Chris Rothfuss on Health Care Democratic Challenger

Medicare should not be corporate welfare

A: Health care costs are out of control. That should be the primary focus for our national healthcare reform. When we dramatically lower costs, it will be much easier to keep Medicare solvent. Furthermore, Medicare should not be corporate welfare. The government must be allowed to negotiate drug prices for Medicare part D, and Medicare Advantage plans must either actually be an advantage, or they should be abolished.

Health coverage for all Americans

A: Support. All Americans must have access to adequate and affordable health care services that highlight preventive medicine. I believe that health care decisions should be made by doctors and patients, not insurance companies. Costs have been skyrocketing in recent years. Any national program must focus on reducing costs before spending taxpayer dollars on inflated insurance premiums. Doctors, hospital administrators, health insurance providers, malpractice insurance providers, and consumer advocates must agree upon a solution that would dramatically reduce costs and end the upward spiral of healthcare expenses. Until we control costs, all national coverage solutions will simply shift the expense from our insurance premiums to our income tax or the national debt.

The way to get everyone health care is to control costs

Reduce costs before we establish a national program

We can't just throw money at this one and make it go away. The healthcare system is terribly deep and complex. We need to bring together doctors, hospital administrators, health insurance providers, malpractic insurance providers, and consumer advocates; and mediate a recommended solution. Until we control costs, all national coverage solutions will simply shift the expense from our insurance premiums to our income tax or the national debt.