State of Virginia secondary Archives: on Health Care


Bob McDonnell: Resist congressional encroachment & socialized medicine

McDonnell successfully steered much of the conversation to federal bills that he said would hurt the state's economy. He said Virginia needs a governor who would resist congressional encroachment, citing "socialized medicine," "micromanaging AIG, GM and some other large businesses," the cap-and-trade proposal to limit greenhouse emissions and "card-check" legislation backed by labor, which would end secret balloting for workers deciding whether to join a union.
Source: Washington Post coverage: 2009 VA gubernatorial debate Jul 25, 2009

Dave Brat: ObamaCare is an unconstitutional power grab

ObamaCare has proven to be an economically disastrous law and an unconstitutional power grab by our Federal Government. The government cannot and should not be permitted to run and regulate nearly 20% of our nation's economy. We must restore the relationship between doctor and patient. We must restore the relationship between price and service in medicine. I support a plan to defund the law and replace it with free-market solutions that lower costs, improve quality, and increase access to care.
Source: 2014 VA -7 House campaign website, DaveBratForCongress.com Jun 15, 2014

Jim Gilmore: $25M more for medical care for most vulnerable citizens

There are certain men and women who those of us in government must always remember. Our most vulnerable citizens - the poor, the sick, the elderly, the disabled - often have no other alternative than help from the government.

Thousands of needy adults and children all across Virginia depend on Medicaid for their medical care. But with the rising cost of services and the growing use of those services, the financial burden on the state has increased dramatically. I propose we fully fund Medicaid this year. In addition, I propose $25 million to compensate the Medical College of Virginia for the care they provide patients who don't have insurance or whose treatment isn't covered by Medicaid. We must leave no Virginian behind, especially the poor who can't afford medical care.

Source: 2001 State of the State Address to VA General Assembly Jan 10, 2001

Jim Gilmore: Health Savings Accounts; association plans; and tort reform

Q: Would you favor legislation requiring that every American have health insurance?

Gilmore: Every American deserves access to affordable, high-quality and reliable health care. In order to achieve this goal, I support a broad range of health care reform including tax reform to help people buy health insurance and maintain health savings accounts; making it easier for small businesses to provide health care for their employees by allowing them to form association health plans. I believe we also need medical liability reforms to reduce frivolous lawsuits and help bring down health care costs.

Warner: We need to fix our nation's health care system. It's both a moral issue and a competitiveness issue-- we simply cannot allow 47 million Americans to go without access to health care. I do not support a government run, single payer system.

Source: 2008 VA Senate debate reported in The Virginian-Pilot Oct 17, 2008

Jim Gilmore: Lower Medicare premiums for seniors & keep program solvent

Q: What is your stance on providing for Medicare and Social Security?

Gilmore: I support lowering Medicare premiums. Seniors face a growing threat from higher Medicare premiums that diminish their Social Security and retirement savings. We have a moral responsibility to older Americans and to future generations to address this difficult problem and if elected to the US Senate, I will work tirelessly to help keep Medicare and Social Security stable and solvent for current and future generations.

Source: 2008 VA Senate debate reported in The Virginian-Pilot Oct 17, 2008

Lee Carter: Fighting for a universal healthcare system from day one

Lee has been fighting for a universal healthcare system from day one. Lee will press Virginia's Congressional delegation to pass Medicare for All. But if the federal government keeps dragging their feet, Lee will take action at the state level. In 2017, he authored a policy paper outlining how Virginia could implement a state-level universal plan that would cover everyone, improve patient outcomes, and reduce costs by upwards of 30%.
Source: 2021 VA Governor campaign website CarterForVirginia.com Aug 5, 2021

Mark Warner: Cannot allow 47 million Americans to go without access

Q: Would you favor legislation requiring that every American have health insurance?

Warner: We need to fix our nation's health care system. It's both a moral issue and a competitiveness issue--we simply cannot allow 47 million Americans to go without access to health care while those who are fortunate enough to have insurance pay twice as much per person as our competitors around the world. By focusing on preventative care and cutting costs through proven measures like switching to electronic medical records, we can expand coverage and increase quality of care. I do not support a government run, single payer system.

Gilmore: I support a broad range of health care reform including tax reform to help people buy health insurance and maintain health savings accounts. I believe we also need medical liability reforms to reduce frivolous lawsuits and help bring down health care costs.

Source: 2008 VA Senate debate reported in The Virginian-Pilot Oct 17, 2008

Ralph Northam: Medicaid expansion will save taxpayers billions

I am a practicing physician and I know firsthand just how important access to quality health care is for Virginia families. Our health care system was broken, and we have made strides in the right direction toward improving access to high quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

Our work is not yet done. Last year, I sponsored legislation that would have had Virginia take a proactive approach to setting up health care exchanges, and I remain committed to lowering insurance costs and expanding coverage to uninsured Virginians. In the Senate I worked to create a pathway to Medicaid expansion because it will save taxpayers billions of dollars and create over 30,000 new health care related jobs in Virginia. We must make the right and prudent decision to expand Medicaid coverage, rather than walking away from federal money that could help make sick people well. Expanding Medicaid means that over 32,000 military and their families will gain health care coverage.

Source: 2016-17 VA gubernatorial campaign website NorthamForLG.com Nov 1, 2013

Tom Garrett: Patient 'Right to Try' experimental drugs & treatments

The 10th Amendment to the Constitution clearly states that those powers not expressly given to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people. In short, if the federal government is not expressly authorized to do it, it should not be done. Many of the problems caused by the increase in size and scope of government are caused by a usurpation of the 10th Amendment. Much of the federal budget problem, and all of our executive overreach problems would be solved by returning to a strict adherence of the 10th Amendment. Not only would our lives be freer, but our wallets would be fuller with the corresponding tax cuts. The 10th Amendment gives a clear mandate on this, and in the Virginia Senate, Tom has voted to uphold the it, including Bill Stanley's SB 732, that reserved a patient's 'Right to Try' for experimental drugs and other medical treatments.
Source: 2016 VA House campaign website TomGarrettForCongress.com Nov 8, 2016

  • The above quotations are from Commonwealth of Virginia Politicians: secondary Archives.
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2016 Presidential contenders on Health Care:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI)
Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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