State of Kentucky Archives: on Health Care
Charles Booker:
Expanding Medicaid under ACA led to economic boom
I believe that no Kentuckians should have to decide between paying the rent, or buying a life saving prescription. All Kentuckians deserve the security of a good paying, unionized job. And I firmly believe that no human being should have to die
because they can't afford healthcare. That is why I'm a proponent of Medicare for All. One of the greatest economic booms that rural Kentucky has experienced in the 21st Century came when our government expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
Source: KFTC.org on 2022 Kentucky Senate race
Mar 16, 2021
Charles Booker:
As diabetic knows reality of rationing insulin due to cost
As a Type 1 diabetic, I personally know the reality of having to ration insulin because there isn't enough money. That is unacceptable. I believe that healthcare is a right for all Kentuckians and Americans,regardless of how much money they have in
their pocket. I had to make the choice of whether to take care of my family or buy my expensive medication. I chose my family, and almost died. Kentuckians deserve so much more than that. Our lives are not commodities.
Source: KFTC.org on 2022 Kentucky Senate race
Mar 16, 2021
Andy Beshear:
COVID: Troubling that a public health crisis was politicized
We must move past any remaining denial or rationalizations. That a public health crisis has been politicized, even as thousands died, is troubling for both our state and our nation. Failure to take this virus seriously at this late date disrespects the
memory of those we have lost, disrespects the pain of those who are grieving and disrespects the deep sacrifices so many have made in this war. It also threatens to create much more pain, more death and more disruption, all of which can be avoided.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Kentucky legislature
Jan 7, 2021
Amy McGrath:
For bipartisan plan to fix ObamaCare's problems
I believe health care should be affordable and accessible to all Americans. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is far from perfect, but it enabled many Kentuckians--especially those with pre-existing conditions--to get affordable health insurance for the
first time. I remain committed to working for a bipartisan plan to fix the ACA's problems. A single-payer system would require a sweeping overhaul of our health care system. I do not currently support such an approach.
A public option would give all Americans the opportunity to buy a publicly run insurance plan instead of a private insurance plan. We must increase competition among existing carriers. A public option would lower premiums--since the goal would not
be to make a profit. This also gives people more choices: no one would be forced to go with a government-run plan, but it would be there if Americans wished to choose it. I support a Medicare buy-in option for those over the age of 55.
Source: 2020 Kentucky Senate campaign website AmyMcGrath.com
Jun 30, 2020
Charles Booker:
More expensive to do nothing than implement Medicare for all
As a Type 1 diabetic, Charles is intimately familiar with the realities of the American healthcare system. He believes that no one should die because they don't have money in their pocket, a conviction that he gained from being in the position of
choosing between buying groceries for the week or a refreshed supply of life-saving insulin. Our system is broken, and people are dying because of it. When it comes to our health care system, the most expensive option is doing nothing and continuing
to pay twice as much as any other industrialized nation on earth. Universal coverage is worth fighting for--and frankly, it's something that Kentuckians want. The increase in coverage that accompanied Medicaid expansion in Kentucky saved thousands of
lives by providing people with healthcare for the first time and simultaneously drove one of the most significant economic expansions in rural Kentucky in recent decades. Medicare for All will build on that success.
Source: 2020 Kentucky Senate campaign website BookerForKentucky.com
Jun 17, 2020
Amy McGrath:
Will fight to lower prescription drug costs
We can't fix our health care system without addressing prescription drug prices. There are six bipartisan bills on Mitch McConnell's desk to reduce prescription prices, including legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower costs, and he won't even
let them be considered on the Senate floor. The average Kentuckian spends over $2,000 annually on prescription medications. One of the first things I will do when I get into office is fight for legislation to lower prescription drug costs.
Source: The Northern Kentucky Tribune on 2020 Kentucky Senate race
Jun 14, 2020
Amy McGrath:
Improve ACA; don't get rid of private insurance
McGrath is against "Medicare for All" and free college tuition in a new TV pitch. "We need a senator who fights for things like affordable health care, college and technical school, not tax cuts for wealthy donors," McGrath says. "That doesn't mean free
college or Medicare for All, I'm against that." Instead improve the Affordable Care Act without getting rid of private health insurance. McGrath also calls for students to perform unspecified "national service" to pay for higher education.
When McGrath ran for Congress two years ago, she said how she favored a single-payer plan but didn't believe it could pass. In four separate interviews during the course of that campaign, McGrath indicated she liked the idea of a government-run health
care system but thought it wasn't feasible. "If we were to start over and have to start over from scratch, say this was 10 years ago -- I think we now know that single-payer would be the way to go," McGrath told NPR in an August 2018 interview.
Source: Courier Journal AdWatch on 2020 Kentucky Senate race
Feb 11, 2020
Charles Booker:
Has diabetes & rationed insulin: need Medicare for All
Booker sits furthest to the left in terms of health care, which he often describes as a "human right" that shouldn't be a financial burden. He said he fully favors a version of a single-payer system but has not specified which precise plan he
supports. "When I was diagnosed with diabetes, there were times when my family was forced to ration my insulin just to survive," Booker said. "No one's life should be at risk because they don't have money in their pocket. We need Medicare for All."
Source: Louisville Courier Journal on 2020 Kentucky Senate race
Feb 11, 2020
Steven Cox:
Support Medicare for All
Most of us are one paycheck away from financial ruin.
Medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy. A Medicare for All bill will fix this nightmare.
Source: 2020 Kentucky Senate website CoxForUS.com
Feb 6, 2020
Wesley Morgan:
Abolish ObamaCare; free market is best
ObamaCare should be abolished.
ObamaCare has reduced choices and driven up costs. Health care would work best in a totally free market environment.
Source: 2020 Kentucky Senate website WesleyMorganForSenate.com
Feb 6, 2020
Andy Beshear:
Pass state law protecting people with preexisting conditions
I believe in a bigger brighter future. That requires that our Kentucky families don't have to worry about losing health care coverage because of a preexisting condition.
I hear members of both parties say those very words. So this session, let's pass a state law ensuring no one can lose coverage in this state, ever again, based on a preexisting condition.
There are far too many Kentuckians who are rationing insulin or deciding between a prescription drug expense or healthy food, rent or school supplies. In fact, a member of this chamber has talked about having to ration insulin himself. Most
bottles of insulin cost just $7 to produce & yet big pharma is charging our people upwards of $300 a vial. It is wrong. It is cruel. We must fight back. There are a number of bills in the legislature right now to curb the costs of insulin. Let's pass it.
Source: 2020 Kentucky State of the State address
Jan 14, 2020
Andy Beshear:
Rescinded Medicaid waiver, stopped managed care contracts
I rescinded the Medicaid waiver that would have kicked more than a hundred thousand Kentuckians off of their health care. Access to health care is a basic human right and it will be protected during my administration.
We can't expect to create the work force of the future if our people aren't healthy. My administration further stopped $8 billion in managed care contracts that were rushed through just days before I took office.
Source: 2020 Kentucky State of the State address
Jan 14, 2020
Charles Booker:
Supports Medicare for All & Green New Deal
Booker's views may not be tenable throughout Kentucky. After forming an exploratory committee earlier this month with the Federal Election Commission, he began by talking about his desire for Congress to pass Medicare for All and the
Green New Deal, and to impeach President Donald Trump--literally the stuff Republicans use to rile up their base and make scary-sounding ads about Democratic politicians in Kentucky.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader on 2022 Kentucky Senate race
Nov 22, 2019
Steven Cox:
Passionate about healthcare
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?A:
Healthcare or caring in general is a passion of mine. I want to unite us, so that we may address the looming threats together.
Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 Kentucky Senate race
Sep 9, 2019
Robert Goforth:
Expand coverage to help fellow Kentuckians
Q: Will you protect or even expand access to Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act?A: I believe in expanding health coverage where we can reasonably do it, and
I'm not for wholesale chopping of huge numbers of people off Medicaid. The working poor and unemployed and underemployed Kentuckians need help. We cannot turn a blind eye to the plight of thousands upon thousands of our fellow Kentuckians.
Source: KFTC.org on 2019 Kentucky Gubernatorial race
Aug 7, 2019
Steven Cox:
Medicare-for-All would reduce healthcare costs
In a Medicare for All system, you get rid of the "for profit" mentality. Medicare for All eliminates a lot of the costs.From a provider's standpoint, when you go to the doctor, you have to give them your insurance card, and then they have to figure
out if that's valid, then they have to [determine] with the insurance company what treatment is going to be covered. Under Medicare for All, it would streamline doctor visits and hospital visits because you would all be working on the same system.
Source: Max Micallef on Medium.com on 2020 Kentucky Senate race
Jul 18, 2019
Steven Cox:
Medicare-For-All would reduce healthcare costs
In a Medicare for All system, you get rid of the "for profit" mentality. Medicare for All eliminates a lot of the costs.From a provider's standpoint, when you go to the doctor, you have to give them your insurance card, and then they have to figure
out if that's valid, then they have to [determine] with the insurance company what treatment is going to be covered. Under Medicare for All, it would streamline doctor visits and hospital visits because you would all be working on the same system.
Source: Medium.com on 2020 Kentucky Senate race
Jul 18, 2019
Steven Cox:
Medicare for All absolutely needs to be done
Medicare for All is something that absolutely needs to be done. I have been involved with the insurance industry for a while now, and I do know that the cost for someone's health insurance isn't just the cost of mitigating the risk of them getting
injured or sick. In a Medicare for All system, a single-payer system, you get rid of the "for profit" mentality. You then focus on what's best for the people.
Source: The Student Post on 2020 Kentucky Senate race
Jun 23, 2019
Andy Beshear:
Protections for pre-existing conditions; stop lifetime caps
[As Attorney General], all of the work we do is built on helping people. That's why I've defended health care protections for people with pre-existing conditions and fought to stop lifetime caps for people with conditions like diabetes or
Crohn's disease. I also released a comprehensive health care plan that ensures every Kentuckian can access quality health care and drives down the cost of prescription drugs.
Source: Louisville Courier-Journal on 2019 Kentucky governor's race
May 10, 2019
Matt Bevin:
Ban use of tobacco products in schools
House Bill 11: Create a new section of KRS Chapter 438 to prohibit use of tobacco products by students, school personnel, and visitors in schools, school vehicles, properties, and activities; require policies to be in place by the 2020-21 school year;
require that smoke-free policies and signage be adopted; provide that existing bans are not impacted. Legislative outcome:Passed House 85-11 on 03/28; passed Senate 28-10 on 3/28; signed by Governor (KY Acts Ch. 198), 04/09/19.
Source: Kentucky legislative voting records: HB 11 on KRS 438
Apr 9, 2019
Matt Bevin:
Parents should be free to vaccinate their children or not
"Why are we forcing kids to get it [the chickenpox vaccine]? If you are worried about your child getting chickenpox or whatever else, vaccinate your child. ... But for some people, and for some parents, for some reason they choose otherwise.
This is America. The federal government should not be forcing this upon people. They just shouldn't."
Source: People Magazine on 2019 Kentucky governor's race
Mar 21, 2019
Matt Bevin:
Work/school requirements for Medicaid
Bevin said his administration's 1115 Medicaid waiver will empower Kentuckians to improve their own health outcomes. The waiver requires able-bodied adults with no dependents to work, go to school, or volunteer 20 hours a week.
The waiver also enables the state to allocate Medicaid dollars for behavioral health needs.
Source: Press release on Kentucky 2019 State of the State address
Feb 9, 2019
Robert Goforth:
Ban use of tobacco products in schools
Robert Goforth co-sponsored House Bill 11: Create a new section of KRS Chapter 438 to prohibit use of tobacco products by students, school personnel, and visitors in schools, school vehicles, properties, and activities; require policies to be in place
by the 2020-21 school year; require that smoke-free policies and signage be adopted; provide that existing bans are not impacted. Legislative outcome:Passed House 85-11 on 03/28; passed Senate 28-10 on 3/28; signed by Governor, 04/09/19.
Source: Kentucky legislative voting records: HB 11 on KRS 438
Jan 8, 2019
Adam Edelen:
Protect ObamaCare and expanded Medicaid
Protecting and Funding Healthcare for Kentucky: In recent years Kentucky finally took some bold, and long overdue, steps forward in offering affordable and reliable healthcare to our people. Since then however, Kentucky families have watched
Washington DC and Frankfort politicians play cat and mouse with their healthcare, erecting barriers to enrollment and programs designed to discourage Kentuckians from signing up for the affordable healthcare they need.
It's time to stop using the healthcare of over 500,000 Kentuckians as a political football. Adam Edelen is committed to not only protecting the coverage of those who receive health insurance from the
ACA but also working to strengthen the financial position of Kentucky's recently expanded Medicaid population.
Source: 2019 Kentucky governor campaign website AdamEdelen.com
Dec 31, 2018
Rocky Adkins:
No one should ever have to delay care to pay bills
As a 23-year cancer survivor, I know the importance of high-quality, affordable health care. Early diagnosis and treatment for any disease is paramount to building a healthy state. No Kentuckian should ever have to delay care, or make the
tough decision between purchasing prescription medication or paying their electric bill. We must pass sensible policies that keep Kentucky healthy, while supporting our health care providers.
We should also look at ways we can increase access to health care for our veterans. The men and women who have served our country deserve affordable and timely care.
Lastly, it is imperative to the future of our Commonwealth that we work to curb the opioid epidemic. We must pass sensible legislation that will keep our neighborhoods safe and increase access to treatment programs.
Source: 2019 Kentucky governor campaign website RockyAdkins.com
Dec 31, 2018
Andy Beshear:
Protect ObamaCare: lives hang in the balance
Attorney General Beshear is taking legal action on behalf of 1.3 million Kentuckians who may lose health care after a federal judge determined ObamaCare to be unconstitutional last week. Beshear announced that he would join 15 other attorneys general
across the country to oppose a Texas judge's ruling last week against the Affordable Care Act, the health care law passed by former President Barack Obama."With Kentuckians facing so many needs, we cannot allow a Texas court to strip coverage away
from our Kentucky families," Beshear said in a statement. Beshear said "lives hang in the balance" and that he plans to file a legal challenge. "For so many families it is a matter of life and death," Beshear said. "If Kentuckians understand what is at
stake, then they'll be supportive of us overturning this ruling."
Beshear listed the loss of mandatory coverage for pre-existing conditions, expanded Medicaid, and children being able to stay on a parent's insurance until age 26 among his top concerns.
Source: Louisville Courier-Journal on 2019 Kentucky governor race
Dec 17, 2018
Rocky Adkins:
Survived cancer at age 35, with chemo & surgery
Here are [three] things to know about Kentucky state Rep. Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, who announced that he is running for governor of Kentucky.- He has hoops credentials Adkins played point guard for Morehead State
University and was captain of the team his junior and senior years. As a senior in 1983, Morehead won the Ohio Valley Conference championship and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Syracuse.
-
He is a cancer survivorAt age 35 he was diagnosed with "a very rare tumor in the small intestines." He underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He said he's had no signs of any recurrence. "I've been very blessed," he
said. "I'm very healthy. I'm still shooting jump shots."
- He was a schoolteacherAdkins said he taught for one year after graduating from Morehead.
Source: Louisville Courier-Journal on 2019 Kentucky governor race
Nov 14, 2018
James Comer:
ObamaCare stifles businesses; pass tort reform instead
President Obama has placed the government between you and your doctor. That is unacceptable. The ObamaCare machine is just getting started, and the impact of this misguided law will have long-term repercussions. We need leadership in Washington that
will repeal ObamaCare. Not only is ObamaCare having an impact on individuals, but it is also stifling businesses from creating jobs.We must also pass tort reform to protect doctors from frivolous lawsuits that drive up the cost of healthcare.
In my discussions with doctors, they spend too much time and money on defensive medicine, meaning that doctors require x-rays and other defensive medicine to protect them in the event
of a lawsuit rather than treating the patient's issue. Once in office, I will work with doctors to improve this situation so that citizens aren't paying more for their medical visits.
Source: 2016 Kentucky House campaign website JamesComer.com
Nov 8, 2016
C. Wesley Morgan:
Opposes universally-accessible public health insurance
Q: Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?A: No.
Q: Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
A: No.
Q: Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
A: Yes, if you mean allowing the purchase of insurance from across state lines..
Q: Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act ("ObamaCare")?
A: No.
Q: Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
A: No.
Q: Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
A: Yes.
Source: Kentucky State Legislative 2016 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2016
Jim Gray:
Ensure solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund
The solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund has been extended by 13 years since the passage of health reform. Jim believes we should go even further to bring costs down, and it doesn't have to be on the backs of our seniors.
Continuous improvement is always essential in business and government. Medicare has remained solvent because of our ability to make improvements to the program without turning it into a voucher program.
Source: 2016 Kentucky Senate campaign website, GrayForKentucky.com
Aug 8, 2016
Jack Conway:
Recovered $600M by suing providers for Medicaid fraud
Conway has increased Medicaid fraud collections by more than 600%. He has recovered nearly $300 million for Medicaid programs. Jack's Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control Unit has been named one of the most aggressive investigative units in the country by an
independent watchdog group.In 2011, Jack announced a $26.4 million settlement involving the Passport Health Plan for breaking state law when Passport paid some physician groups and hospital partners dividends out of the non-profit agency's surplus.
Source: 2015 Kentucky Governor campaign website, ConwayOverly.com
Aug 11, 2015
Matt Bevin:
Disband KYNECT immediately; transition to federal system
Health care reform in Kentucky begins with freezing and beginning to disband KYNECT immediately and assisting as needed in transitioning our citizens quickly from a state run exchange
to the federally run healthcare exchange because Kentucky cannot financially afford to do otherwise.
Source: 2015 Kentucky Gubernatorial campaign website, MattBevin.com
Aug 11, 2015
Alison Grimes:
Kynect heroically for expanding Medicaid under ObamaCare
Grimes called the Democratic governor, a longtime enemy of her father, heroic for expanding Medicaid under ObamaCare: "Over half a million Kentuckians' lives are better as a result of Gov. [Steve] Beshear's expansion of Medicaid and creation of our
state-based exchange." She warned that McConnell would take away coverage from half a million people who can now get prescriptions and visit doctor.
Interestingly, while "ObamaCare" is unpopular, the state's health expansion, called "Kynect," actually is. McConnell has gotten himself in hot water before by trying to draw a distinction between the federal law and
the state program. While he criticized Medicaid expansion, he responded when asked if he would do away with Kynect: "It's a state decision. That's fine. I think it's fine to have a website. Yeah."
Source: Politico.com on 2014 Kentucky Senate debate
Oct 14, 2014
Mitch McConnell:
ObamaCare's Kynect is a state decision, but yeah, it's ok
McConnell has gotten himself in hot water before by trying to draw a distinction between the federal law and the state program. While he criticized Medicaid expansion, he responded when asked if he would do away with
Kynect: "It's a state decision. That's fine. I think it's fine to have a website. Yeah."McConnell also disputed the idea that Beshear's program has covered 500,000 more people, arguing that many of them are now paying more for lower-quality coverage.
Democrats pounced, with Beshear saying in a post-debate statement: "Tonight, Mitch McConnell looked into the camera and misled
Kentucky about his plan to take Kynect from more than 500,000 Kentuckians who have gained health care in the last year."
Source: Politico.com on 2014 Kentucky Senate debate
Oct 14, 2014
Steve Beshear:
Kentucky leads the way on affordable health care for all
We are shrugging off an historic reputation for backwardness and instead are writing a new narrative founded on change and innovation. And the nation has taken notice. Over the last three months I've told Kentucky's story on influential programs like
Meet the Press, C-SPAN, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
These national opinion-shapers didn't want to talk about the usual Kentucky subjects of basketball, bourbon and horse racing. They wanted to know about
Kentucky leading the way on providing affordable health care to all of its people and designing a high-tech benefits exchange that has become a national model.
Source: 2014 Kentucky State of the State speech
Jan 7, 2014
Mitch McConnell:
ObamaCare is a train wreck; do what we can to repeal it
SCHIEFFER: Let me ask you about Senator Ted Cruz. He led this effort to tie the defunding of ObamaCare to shutting down the government. He said he is not backing away. He says he will continue to do "anything he can" to stop what he calls "the train
wreck that is ObamaCare."McCONNELL: Well, I certainly agree with Senator Cruz that ObamaCare is indeed a train wreck. People--even if they could access the website--can't get quotes. Even those who may be fortunate enough to sign up are going to
find that the premiums are higher and the choices are fewer. One thing that all Republicans agreed on back in 2009 is that we thought ObamaCare was a terrible mistake for the country. We still think that, and we're going to do everything we can in the
future to try to repeal it. But that requires a Republican Senate and a different president. We have a math problem in the Senate in getting rid of ObamaCare: 55 Democrats and 45 Republicans. I'd like to have 51.
Source: CBS Face the Nation 2013 series: 2014 Kentucky Senate race
Oct 20, 2013
Alison Grimes:
Delay mandated coverage, but keep ObamaCare
On the Affordable Care Act, Grimes was cautiously critical. "I am troubled by some of the provisions," she said, and for the first time said exactly which one. "There are 700,000 businesses in Kentucky and I am concerned that especially the smaller ones
are overburdened," she said.Her suggestion: delay the imposition of the coverage mandate on small business, as the president already has done for larger corporations. "The mandate will not work for many small businesses in Kentucky," she said, "so
I believe that a delay is the right course so that changes can be made."
She also blasted McConnell for wanting to abandon the law altogether, pointing out that the state's health ratings are among the worst in the nation, and that other
provisions in the law will extend coverage to an estimated 600,000 more Kentuckians. "Unlike Sen. McConnell, I don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water," she said.
Source: Huffington Post coverage of 2014 Kentucky Senate debates
Aug 3, 2013
Jack Conway:
Pay for Obamacare with bulk purchasing & fraud units
Q: If you want to get serious about the national debt, you have to do something about entitlements. Tell me of a single benefit you would reduce?CONWAY: We need Medicare bulk purchasing. That would save about $200 billion. That would be the first bill
I introduce when I go to the US Senate. Secondly, we need Medicare fraud units in each and every state. Estimates are there are about $100 billion in fraud.
Q: Are you willing to reduce a benefit?
CONWAY: Let me say one more thing on what
I want to do as well. I think we need to end the offshore tax loopholes, a $130 billion in those. It can be done like that. We need a pay-as-you-go system. And then we also need a bipartisan debt commission to come back with recommendations.
Q: Dr. Paul, you say you want to repeal Obamacare; for Social Security, would you raise the retirement age?
PAUL: -for younger people, yes.
Source: Fox News Sunday, 2010 Kentucky Senate debate
Oct 3, 2010
Rand Paul:
Obamacare will cost $3T & health insurance still goes up 15%
CONWAY: I'm not for the $2,000 deductible and taking our health care system back to a pre-World War II system, which is what Rand Paul said. So I'd like to fix health care. He wants to repeal it.
PAUL: It's incredibly foolhardy to have a trillion-dollar stimulus and then another trillion dollars into Obamacare. The thing about government also is they notoriously underestimate the cost of things.
What the Democrats tell us will be a trillion- dollar health care could turn into a $3 trillion nightmare, a drag on the economy. It's already causing unemployment in Kentucky.
My health insurance went up 15 percent since Obamacare was passed. What is going to happen is it's going to hurt the economy and hurt jobs in Kentucky.
Source: Fox News Sunday, 2010 Kentucky Senate debate
Oct 3, 2010
Bruce Lunsford:
McConnell is bought and paid for by drug companies
During the forum, the candidates agreed on several broad policy issues, such as eliminating the capital gains tax. But they frequently traded shots over each other’s political backers.
Lunsford repeated his claim that McConnell is “bought and paid for” by special interests such as drug companies and the oil industry, while McConnell described Lunsford as a patsy of labor unions.
Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate debate reported in Herald-Leader
Aug 21, 2008
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021