Scott Howell on Health Care 2000 Democratic Challenger for Senate (UT)

Improve ObamaCare rather than kill it

Don't force seniors into private market

A: I oppose dismantling Medicare and replacing it with a program that offers nothing like the coverage that the elderly now receive. I oppose forcing seniors into the private market to purchase more expensive private coverage. By upgrading the Medicare card and eliminating phantom billing and medical equipment fraud we can save $30 billion per year. allow Medicare to negotiate for lower drug price by using its bulk purchasing power to negotiate drug makers for lower costs. This would save $156 billion over 10 years. We should allow low drug importation from Canada. This would save consumers $80 billion over ten years.

Patient's Bill of Rights; Medicare opt-in at age 55

Howell indicated support of the following principles on health issues.
• Support a Patient's Bill of Rights to define and enforce the rights of insured patients, including greater access to specialists and emergency rooms, wider choice of health care providers, and appeal mechanisms when claims are denied.
• Support a Patient's Bill of Rights which includes the right to appeal to an administrative board of specialists when services are denied.
• Provide tax incentives to small businesses that provide health care to their employees.
• Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts, which would be taxed if used for purposes other than medical costs.
• Provide citizens age 55-65 the option of purchasing Medicare health coverage.
• Support legislation to provide prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
• Increase funding for AIDS programs.