2020 CO Senatorial race: on Health Care


Cory Gardner: COVID: government containing, stabilizing supply-chain

Q: COVID-19: Support administration's response to coronavirus pandemic?

Corey Gardner: Yes. "HHS, through a number of its agencies, is actively leading critical prevention, containment, and supply-chain stability."

John Hickenlooper: No. "Only way to regain our confidence and restart our economy is having the capacity to either test or vaccinate every American."

Source: CampusElect on 2020 Colorado Senate race Oct 10, 2020

John Hickenlooper: COVID: Need capacity test or vaccinate every American

Q: COVID-19: Support administration's response to coronavirus pandemic?

John Hickenlooper: No. "Only way to regain our confidence and restart our economy is having the capacity to either test or vaccinate every American."

Corey Gardner: Yes. "HHS, through a number of its agencies, is actively leading critical prevention, containment, and supply-chain stability."

Source: CampusElect on 2020 Colorado Senate race Oct 10, 2020

Cory Gardner: Supported efforts to repeal Affordable Care Act

Hickenlooper proceeded to attack Gardner for the senator's efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, noting Gardner ran for Congress in 2010 vowing to roll back the law and supported Trump's effort to end it in 2017. Gardner has tried to defend his votes by pointing to a 117-page bill he wrote that says it protects pre-existing conditions, but legal experts call it a political stunt.
Source: CBS-Denver on 2020 Colorado Senate debate Oct 2, 2020

John Hickenlooper: ACA led to successful state marketplace & Medicaid expansion

Hickenlooper touted the success of Colorado's insurance marketplace, created by Obamacare, and adding 400,000 people to Medicaid. He said Republicans are trying to take away protections for people. He wants a sliding scale public option and extend coverage to all Americans by demanding bulk discounts on drugs for Medicare, which the government doesn't get now. "We roll it out and everyone in this country has coverage, just like they do in every other industrialized country," Hickenlooper said.
Source: ColoradoPolitics.com on 2020 Colorado Senate debate Oct 2, 2020

John Hickenlooper: COVID: Trump ignored the risk, that was negligent

In his opening statement, Hickenlooper took aim at Trump. Hickenlooper offered prayers for the president, who was hospitalized with COVID-19 hours before the debate. But he criticized Trump's response to the pandemic. "He ignored the risk. That was negligent," Hickenlooper said. "We're in a crisis and the stakes couldn't be higher.
Source: KUNC-BBC radio on 2020 Colorado Senate debate Oct 2, 2020

John Hickenlooper: We need to get to universal coverage, won't break the bank

The candidates also offered differing views on health care, with Hickenlooper defending the Affordable Care Act. Gardner said Hickenlooper wants "government-run health care." "You know what's the cruelest lie of all, it's that Cory Gardner says he has a plan to protect people with pre-existing conditions," Hickenlooper said. "We need to get to universal coverage. It's not going to cost a fortune. It's not going to break the bank."
Source: KUNC-BBC radio on 2020 Colorado Senate debate Oct 2, 2020

Cory Gardner: I want to fight against Medicare for All

Q: Your Medicare policy?

A: We need to continue health care policy to drive down the cost of health care and increase the quality. I am committed to making sure that Medicare remains a viable strong safety net. We have to make sure that this important safety net program continues. I've been fighting to make sure that taxes don't increase the cost of health care. I want to fight against 'Medicare for All,' which means that 20-year-old will be competing against somebody who is 65 and over.

Source: AARP Survey on 2020 Colorado Senate race Sep 30, 2020

Cory Gardner: Prevent Big Pharma from denying generic status to some drugs

Q: Your prescription drug policy?

A: I've worked hard on several pieces of legislation to increase competition to drive down costs. I've introduced a bill on price transparency that would help consumers be able to shop better for more affordable prescription drugs and also legislation that would prevent the Big Pharma companies from denying generic status to certain drugs. When a drug goes on generic, we can have more affordability. And more competition means more general affordability as well.

Source: AARP Survey on 2020 Colorado Senate race Sep 30, 2020

John Hickenlooper: Allow Medicare to negotiate with drug companies

Q: Your Medicare policy?

A: Everyone deserves access to high quality health care. The program covers nearly all older Americans who earned this coverage through a lifetime of hard work. To help lower costs, I support allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to get a better deal. It's astounding that they're currently not allowed to do so, and I'd work to change that on day one in the Senate.

Source: AARP Survey on 2020 Colorado Senate race Sep 30, 2020

John Hickenlooper: Investigate anticompetitive practices by drug companies

Q: Your prescription drug policy?

A: I will fight to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. Medicare should be able to negotiate prices directly with drug companies. Congress should explore the possibility of importing safe medicine from Canada. We can pass legislation requiring more transparency in drug pricing and curtailing significant increases in the price of both generic and specialty drugs. Congress should investigate potential anticompetitive practices in the pharmaceutical industry.

Source: AARP Survey on 2020 Colorado Senate race Sep 30, 2020

John Hickenlooper: I will always stand up for Medicaid

Q: Your Medicaid policy?

A: I support strengthening programs that help seniors stay in their homes. By approving transportation options and controlling housing and health care costs, we can help more people live life on their own terms. We need to strengthen protections for seniors in long-term health care facilities as well. Not only that, but many seniors depend on Medicaid for long-term care. I will always stand up for Medicaid and every person's right to access quality and affordable care.

Source: AARP Survey on 2020 Colorado Senate race Sep 30, 2020

Alice Madden: Grow toward a public option

Madden would like to see the country "grow toward a public option," but with choices intact: "Some people may want to keep their private insurance, but I think the government can handle that if it's rolled out in a good way. If an insurance company is a for-profit corporation, there's money not being spent in the best interest of the people and revenue that's not being invested in people. It makes sense to have a nonprofit or government-run entity to get the most bang out of your buck."
Source: Westword.com on 2020 Colorado Senate race Oct 11, 2019

Dan Baer: Address insurance non-coverage, but no single-payer system

A big agenda item for Baer is universal health care. He prefers immediate steps to help people without coverage now as opposed to making an all-or-nothing bid for a single-payer system in part because of what happened in his own family. "My dad got cancer for the first time when I was in high school, then went into remission for eight years. But he was diagnosed again when I was in graduate school. We had health insurance, but the hospital, in the summer of 2002, told him that he had used up the hospital days that were on the policy and had to go home even though he wasn't really in a condition to do that. So I came home from school to help my mom and help with a seven-year-old brother who required care, too. And my dad died at our house on Dexter Street."
Source: Westword.com on 2020 Colorado Senate race Apr 30, 2019

  • The above quotations are from 2020 Colorado Senatorial race: debates and news coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Health Care.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Colorado on Health Care.
  • Click here for more quotes by Mike Johnston 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 07, 2020