The development of a new healthcare system utilizing a bipartisan approach.
Source: 2018 Montana Senatorial website AlForSenate.us
Oct 1, 2017
Albert Olszewski:
Repeal and replace Obamacare with bipartisan approach
As a physician and a legislator, my strategy for reforming our healthcare system consists of three parts: -
Immediate healthcare regulation reform.
- Repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
- The development of a new healthcare system
- utilizing a bipartisan approach.
Source: 2018 Montana Senate campaign website AlForSenate.us
Aug 8, 2017
Matt Rosendale:
Full repeal of Obamacare
Democrats have attacked Rosendale on his support for a full repeal of Obamacase. Said Montana Democratic spokesman Chris Meagher, "Matt Rosendale has failed at his job as insurance commissioner, and has done nothing to keep health care costs down,"
Meagher said. "He's another vote to increase health care costs and take away health care from thousands of Montanans. He's another politician interfering with a woman's right to make her own health care decisions."
Source: Helena Independent Record on 2018 Montana Senate race
Jul 31, 2017
Albert Olszewski:
Halt expansion of Medicaid; halt ObamaCare unfunded mandates
While Olszewski remains opposed to ObamaCare and voted against Montana's expansion of Medicaid last session, he said Republican efforts in Congress to replace the federal health-care law with the American Health Care Act--a measure lawmakers ultimately
withdrew--were misguided."The intent was good but it missed the mark," he said. "It didn't do anything to touch the very complex network of regulations. What is killing me as an independent business owner are the regulations and unfunded mandates."
Source: Flathead Beacon on 2018 Montana Senate race
Apr 11, 2017
Albert Olszewski:
ObamaCare is imploding; shore up healthcare system
Olszewski said, "Health care is in a struggle to decide what it's going to do in the 21st Century," he said. "Private health insurance is very unstable. And we're really at an area where ObamaCare is imploding. What we need to do is, we need to find a
way to shore up, or fix the health-care system, so it doesn't collapse around us."[Olszewski opposed the unsuccessful Republican efforts in Congress to replace ObamaCare with the American Health Care Act as well-intended but "misguided".]
Source: KTVQ on 2018 Montana Senate race
Apr 11, 2017
Steve Bullock:
Worked with legislature to expand Medicaid
In 2015, Steve brought Republicans and Democrats together again to provide affordable health care coverage for up to 70,000 working Montanans through Medicaid expansion, becoming the only governor in 2015 to work with a legislature to expand Medicaid.
OnTheIssues Note: "Medicaid expansion" is a major aspect of ObamaCare implementation at the state level. As of 2016, sixteen states rejected Medicaid expansion; of those, 15 have Republican governors.
Source: 2016 Montana gubernatorial campaign website SteveBullock.com
Mar 21, 2016
Greg Gianforte:
Provide for those who cannot provide for themselves
Healthcare costs are rising sharply and account for 40% of our state budget. We must provide for those who cannot provide for themselves,
but work for increased price transparency and consumer incentives to make healthcare affordable for our hardworking families.
Source: 2016 Montana governor's campaign website GregForMontana.com
Feb 3, 2016
Brad Johnson:
Opposes Medicaid expansion
Johnson called himself a "proven vote-getter" with strong conservative positions, such as opposition to abortion, support of gun rights,
support of "school choice" and opposition to expanded government, such as Medicaid coverage for poor people.
Source: KRTV.com on 2016 Montana gubernatorial race
Sep 23, 2015
Albert Olszewski:
Voted NO on insuring the working poor with federal dollars
Gov. Bullock in State of the State speech said, "Rep. Noonan and I are proposing a uniquely Montana plan--based upon the popular Healthy Montana Kids Plan--that will extend coverage to tens of thousands of Montanans. The Healthy Montana Plan will
bring our federal dollars back to Montana, to cover those without insurance.Rep. Olszewski voted NAY on Committee Report vote, March 10, 2015 (bill failed 41-59-0)
HB 249 Legislative Summary: A bill for an act entitled: "an act creating the Healthy Montana Act to expand health care coverage to additional individuals and improve access to health care services; establishing a health care coverage program to
provide certain low-income Montanans with access to health care services using Medicaid funds and an arrangement with a third-party administrator; providing support for health care delivery across Montana; and establishing a special revenue account.
Source: laws.leg.mt.gov on 2015 Montana voting records: HB 249
Jan 28, 2015
Steve Bullock:
Insure the working poor with federal dollars
The 70,000 Montanans who are hiding in plain view are the working poor. That's why Representative Noonan and I are proposing a uniquely Montana plan--based upon the popular Healthy Montana Kids Plan--that will extend coverage to tens of thousands of
Montanans. The Healthy Montana Plan will bring our federal dollars back to Montana, to cover those without insurance. We will negotiate with a private carrier to drive down rates and reform the way that Medicaid is delivered in this state.
HB 249 Legislative Summary: A bill for an act entitled: "an act creating the Healthy Montana Act to expand health care coverage to additional individuals and improve access to health care services; establishing a health care coverage program to
provide certain low-income Montanans with access to health care services using Medicaid funds and an arrangement with a third-party administrator; providing support for health care delivery across Montana; and establishing a special revenue account.
Source: State of the State on 2015 Montana voting records: HB 249
Jan 28, 2015
Ryan Zinke:
ObamaCare is reckless; replace with cross-state pools& HSAs
ObamaCare as written is reckless and will lead to higher costs with less medical care. We can do better, particularly for the aging population in Montana, who are on fixed incomes and are certain to face higher premiums and no coverage at all for many
conditions. Health care must be affordable but not free, innovative by design, and be focused on giving the medical professionals the freedom and latitude to provide quality care rather than having
Washington telling us how to be a doctor, nurse, or provider. Innovative solutions such as expanding health care pools, allowing those pools to form across state lines, promoting
Health Savings Accounts and passing meaningful tort reform will go a long way to lowering health care costs.
Source: 2014 Montana House campaign website, RyanZinke.com
Nov 4, 2014
Amanda Curtis:
ObamaCare: don't throw the baby out with the bathwater
Curtis has supported a state expansion of Medicaid--something Republicans who control the Montana Legislature have blocked--and says now there are good things and bad things about the
Affordable Health Care Act, also known as ObamaCare. "I'm not a person who will throw the baby out with the bathwater," Curtis said.
Source: Billings Gazette on 2014 Montana Senate race
Aug 16, 2014
Sam Rankin:
Tort reform plus higher deductibles & co-pays
Medicare- Increase cost sharing: Deductible of $500, 20% co-pay with $7,500.00 cap.
- Don't pay hospitals bad debts i.e. for not collecting patient deductibles.
- Restrict first-dollar coverage in supplemental insurance plans.
-
Tort reform to stop overuse of diagnostic tests i.e. defensive medicine.
- Statute of limitations on lawsuits
- Creating 'health courts'.
- Consider caps on punitive & non-economic damages.
Source: 2014 Montana Senate campaign website, SamRankin.com
Jul 27, 2014
Champ Edmunds:
Repeal ObamaCare; it's not a government responsibility
Question topic: It is the government's responsibility to be sure everyone has health care and a livable income.Edmunds: Strongly Disagree
Question topic: The Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) should be repealed by Congress.
Edmunds: Strongly Agree
Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2014 Montana Senate race
Jul 2, 2014
John Edward Walsh:
Yes to Medicare Rx negotiations; no to privatization
While Walsh spent part of his speech blasting Daines, he also spelled out some of his own positions, saying he supports increasing the minimum wage, cutting waste in the defense budget, and allowing
Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices.Walsh leveled his strongest attack yet against his likely challenger, Republican Steve Daines, calling Daines the purveyor of a "cruel ideology" that "only seeks to preserve privilege."
Walsh slammed Daines for votes to "privatize Medicare," cut tax rates for the wealthy, shut down the federal government last October and cut food stamps. He pointed to Daines' 2013 vote for the proposed House Republican budget, which would have
converted Medicare to a system of subsidies to help the elderly buy private insurance or traditional Medicare, as well as reduced tax rates for the wealthy and most taxpayers.
Source: Ravalli Republic on 2014 Montana Senate race
Mar 9, 2014
John Bohlinger:
Strong advocate of a single-payer system like Medicare
I asked Bohlinger how he'd talk to Montana voters about the Affordable Care Act."We know that the Affordable Care Act has met with a great deal of resistance in Montana," he said, carefully. "People are disappointed that it hasn't been able to deliver
what was promised. We know that--oh, gosh, more than 30,000 Montanans have had their insurance policies canceled."
"It's 38,000 now," interjected Bohlinger's strategist.
"And the new insurance is more expensive than the old insurance,"
said the candidate. "It hasn't worked. We're strong advocates of a single-payer system. Medicare works for me." Bohlinger went on, talking about how
Montana had invested in hospitals for state employees, and how one of them had outfitted him with a titanium hip. "My out-of-pocket cost was $300."
Source: David Weigel on Slate.com on 2014 Montana Senate race
Dec 13, 2013
John Bohlinger:
Expand Medicaid to cover 70,000 low-income Montanans
John Bohlinger stepped into the health-care fray Wednesday, saying Gov. Steve Bullock should call a special session of the Legislature to expand Medicaid to cover 70,000 low-income Montanans without health insurance. "I think this is a crisis and this is
something that has to be dealt with," Bohlinger told reporters. "I say let's bring the legislative assembly together to deal with the problem now."Yet the Democratic governor expressed no enthusiasm for the idea. Bullock, who proposed expanding
Medicaid this year, has said that he sees no point in calling a special session, because the Republican majority in the Legislature is likely to reject it again.
Bohlinger said the issue of Medicaid expansion is too important to wait until 2015.
Thousands of low-income Montanans are unable to get health-care coverage that will be required next year, either because they've had difficult using the new online ObamaCare marketplace or because they're too poor to get any assistance, he said.
Source: Ravalli Republic on 2014 Montana Senate race
Nov 20, 2013
Steve Bullock:
Access Health Montana: increase coverage and access
To have a healthy economy, we need healthy citizens. For those of us with health insurance, we're paying too much and getting too little. And for the tens of thousands of Montanans who don't have insurance, the Emergency Room has become a primary
care facility, pushing costs for all of us even higher. The fact is, subsidizing expensive ER care for the uninsured costs Montanans $300 million a year. That makes no sense when there is a smarter, cheaper way to provide better care.
Through Access Health Montana, we are proposing a made-in-Montana solution designed to increase coverage and access to health care for more Montana families. It will also create a patient-centered delivery system that focuses on coordinating care and
improving health, rather than simply treating illness. Implementing these measures will allow us to better control and ultimately lower the costs of health care--slowing the annual rate hikes that hit all of our wallets.
Source: 2013 State of the State Address to Montana legislature
Jan 30, 2013
Jon Tester:
Protect people with pre-existing medical conditions
Tester defended the Affordable Care Act at times, citing provisions that protect people with pre-existing medical conditions and protect sick people from having their insurance policies terminated.
There are parts of the health care bill "that will help" working families and small businesses, he said. "To listen to the Congressman talk, you would think that the old system was just grand. It wasn't grand," Tester said.
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
Bill McChesney:
Mandated insurance ok; tort reform not
Q: Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?A: Yes.
Q: Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
A: Yes.
Q: Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance?
A: Yes.
A: No.. I'm not as supportive of limits on monetary awards as I am of insuring that there are monetary penalties for frivolous and/or fraudulent lawsuits.
Source: Montana State Congressional 2010 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2010
Michael Lange:
No nationalized health care system
Lange supports the following principles regarding health issues:- Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
-
Lange adds, “We must maintain and improve the quality of our health care system, improve affordability and accessibility by a number of means. We should not implement a nationalized health care system.”
Source: Montana Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2008
Ryan Zinke:
Caps on medical malpractice; no government health insurance
Zinke indicates support of the following principles regarding health.- Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
-
Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- Allow patients to sue their HMOs.
-
Require hospitals and labs to release reports on infections that are a risk to public health, while not compromising patient confidentiality.
- Legalize physician assisted suicide in Montana.
-
Zinke adds, "I support providing financial incentives to maintain affordable private health insurance through caps on medical malpractice and through group rates. I do not believe the government can provide health insurance better than the market."
Source: Montana Congressional 2008 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2008
Jon Tester:
Families can’t afford to get sick; that’s not health care
You need somebody back in Washington DC who’ll address the health care problems in this country. Right now, when families can’t afford to get sick, that’s not health care. We’re 19th in the world; we didn’t used to be that way. You want to talk about
medical research? We’re in the process of under-funding the National Institute of Health, so our medical research is going to start heading to the Pacific Rim, under this current administration’s watch. That’s not the right direction.
Source: 2006 Montana 3-way Senate Debate at MSU
Oct 9, 2006
Judy Martz:
Insured 10,000 kids under CHIPs; aim for 20,000
Thanks to the Children’s Health Insurance Program, 10,000 formerly uninsured youngsters have good health insurance coverage. That’s progress in my book. We eliminated the small enrollment fee and have simplified the application process.
We have come half way in our goal to insure a total of 20,000 children. I’m going to continue to bring more Montanans under the umbrella of affordable health insurance. We’ll qualify families for CHIP at incomes up to 160% of poverty.
Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Montana Legislature
Jan 25, 2001
Corey Stapleton:
Government not responsible for medical care
Stapleton indicates support for the following principles regarding health issues. - Provide tax incentives to small businesses that provide health care to their employees.
-
Support a patient's right to appeal to an administrative board of specialists when services are denied.
- Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
Source: 2000 Montana State National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 2000
John Bohlinger:
Ensure healthcare for uninsured children
Bohlinger Indicates support of the following principles regarding health issues.- Provide tax incentives to small businesses that provide health care to their employees.
- Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care, through managed
care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary.
- Provide health care to uninsured children by designing a children's health insurance program.
- Use state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.
-
Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- Provide publicly-funded mental health services to eligible Medicaid recipients.
-
Support the Montana Medical Assistance Facilities program that provides additional support to rural hospitals.
- Q: Do you support Montana's current managed-care mental health services to the poor?
- A: Yes.
Source: Montana Legislative 1998 National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 1998
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021