home providers and mental health professionals are leaving smaller communities
jeopardizing the continuum of care for tens of thousands. Montgomery has refused to expand Medicaid which would have provided a $1.8B infusion into Alabama's health care system by providing medical coverage for 331K.
Source: 2018 Alabama gubernatorial campaign website WaltMaddox.com
Jul 4, 2018
Ben Jealous:
Medicare-for-all is the answer to make healthcare affordable
We must stop rising premiums and lower skyrocketing drug prices. The only solution for Maryland's healthcare crisis is a Medicare-for-All System. We must create a healthcare system that ensures residents are protected. I'll do what it
takes to make sure premiums don't bankrupt our families and strangle small businesses. My commitment to a Medicare-for-All system is grounded in a belief that healthcare is a moral and economic imperative that we can no longer ignore.
Source: 2018 Maryland Gubernatorial campaign website, BenJealous.com
Jun 26, 2018
Fred Hubbell:
Stop Medicaid privatization; it failed the most vulnerable
Medicaid privatization has left many of the 600,000 Iowans who use the program with greatly reduced benefits and systemic denials of coverage that especially hurt the most vulnerable among us: the elderly, children, and the disabled. Health care
providers continue to be financially strapped, with some forced to close, because of denied and delayed payments from managed care organizations. We cannot wait any longer. As governor, reversing Medicaid privatization will be a priority on Day 1.
Source: 2018 Iowa Gubernatorial campaign website, FredHubbell.com
Jun 26, 2018
Drew Edmondson:
Reverse decision and accept Medicaid expansion funds
Every Oklahoman should be free to choose the best health care for themselves. Our governor's decision to reject Medicaid expansion not only robbed tens of thousands of health care, it created an insurance monopoly that robbed Oklahomans of choice
and let insurance companies set sky-high rates. It also crippled the ability of our state's rural hospitals to provide care to low-income Oklahomans. Drew Edmondson will reverse our legislature's harmful decision to reject Medicaid expansion funds.
Source: 2018 gubernatorial campaign website DrewForOklahoma.com
Jun 23, 2018
Richard Cordray:
ObamaCare saves lives and improves health
Reliable access to quality health care saves lives, promotes stable and healthy lifestyles, and provides security across the social and economic spectrum. The ACA has benefited a huge number of Ohioans by providing them with greater access to affordable
health care, which is a major worry for people and their families. Yet politicians in Washington are currently seeking to strip away the health care protections. We must fight to keep our health care and help Ohioans manage any gaps in coverage.
Source: 2018 Ohio gubernatorial campaign website CordrayForOhio.com
Apr 4, 2018
Cynthia Nixon:
No one should suffer due to unaffordable health care
I was born in New York City, and I grew up in a one-bedroom fifth floor walk-up with my mom. I'm a proud public school graduate, and these days, an even prouder public school parent. For the last 17 years, I've traveled across this state
to fight for better schools, LGBTQ equality, and women's health care, including the right to choose.We could make sure that no one suffers because they can't afford health care in the wealthiest nation on earth.
Source: 2018 N. Y. governor campaign website CynthiaForNewYork.com
Mar 26, 2018
Andrew Gillum:
Healthcare should be a fundamental right
Andrew believes that healthcare should be a fundamental right, not a privilege. Instead, extreme politicians refuse to acknowledge that Floridians struggle everyday to keep themselves and their families from going bankrupt due to the lack or cost of
healthcare. Andrew believes that Senator Sanders' Medicare for All plan will help lower costs and expand coverage to more Floridians.TrumpCare is nothing more than a tax cut for millionaires that cuts healthcare for millions and raises costs on
everyone else. Here in Florida, we never received the opportunity to benefit from the full impact the Affordable Care Act, because Gov. Scott refused to extend Medicaid to over one million Floridians. Andrew will work to expand Medicaid and strengthen
the Affordable Care Act. Andrew has proposed passing a Florida law protecting people with pre-existing conditions from being denied coverage, being charged more for their care due to a pre-existing condition, or women being charged more than men.
Source: 2018 Florida Governor campaign website AndrewGillum.com
Mar 21, 2018
Jared Fisher:
Free market achieves both affordable AND effective care
I am not a supporter of the ACA, because I don't want our state struggling with implementation because the government won't give us flexibility in the use of federal funding. The ACA sends us closer to a single-payer government healthcare system which
is controlled by Washington.The next Governor will be tasked with addressing healthcare long into the future. What do Nevadans really want from their healthcare: Affordable rates? Lower costs? Access? Quality healthcare? My gut tells me that people
won't want to choose from that list of priorities; they'll want them all. As a free market, there is no reason this can't be accomplished. Making healthcare 'affordable' and 'effective' does not have to be mutually exclusive.
The ACA must be
addressed. Whether it's as drastic as completely phasing it out, as the current administration wants to do, or finding a middle ground to fix the weak points, as Governor, I will make it one of my highest priorities.
Source: 2018 Nevada Governor campaign website FisherForNevada.com
Mar 21, 2018
Karl Dean:
Expand Medicaid for low-income families
Under the Affordable Care Act, states have the option of expanding Medicaid and receiving additional federal tax dollars to provide health coverage for low-income persons and families. Karl believes our state should act immediately to do this. He
supported Gov. Haslam's Insure Tennessee plan. The plan would expand coverage to those who do not fit in a category to qualify for Medicaid & do not make enough money to afford health insurance.By not expanding Medicaid in Tennessee, the state loses
$2.5 million a day of federal funding. This means billions of our tax dollars are going to other states and more than 300,000 Tennesseans have been left without affordable health insurance. Veterans and those with a mental health diagnosis are among
the vulnerable populations most detrimentally impacted by this, including those in the throes of opioid addiction who need treatment.
By not serving all Tennesseans in need, our state is also at risk of receiving fewer federal dollars for Medicaid.
Source: 2018 Tennessee Gubernatorial campaign website KarlDean.com
Mar 21, 2018
Steve Barlock:
Oppose single-payer; oppose healthcare red tape
Q: Are you in favor of keeping Colorado Connect, the state's health insurance exchange?A: No. When someone needs medical care, the last thing they need is more bureaucracy. I support our doctors, nurses, and medical practitioners and will work to
cut down the red tape that has strangled their profession for the past thirty years. By offering a streamlined profession with less bureaucratic hurdles than other states, Colorado will be able to keep the great medical people we have and recruit high
No. This flawed idea was thoroughly rejected by Colorado voters by more than a three to one margin. Although many of my opponents might try to repackage this failed concept, I will actively work against it.
Source: Q&A on 2018 Governor campaign website BarlockForGovernor.com
Mar 21, 2018
Andrew White:
4-step plan to reduce healthcare costs for everyone
Healthcare is expensive. How do we make it cheaper?- List Prices: When I buy health services, I don't even know what it costs.
- Reduce Fraud: Medical professionals who commit fraud need to be in jail.
- Reduce Admin Costs:
Paperwork drives up the cost. Increase
- Preventative Care: We already have universal care. It's called the Emergency Room. And it's expensive. More coverage means lower healthcare costs.
Source: 2018 Texas Gubernatorial campaign website AndrewWhite.com
Feb 22, 2018
Bob Massie:
Healthcare "entitlement" is Constitutional "life & liberty"
We are not arguing on behalf of "entitlements", a slimy word that manages to sound like people are getting something they don't deserve.Our Constitution, a key founding document, enshrines the principle that we have an inalienable
right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". This is one of several "truths" that are "self-evident." You simply cannot have "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" without access to healthcare.
Health care is therefore not a privilege, but a right. Indeed, it is an inalienable right--one that cannot be taken away.
Let's work together to move us rapidly towards the only system that makes
both moral and economic sense for the Commonwealth today--a Single-Payer system of healthcare that covers everyone from birth to death.
Source: 2018 MA gubernatorial campaign website BobMassie2018.com
Aug 4, 2017
Deedra Abboud:
Single payer health care is the goal
Let's face it--if the Republicans had their way, people like me with pre-existing conditions [he was born with hemophilia] would be dead.
As governor, I would fight tirelessly, relentlessly, and aggressively to move us toward what most countries have already achieved: a stable, comprehensive, logical single payer health care system that balances revenue with
expenses and guarantees quality care for everyone in the Commonwealth. Not only would a single payer system empower medical professionals to improve services and help
all people live longer and happier lives, it could reduce our statewide health care costs by nearly 16%.
Source: 2018 gubernatorial campaign website BobMassie2018.com
Jul 17, 2017
J.B. Pritzker:
Irresponsible to not fully fund Medicaid
The Republicans' elimination of Medicaid funding will force some hospitals to close and others to cut services and lay-off healthcare professionals. This is not only morally unconscionable, it is fiscally irresponsible.
I will fight to preserve full Medicaid funding and work with health experts and leaders across the state to expand health coverage for all Illinoisans.
Source: 2018 Illinois gubernatorial campaign website JBPritzker.com
Jul 17, 2017
Nate Boulton:
Focus on vulnerable people rather than corporate profits
Nate would reinstate a state-run managed system that prioritizes Iowa's most vulnerable, instead of corporate profits.
The Branstad-Reynolds administration has failed Iowans and providers alike by handing over the care of 1 in 6 Iowans to a few private managed care companies, who now must be bailed out with taxpayer money to make a profit.
Source: 2018 Iowa gubernatorial campaign website BoultonForIowa.com
Jul 17, 2017
George Brauchler:
Repeal Obamacare; local control of Medicaid
Coloradans deserve access to patient-centered healthcare and affordable premiums. ObamaCare must be repealed to make this happen.
Since becoming the law of the land, ObamaCare has driven more and more Coloradans onto our Medicaid rolls.
At the same time, it has stifled the state's ability to be innovative and has driven costs up at the expense of other state funding priorities, like education and transportation.
We need greater flexibility that gets Washington out of the way and allows our state leaders to craft a Colorado-specific Medicaid plan that is best for Colorado's unique needs.
Source: 2018 Colorado Gubernatorial campaign website george2018.com
Jul 12, 2017
Victor Mitchell:
Insurance is not necessary for primary care
We can get Medicaid spending under control Medicaid has increased by more than 40% since the passage of the unaffordable care act. We're not doing anything to bend the cost of access to affordable care.
We should come up with ideas and solutions that are different, that don't always involve insurance. Why do we even need insurance for primary care? I plan to repeal the exchange here in Colorado and replace it with a patient centered health care plan.
Source: 2018 Colorado Gubernatorial campaign website vic4gov.com
Jul 2, 2017
Victor Mitchell:
ObamaCare doesn't work for 50% of people today
We hear about the handful of people that are going to lose their insurance under the "Un-Affordable Care Act," but don't talk about the more than 50% of people today, that have insurance, that can't access it like Mark who works for me.
He has diabetes. It costs him more than $15,000 a year today to access any service provider between what he has to pay for his co payments his deductibles and his premiums."
Source: 2018 Colorado Gubernatorial campaign website vic4gov.com
Jul 2, 2017
Setti Warren:
Move us towards single-payer healthcare
Setti Warren plans to use new revenue to fund strategies that will reduce the scourge of economic inequality,
like making public colleges free and moving us towards single-payer healthcare.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts governor campaign website SettiWarren.com
Jun 1, 2017
David Hadley:
Government-run health care reduces quality & increases costs
Hadley strongly opposes a government-run health care system because it will reduce quality of care, create health care rationing, interfere with the patient-doctor relationship and cause higher insurance premiums.A champion of affordable programs
that help cover high-risk patients and pre-existing conditions, Hadley also supports allowing out-of-state insurers to compete in California as well as offering health plans that appeal to consumers, not the mandated whims of government bureaucrats.
Source: 2018 CA gubernatorial campaign website DavidHadley.com
May 2, 2017
Ed Perlmutter:
ObamaCare enhances health of America's families and workers
Ed supports the Affordable Care Act and the critical insurance coverage it brings to millions of Americans. The ACA means insurance companies can no longer deny access to affordable insurance coverage to millions of people with preexisting illnesses.
Across the country, the Affordable Care Act is improving and enhancing the health of America's families and workers. Medical decisions should be in the hands of patients and doctors, not insurance companies.
Source: 2018 CO gubernatorial campaign website perlmutter.house.gov
May 2, 2017
Jim Renacci:
Competition & tort reform instead of ObamaCare
Unfortunately, the Affordable Care Act failed to effectively address the increasing cost of providing care. We must take measures to reduce costs and make access to health insurance more affordable for everyone. The key to making health care more
affordable lies with increasing competition and eliminating unnecessary overhead costs on the system, not with a new government takeover of the health care system.While there are several parts of the law that I do support, such as eliminating
spending caps on essential benefits, preventing insurers from unjustly cancelling policies, closing the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole," and increasing wellness incentives, the President's health care reform law does not effectively address any
of the cost issues that prevent Americans from receiving appropriate health care.
I support health care reform that allows consumers to purchase insurance across state lines, and I believe that tort reform will reduce health care costs further.
Source: 2018 Ohio gubernatorial campaign website renacci.house.gov
May 2, 2017
Matt Dean:
Repeal MNSure; it has harmed thousands
Petition to Repeal MNSure and Restore Affordable Healthcare to All Minnesotans:- Whereas MNsure has harmed thousands of Minnesota families by kicking them off of the healthcare insurance which they qualified for and were properly enrolled in, and
harmed others by enrolling them in Medicaid without warning them that the government would be placing liens against their estate;
-
Whereas MNSure has cost taxpayers over $250 million to build and still does not work nearly half of the time, and has stressed out, and harassed thousands more with erroneous and unnecessary letters , and
- Whereas other hardworking Minnesota families
are struggling to get and pay for health insurance made all the more expensive by the expansion of MNSure,
- I, the undersigned do call upon the Governor of Minnesota to seek approval from all necessary state and federal agencies to repeal MNSure.
Source: 2018 Minnesota gubernatorial campaign website MattDean.com
May 2, 2017
Steve Marchand:
System should be stable, affordable, and accessible
Steve's passion for universal health care access for every New Hampshirite comes from his upbringing. Too many people think we have to choose: Either we help working people and their families, or we focus on growing our economy.
But my experience shows me that the right priorities do both: We need a health care system that's stable, affordable, and accessible--including becoming a national leader in preventing and treating substance abuse and addiction.
Source: 2018 N.H. gubernatorial campaign website SteveMarchand.com
May 2, 2017
Tina Liebling:
ObamaCare was a valiant attempt but did not go far enough
Too many Minnesotans can't get the care they need when they need it. People should not have to worry about getting the health care they need because of the cost.The Affordable Care Act was a valiant attempt to improve a failing insurance system.
While it has done a lot of good, it did not go far enough. A system based on insurance will always be costly, complicated, and wasteful for patients, doctors, and employers. "Preserving the market" for insurance is the wrong goal. Our goal must be
making sure that every Minnesotan can access quality health care at a price they can afford.
We waste billions of dollars deciding who gets care, how much, and at what price--instead of paying for the care we need. Minnesota can lead the nation in
moving toward a system where people can choose who provides their health care but don't have to deal with insurance companies. Some call this "single payer." Whatever we call it, we need to remove the barriers between Minnesotans and health care.
Source: 2018 Minnesota governor campaign website TinaLiebling.com
May 2, 2017
Deedra Abboud:
Don't repeal, but improve ObamaCare
We must fight to ensure that Congress improves the Affordable Care Act, rather than repealing and replacing it with a plan that strips away health care for families and crushes the economy. Deedra believes in listening to the will of the people, and
working towards a solution that will strengthen the Affordable Care Act:- Lowering premium costs
- Improving accessibility
- Safeguarding care for those with pre-existing conditions
- Expanding Medicaid and protecting Medicare
Source: 2018 Arizona gubernatorial campaign website, Deedra2018.com
Apr 10, 2017
Bob Harlow:
Full health coverage of your choice, capped at 9% of income
My healthcare plan for Wisconsin provides full coverage for every Wiconsinite at a cost that is never more than 9% of your income. At the same time, it allows you to choose any doctor or specialist in the whole state of Wisconsin for each exam or
procedure. It works like this.- You will never pay more than 9% of your income for healthcare.
- You can choose any doctor or specialist in the whole state for each exam or procedure. No more expensive insurance companies telling you what you
can and can't do.
- You pay the difference between the 33rd percentile of bids in your region and the bid you choose capped at 9% of your income. If you choose a bid that is less expensive than the 33rd percentile of bids, you pay nothing.
-
You do not have to pay anything out of pocket. Simply calculate how much you owe up to 9% of your income, and send a check to the State of Wisconsin.
Source: 2018 Wisconsin Gubernatorial campaign website BobHarlow.net
Mar 15, 2017
Chris Countryman:
Quality affordable care available to everyone
Health care has turned into big business for insurance companies and health care providers. Unfortunately today's changing economic landscape make it difficult for many people to get the health care services that they need. Quality and essential health
care is becoming something that is only available for the wealthy, and for those who have jobs that provide health care coverage. This is completely unacceptable. Quality and affordable health care is something that should be available to everyone.
Source: 2018 Alabama Gubernatorial campaign website "testtrac2018"
Mar 15, 2017
Rich Leopold:
Our handling of mental illness & medical coverage is abysmal
There are dark clouds on Iowa's horizon because of poor executive management. Our handling of mental illness and medical coverage is abysmal, largely due to arrogant mismanagement by the executive branch.
The Governor's inflammatory rhetoric and policies have divided our state between rural and urban Iowans, just when we need to be united.
Source: 2018 Iowa Gubernatorial campaign website RichLeopold.com
Mar 15, 2017
Jay Gonzalez:
Health insurance coverage for low-income residents
Jay Gonzalez has spent his career working to improve the lives of people in Massachusetts. Through his work providing health insurance coverage for low-income residents, helping cities and towns build new schools and fire stations, and managing the
state budget for Governor Deval Patrick during the Great Recession, Jay has always put people first.He also served as Chairman of the Board of the Massachusetts Health Connector, where he oversaw implementation of Massachusetts' health care reform.
Most recently, Jay served as President and CEO of CeltiCare Health and New Hampshire Healthy Families, where he helped tens of thousands of low-income residents access the health care services they need. Under his leadership,
Jay turned CeltiCare Health around, launched New Hampshire Healthy Families, grew the company's regional presence by multiple times and added hundreds of jobs.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts Governor campaign website jay4ma.com
Mar 11, 2017
Prasad Srinivasan:
Stop bureaucrats looking over doctor's shoulders
Reform healthcare so doctors can practice without worrying about bureaucrats looking over their shoulder- Led the efforts to ensure medical services continue uninterrupted in hospitals facing severe economic challenges
-
Co sponsored legislation to reduce treatment delays
- Strongly supported 3D mammograms were on the list of covered treatment options
- Supported the expansion of medical marijuana eligibility
Source: 2018 CT Governor campaign website SrinivasanForGovernor.com
Mar 11, 2017
Prasad Srinivasan:
Stop treating hospitals like piggy banks to close budget gap
As our population ages, healthcare access and healthcare costs are huge concerns. We need to create an environment where our excellent physicians have the motivation to stay in our state. We need to stop treating our hospitals like piggy banks
to close budget gaps. We need appropriate reforms that allow doctors to practice medicine without worrying that bureaucrats are looking over their shoulders. Quality must come first.
Source: 2018 CT Governor campaign website SrinivasanForGovernor.com
Mar 11, 2017
Marty Jackley:
States stopped ObamaCare's forced Medicaid expansion
[I saw this week] a very good editorial by Charles Krauthammer about how Attorneys General have led the fight protecting state rights against federal power.
We stopped ObamaCare's forced Medicaid expansion, secured stays for two egregious EPA measures, and blocked Obama's executive order that would have legalized 4 million illegal immigrants.
Source: 2018 S.D.Governor campaign website FriendsOfMartyJackley.com
Mar 3, 2017
Chris Kennedy:
Treat the mentally ill instead of jailing them
We live in a country where there are 10 million people with schizophrenia and bipolar and major depression, often which cause substantial impairment, and something like 40% of them receive no treatment in a given year. We moved the seriously affected
out of psychiatric hospitals where, in the 50s, we had 330 beds or more per 100,000 people, and today, we only have 11 or 12 beds per 100,000 people in our country to serve these people. Our largest overnight facility for people with mental illness is
now our jail system and our prisons, where a huge percentage of inmates have untreated mental illness. We've arranged for our largest insurer of this population, Medicaid, to reimburse psychiatrists in a way that is
so unrewarding that now many of these medical professionals won't accept Medicaid or care for these patients as a result of this government policy. We as a country are not acting rationally.
Source: 2018 Gubernatorial campaign website, KennedyForIllinois.com
Jan 31, 2017
Chris Kennedy:
Don't punish the hospitals; don't divide them from doctors
The last gubernatorial election was divisive for the healthcare field. The lobbyists who traditionally represented doctors seemed to favor Bruce Rauner, and lobbyists who traditionally represented hospitals seemed to support Pat Quinn. The governor's
office created budget documents that will, in effect, disproportionally punish hospitals, including small safety-net hospitals. I can tell you that, if the small safety net hospitals like Mt. Sinai, fail, their patient load will overwhelm the capacity
to absorb them at the University of Illinois hospital, and this will threaten the very existence of our state hospital and the power of our medical school and perhaps threaten the economic viability of the entire University itself. Northwestern,
Loyola and U of C and many other regional hospitals will face the same fate. We cannot let revenge politics destroy social service networks and some of the greatest healthcare economic engines the state has.
Source: 2018 Gubernatorial campaign website, KennedyForIllinois.com
Jan 31, 2017
Mark Green:
Expanding Medicaid is naive; ObamaCare is crumbling
Since 2010, seven rural hospitals have closed in Tennessee. Nationally, some 283 are considered vulnerable for future closure, with two of those located in Tennessee. With increased distances to emergency rooms, longer driving times can mean the
difference between life and death. In many rural communities, jobs are also at stake, all of which beg the question: How do we save our rural hospitals?Expanding Medicaid is naive and ignores the problems both with health care in a rural setting and
the very reasons the Affordable Care Act, or ObamaCare, the law under which such an expansion would occur, is crumbling around us.
Since the passage of the ACA, 31 states have chosen to dump thousands of able-bodied, working-age adults without
children onto Medicaid rolls that are already failing to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. States like Tennessee said "no" to this failing scheme and are ready to embrace a new frontier in the way we manage healthcare.
Source: 2018 Gubernatorial campaign website, MarkGreen4TN.com
Jan 31, 2017
Mark Green:
Align MD Foundation: care for underserved populations
Mark is the president/CEO of Align MD, an emergency department staffing company, which provides leadership and staffing to emergency departments and hospitalist services in thirty hospitals in six states.
Mark founded Align MD Foundation, which provides healthcare to underserved populations throughout the world, and operates a free medical clinic in his hometown.
Source: 2018 Gubernatorial campaign website, MarkGreen4TN.com
Jan 31, 2017
Andy McGuire:
Healthcare is a right for all Iowans
Right now, we need to generate new ideas to bring down costs and ensure comprehensive coverage because I believe that healthcare is a right for all Iowans not a privilege for the chosen few.
With the three insurance companies that provide individual policies to Iowans threatening to leave the state, we must look for new solutions to stabilize the marketplace.
Source: 2018 Iowa governor campaign website McGuireForGovernor.com
Jul 2, 2016
Andy McGuire:
Reduce costs through preventive care, lower drug prices
As a doctor, I know that the best way to lower healthcare costs is to reduce the amount of care a patient needs. When patients needs fewer medical services, we're able to reduce costs across the system. This is why I'll support programs that
encourage more Iowans to seek preventive care in order to identify potential health problems before they arise. And as governor, I'll support legislation that works to drive down the costs of prescription drugs.
Source: 2018 Iowa governor campaign website McGuireForGovernor.com
Jul 2, 2016
Page last updated: Dec 01, 2021
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