2020 AARP Senate/House Voter Guide: on Health Care


David Perdue: Market based solutions, crack down on fraud in Medicare

We need lower prescription drug costs, and increased access to health care through market-based solutions that increase competition--not government controls that have never really worked. I believe that increasing transparency and cracking down on fraud in Medicare would improve the program's long-term viability. We need to guarantee coverage for preexisting conditions and protect seniors from surprise medical bills.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2020 Georgia Senate race Oct 8, 2020

David Perdue: Incentivize drug manufacturers to lower prices

The cost of prescription drugs is one of the biggest drivers of healthcare costs in America. I've put forward plans that would incentivize drug manufacturers to offer their products at a lower cost and address inefficiencies in the drug market supply chain. I've also fought for legislation that would require pharmacists to disclose fees and price concessions they use for Medicare Part D. All Americans, and especially our seniors, deserve transparency at the pharmacy counter.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2020 Georgia Senate race Oct 8, 2020

David Perdue: Invest in equipping vulnerable populations

Seniors are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 and we need to take special measures to ensure their safety. The CARES Act made sure that PPE shortages for long-term care facilities were addressed and passed billions of dollars in funding for our providers to care for our seniors who'd become infected. We expanded telehealth and home health flexibilities. It's vital that we make sure we continue our investment in equipping vulnerable populations not just now but for future crises as well.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2020 Georgia Senate race Oct 8, 2020

Jon Ossoff: Will oppose ongoing efforts to defund Medicare

Medicare is an absolutely vital program. It's a healthcare program that America's seniors rely upon, and I will vote to ensure they can continue to rely upon it. I will oppose efforts to weaken Medicare. I will oppose efforts to shift the burden of health care costs further on to seniors. I'll work to empower Medicare to further lower health care costs--for example, by negotiating lower prescription drug costs. I will oppose ongoing efforts to defund Medicare.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2020 Georgia Senate race Oct 8, 2020

Jon Ossoff: Empower Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices

The cost of medicine in America is an absolute scandal. The drug companies lobbied Congress so that Medicare can't negotiate lower prescription drug prices. They've bought off politicians, who let the drug companies keep price-gouging the American citizens. Lowering the cost of medicine in America will be among my top priorities in the U.S. Senate. I will stand up to those drug company lobbyists, crack down on price gouging to empower Medicare to negotiate lower prices.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2020 Georgia Senate race Oct 8, 2020

Jon Ossoff: More federal support for eldercare in America

I support expanding the Public Health Service, so that there are more doctors and nurses qualified in geriatrics and eldercare to help us staff elder care facilities. I support, as part of a significant health care reform package, more federal support for eldercare in America so that America's seniors, regardless of wealth, can depend upon a dignified retirement where health is taken care of and where they have highly qualified professionals to attend to them as necessary.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2020 Georgia Senate race Oct 8, 2020

Kelly Loeffler: Against Medicare for All, use free market solutions

My goal is to make sure that seniors have better access to quality, affordable health care. I will never cut funding for seniors. Democrats are pushing a dangerous "Medicare for All" system that would bankrupt our country, increase health care costs, reduce coverage and decrease the quality of care. We need to look at ways to increase the efficiency in the current system, cut waste, use free market solutions to drive down the cost of healthcare while increasing affordability and quality.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race Oct 7, 2020

Kelly Loeffler: Reduce regulation, increase competition, cut waste

Every Georgian should have access to high-quality, affordable care. The path to that future will require that we reduce regulation, increase competition and cut waste. Trump has taken action to lower drug prices using exactly these principles, bringing more competition to the market, cutting out the middleman insurers. The socialist Democrats want "Medicare for All," which would mean less choice in the insurance market, worse care and more expensive doctor visits.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race Oct 7, 2020

Kelly Loeffler: For nursing homes, we need tort reform & to cut regulations

I've worked hard throughout COVID-19 to ensure that our nursing homes and long-term care facilities have access to the funding and the support that they need to keep serving our seniors, especially those in rural Georgia. For our nursing homes, for our long-term care facilities, we've got to look at tort reform and other ways to eliminate burdensome regulations that slow down access and reduce quality.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race Oct 7, 2020

Raphael Warnock: Expand Medicaid, protect Medicare

One of the things that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharper focus is the need for a healthcare ecosystem that embraces all citizens, particularly the most vulnerable. States like Georgia need to expand Medicaid, and we need to protect Medicare. I will stand up against any effort to raise the age of eligibility. We have to make sure that Medicare is there, providing affordable, accessible health care, and that we keep the price of prescription drugs within control.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race Oct 7, 2020

Raphael Warnock: Allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices

The high cost of prescription drugs is a sad example of the outsized influence of corporate interests in our politics. Not only has Big Pharma raised the price of generic drugs--in some cases tenfold--they've made it difficult for us to create a system in which generic drugs could lower the cost of prescriptions. Medicare ought to be able to negotiate for lower prescription drugs. The VA does this right now. It's cut the cost of prescription drugs in half. Why can't we do it for Medicare?
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race Oct 7, 2020

Raphael Warnock: Expand Medicaid to help with long-term care services

We know that Medicaid is the biggest payer of long-term care services such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities. I will be working hard to expand Medicaid funding and to help our state leaders to see that we have to expand Medicaid here in Georgia. We've got to strengthen the Affordable Care Act so that we can ensure that our rural hospitals stay open, that we can hire long-term care workers and that people with preexisting conditions will have coverage.
Source: AARP Voter Guide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race Oct 7, 2020

  • The above quotations are from 2020 AARP Senate/House Voter Guide.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Health Care.
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  • Click here for more quotes by Colin Bonini on Health Care.
  • Click here for more quotes by John Carney on Health Care.
Candidates and political leaders on Health Care:

Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Dec 10, 2020