State of Pennsylvania Archives: on Health Care


Jim Christiana: Repeal ObamaCare in one fell-swoop or brick-by-brick

As Senator, Jim will vote to repeal and replace Obamacare in one fell-swoop or brick-by-brick. He will allow states to manage their Medicaid programs without costly federal mandates. Jim knows state and local governments (not Washington) are better equipped to manage the needs of their constituents. Federal funding dollars should be invested in Medicaid and driven down to states with no strings attached.

Results: Jim worked across the aisle to develop a long-term solution to ensure access and choice amid a rapidly changing health care landscape.

Source: 2018 PA Senatorial campaign website JimChristiana.org Mar 31, 2018

Brian Fitzpatrick: ObamaCare is failing; focus on uninsured

A Health Care System That Works for Everyone: With skyrocketing costs and nearly 35,000 uninsured locally, ObamaCare is failing. Everyone should have affordable health insurance. As your Congressman, I will be on your side to make the system work for everybody.
Source: 2016 PA House campaign website BrianFitzpatrick.com Nov 8, 2016

Everett Stern: Give choices and power to patients

Q: Do you support or oppose. `Expand ObamaCare`?

A: Oppose. Give choices and power to patients.

Source: E-mail interview on 2016 PA Senate race with OnTheIssues Nov 2, 2015

Katie McGinty: Expand Medicaid; embrace ObamaCare

Instead of embracing Medicaid expansion like so many other Republican governors, Tom Corbett is standing fast to his rigid ideology to deny health-care coverage to Pennsylvania's uninsured residents. As Governor, Katie McGinty will expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Katie will also work to create a healthcare exchange specific to Pennsylvania rather than rely on a one-size-fits-all approach through the federal government.

Source: 2014 PA gubernatorial campaign website, KatieMcGinty.com Nov 1, 2014

Bob Casey: Shift $700B from Medicare to ObamaCare, but no senior funds

Smith's attack ad says, "Bob Casey voted to cut Medicare by $700 billion to fund ObamaCare. Casey opposes a balanced budget amendment. He voted to spend $46 billion of your tax dollars on wasteful earmarks for special interests. And Casey voted for higher taxes 50 times."

Smith's suggestion that Casey voted to cut Medicare is a reference to provisions in President Barack Obama's health care law that phase in reductions in reimbursements to hospitals, insurance companies and other service providers but aren't cuts that hit seniors directly. Ryan's Medicare plan would keep the cuts, while Romney would undo them.

Source: Cumberlink Sentinel on 2012 PA Senate debate ad review Sep 19, 2012

Marc Scaringi: ObamaCare is profoundly unconstitutional

On health care, Scaringi attacked President Barack Obama's plan, instead calling for a direct pay system keeping the government out of health care. "ObamaCare is profoundly unconstitutional," Scaringi said. "What we have to do is get health care back to the way it was before government got involved."

Welch agreed with Scaringi's position to take government out of the picture, but added that health care reform was needed long before Obama took office.

Source: Lehigh Valley Express-Times on 2012 PA Senate debate Apr 5, 2012

Steve Welch: Lunacy that consumers don't know real prices

Scaringi attacked President Obama's health plan, saying, "What we have to do is get health care back to the way it was before government got involved."

Welch agreed with Scaringi's position to take government out of the picture, but added that health care reform was needed long before Obama took office. "Let's be honest with ourselves, health care was broken before ObamaCare and Republicans need to acknowledge that," Welch said. "ObamaCare broke it even further." He added that when compared to most economic models, the American health care system is inherently flawed. "Think about the lunacy of a marketplace where the consumer doesn't know what the real price is," Welch said.

Source: Lehigh Valley Express-Times on 2012 PA Senate debate Apr 5, 2012

Sam Rohrer: ObamaCare is big government mentality

Candidates were asked about the problems of the Affordable Care Act. Scaringi said it's not affordable, but costly. "It is government intrusion," he said.

Rohrer called the Affordable Care Act a "big government mentality." He said even before the measure was passed, the nation's health care system was being incrementally destroyed. Now, as time goes on, it will become increasingly difficult to repeal Affordable Care.

Source: Williamsport Sun-Gazette on 2012 PA Senate debate Mar 23, 2012

Joe Sestak: Ban denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions

On health care, Sestak lauded the Democrats' recent reform package with specifics such as the ban on denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.

Toomey lashed back saying he would work to repeal health care reform and replace it with other measures such as the purchase of insurance across state lines.

Source: The Express-Times coverage of 2010 PA Senate debate Apr 11, 2010

Pat Toomey: Allow purchasing insurance across state lines

On health care, Sestak lauded the Democrats' recent reform package with specifics such as the ban on denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.

Toomey lashed back saying he would work to repeal health care reform and replace it with other measures such as the purchase of insurance across state lines.

Source: The Express-Times coverage of 2010 PA Senate debate Apr 11, 2010

Joseph Hoeffel: Voted against a sweet deal for pharmaceutical companies

Bush’s Medicare prescription-drug bill is a confusing deal for seniors, a raw deal for taxpayers, and a sweet deal only for the pharmaceutical companies whose high prices are protected.
Source: 2004 PA Senate debate, in Philadelphia Inquirer Oct 10, 2004

Tom Ridge: Guaranteed medical care is not a government responsibility

Source: 1998 PA National Political Awareness Test Jul 2, 1998

  • The above quotations are from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Politicians: Archives.
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  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
2020 Presidential contenders 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)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
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)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
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: Oct 14, 2021