Joe Manchin III on Health Care Democratic Jr Senator; previously Governor

Unacceptable to go back to pre-ObamaCare days

Joe Manchin (D): Needs improvement, but supports its preventive care, protections for pre-existing conditions, costs of prescription drugs, & support to fight opioid epidemic. Unacceptable to go back to when 250,000 West Virginians went without healthcare.

Patrick Morrisey (R): Repeal. Joined lawsuit that would end coverage of preexisting conditions. ACA has "utterly failed our country & West Virginia," causing higher insurance premiums, & leading businesses to drop health care coverage altogether.

Q: Should the Federal government support miners' pensions & health care when companies go bankrupt?

Joe Manchin (D): Yes. Spearheaded bill to fund health care benefits & pensions for union miners.

Patrick Morrisey (R): No statement found.

ObamaCare makes healthcare more affordable for everyone

But Raese deems ObamaCare as part of the problem.

Reform & repair ObamaCare, not repeal

Raese disagrees with that. In 2010, Raese fully supported a full repeal of the bill. And he still does. "This country, right now, I call it a coalition of taking. They are taking our money, they are taking our power, and they are taking our freedom, and they are giving it government to control. That's unacceptable," Raese said.

Opposes requiring individuals or businesses to buy insurance

Manchin said he liked certain parts of the health care legislation, such as its requiring insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions, but he opposed the law requiring individuals to buy insurance and most businesses to cover their employees.

Prohibit denying coverage for pre-existing conditions

Manchin acknowledged problems with the legislation but said there are elements worth keeping, including provisions that prohibit insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. "There's a lot of good in the bill that Democrats and Republicans can agree on," Manchin said.

Medicare, Social Security and the Children's Health Insurance Program cover the needs of many Americans, Manchin said but there are others who are denied."A working person today is the one most vulnerable in our society," Manchin said. "If you're getting up every day and going to work, you're probably the most vulnerable part of our society. That has to change."

I'm behind reform; but a lot of ObamaCare needs repeal

On health care, Raese has repeatedly aired a clip of Manchin saying, "I am totally behind health care reform." What Raese tries to imply, but what Manchin doesn't say, is that he's totally behind Obama's particular version of health care reform.

People of all political persuasions agree that health care reform is needed; what is contentious is what shape those reforms should take. That Manchin said he's behind health care reform does not mean he supports Obama's version of reform. What Manchin has said is that there are problems with the enacted health care legislation and that "it needs to have a lot of it repealed, (and) if you can't fix that, repeal the whole thing."

Expand Health Lifestyles & Preventive Care programs

In my State of the State address earlier this month, I proposed two new public/private health initiatives to help these West Virginians get the affordable healthcare they need. The Preventive Care "Clinic Based" Plan, a basic preventive care at a very low price - starting at some clinics for as low as $1 dollar a day, and the Affordable Insurance Initiative, a plan that will be offered by commercial insurance carriers starting at a low cost of $99 per month, are affordable, cost effective healthcare initiatives that require no state subsidies.

3.2% funding increase for National Institutes of Health.

NIH, as well as the indirect job benefits of laboratories needing space, supplies, services, and equipment. We are also deeply aware that NIH-funded discoveries are the basis of new companies and even new industries in our communities.

NIH research is an instrumental part of the success of the US life sciences industry and its 6 million high-wage US jobs. Moreover, follow-on life science research advances are now stimulating new jobs and new solutions in green energy, agriculture, the environment and industrial manufacturing. NIH funding enables the scientific talent and discoveries that are at the heart of this vast array of economic activity.

As you develop the Congressional Budget Resolution, we urge you to enable the 3.2% funding increase for NIH contained in the President`s budget request. We thank you for your past support for biomedical research and ask you to craft a budget resolution that accommodates the President`s $32.2 billion FY 2011 NIH budget request.

The greatest contribution NIH makes is to the health and well-being of Americans. Past federal investments in medical research, combined with those from the private sector, have led to improved health, better quality of life, and improved productivity of millions of patients and their families.

But NIH is also an important national, regional, and local economic engine. Together, our states received more than $19 billion from the NIH last year for promising research efforts. NIH funding directly supports 350,000 jobs across the US. In our states, we see firsthand the world class research institutions and scientific teams enabled by

Supports government-run healthcare.

The Christian Coalition voter guide [is] one of the most powerful tools Christians have ever had to impact our society during elections. This simple tool has helped educate tens of millions of citizens across this nation as to where candidates for public office stand on key faith and family issues.

The CC survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Federal government run health care system"

Adopt national health reform legislation before the end of the year.

In a letter to congressional leadership, 22 governors are urging federal lawmakers to adopt national health reform legislation before the end of the year to provide families and businesses with much-needed security and stability.

`We commend you and your colleagues for provisions included in your bills that will help states,` the governors wrote. `Many of the provisions will allow states to achieve long term savings and help cover those who currently go without health coverage. We recognize that health reform is a shared responsibility and everyone, including state governments, needs to partner to reform our broken health care system.`

`Efforts at the federal level, like the recent and critical investments that support states` HIV and prevention initiatives, are beginning the work to lower health care costs. Our citizens and our states, however, will only achieve the health care security and stability they need if we succeed in working together to achieve health care reform.`

Keep healthcare mandate, according to CC survey.

The Christian Coalition Voter Guide inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Repealing the Nationalized Health Care System that Forces Citizens to Buy Insurance ' Christian Coalition's self-description: "Christian Voter Guide is a clearing-house for traditional, pro-family voter guides. We do not create voter guides, nor do we interview or endorse candidates."