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Tom Carper on Health Care

Democratic Sr Senator (DE)

 


Suffers from glaucoma & high blood pressure

[Challenged by Independent challenger Alex Pires for months], Carper pointed to a doctor's letter posted to his website. The letter says Carper has a history of glaucoma, which was treated in 2006, and well-controlled but elevated blood pressure levels, which have been treated by daily medication. The letter was signed by Brian P. Monahan, attending physician of the U.S. Congress, and dated Oct. 12. Monahan noted in the text of the letter that it was provided at Carper's request. A separate letter provided by Wilmington eye surgeon S. Gregory Smith goes into greater detail on Carper's history with glaucoma.

Pires called the letter "phony" and "bogus" and renewed a call for Carper's full medical records. "I'm more enthusiastic about the issue, not less," Pires said. "I'm right. I know I'm right."

Source: Delmarva Daily Times on 2012 Del. Senate debate , Oct 17, 2012

I don't expect to read confusing ObamaCare bill

As the debate over health reform heated up in 2009, the president made a pledge: "Congress will have time to read the bill. They will have time to debate the bill. If they want to come over to the White House and go over line by line what's going on, I will be happy to do that."

Did the health reform debate live up to the president's standard? Hardly. The American people were promised a fair, bipartisan, transparent process. But instead the Democrats wrote trillion-dollar, 2,000-plus page bills in secret with no republican input and no public oversight.

Even if the process had been transparent and had a reasonable timeline, many lawmakers still probably wouldn't have understood the bills' mind-numbing complexity. "I don't expect to actually read the legislative language because reading the legislative language is among the more confusing things I've ever read in my life," said Senator Tom Carper (D, DE).

Source: To Save America, by Newt Gingrich, p. 95-97 , May 17, 2010

Supports More Federal Funding for Health Coverage

Our responsibility as public servants is to put patients at the center of our health care system. We must put people first, by empowering consumers with information and choice. We must stop those who view cost-cutting as a means to protect their bottom-line from putting profits ahead of patients, Carper said.

Unless Congress acts soon to restore the cuts in Medicare that have so devastated nursing facilities across Delaware.

Source: Press Release, "Quality Health Care", Aug. 31 2000 , Sep 19, 2000

Universal coverage for children is within our grasp

We're waging a war against infant mortality, too -- and we're winning. On January 1, we took another giant step forward: kids without coverage from families earning between 100 and 200 percent of poverty became eligible to participate in a good, comprehensive plan of health care known as the Delaware Healthy Children Program -- for as little as $10 to $25 per month, per family.Universal health care coverage for children in Delaware -- a goal that many of us share -- is finally within our grasp.
Source: 1999 Delaware State of the State Speech , Jan 21, 1999

Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care.

Carper adopted the manifesto, "A New Agenda for the New Decade":

Promote Universal Access and Quality in Health Care
That more than 40 million Americans lack health insurance is one of our society’s most glaring inequities. Lack of insurance jeopardizes the health of disadvantaged Americans and also imposes high costs on everyone else when the uninsured lack preventive care and get treatment from emergency rooms. Washington provides a tax subsidy for insurance for Americans who get coverage from their employers but offers nothing to workers who don’t have job-based coverage.

Markets alone cannot assure universal access to health coverage. Government should enable all low-income families to buy health insurance. Individuals must take responsibility for insuring themselves and their families whether or not they qualify for public assistance.

Finally, to help promote higher quality in health care for all Americans, we need reliable information on the quality of health care delivered by health plans and providers; a “patient’s bill of rights” that ensures access to medically necessary care; and a system in which private health plans compete on the basis of quality as well as cost.

Source: The Hyde Park Declaration 00-DLC5 on Aug 1, 2000

Rated 71% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record.

Carper scores 71% by APHA on health issues

The American Public Health Association (APHA) is the oldest and largest organization of public health professionals in the world, representing more than 50,000 members from over 50 occupations of public health. APHA is concerned with a broad set of issues affecting personal and environmental health, including federal and state funding for health programs, pollution control, programs and policies related to chronic and infectious diseases, a smoke-free society, and professional education in public health.

The following ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization`s preferred position.

Source: APHA website 03n-APHA on Dec 31, 2003

Let states make bulk Rx purchases, and other innovations.

Carper signed a letter from 30 Senators to the Secretary of HHS

To: The Honorable Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary, Department of Health & Human Services

Dear Secretary Thompson:

As you know, prescription drug costs have been surging at double-digit rates for the last six years. The average annual increase 1999 through 2003 was a massive 16%, seven times the rate of general inflation.

These increases fall hardest on senior citizens and the uninsured. Their health needs are often great, and their low incomes often make these products unaffordable. They have no ability to use their combined purchasing power to negotiate reasonable prices. Taxpayers pay tens of billions of dollars for the purchase of drugs by Medicaid—an expense that could be reduced significantly if states are permitted to negotiate for the best prices from drug manufacturers.

As you know, the Supreme Court has just ruled that Maine`s innovative program to reduce prescription drug costs for the uninsured and senior citizens is not a violation of the Medicaid law. As a result of this decision, Maine can use the combined buying power of Medicaid and individuals purchasing drugs on their own to negotiate lower prices with drug manufacturers. Twenty-nine other states supported the position taken by Maine, and there is broad interest in many states in initiating similar programs.

The Supreme Court`s ruling, however, left open the possibility that if the Department of Health and Human Services makes a finding that the Maine program violates the Medicaid statute, the Department`s action would be upheld by the Court. We urge you not to intervene to block Maine`s program or similar statutes in other states that achieve savings for taxpayers, the elderly, and the uninsured. Such programs must be carefully implemented to assure that the poor are not denied access to needed drugs, but there is no justification for the federal government to deny states the ability to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of their neediest citizens.

Source: Letter from 30 Senators to the Secretary of HHS 03-SEN6 on May 20, 2003

Establish a national childhood cancer database.

Carper co-sponsored establishing a national childhood cancer database

Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2007 - A bill to advance medical research and treatments into pediatric cancers, ensure patients and families have access to the current treatments and information regarding pediatric cancers, establish a population-based national childhood cancer database, and promote public awareness of pediatric cancers.

    Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to childhood cancer professional and direct service organizations for the expansion and widespread implementation of:
  1. activities that provide information on treatment protocols to ensure early access to the best available therapies and clinical trials for pediatric cancers;
  2. activities that provide available information on the late effects of pediatric cancer treatment to ensure access to necessary long-term medical and psychological care; and
  3. direct resource services such as educational outreach for parents, information on school reentry and postsecondary education, and resource directories or referral services for financial assistance, psychological counseling, and other support services.
Legislative Outcome: House version H.R.1553; became Public Law 110-285 on 7/29/2008.
Source: Conquer Childhood Cancer Act (S911/HR1553) 07-S911 on Mar 19, 2007

Keep ObamaCare's prevention, treatment, & recovery services.

Carper signed keeping ObamaCare's prevention, treatment, & recovery services

Excerpts from Letter from 20 Senators to President Trump: Repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with no clear plan for replacement will substantially worsen the opioid epidemic. Last year, Congress took important steps to address this national public health crisis, enacting two bipartisan laws to address the opioid epidemic and reform the way our health system treats mental health and substance use disorders.

The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act improved access to substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services. It promoted the use of best practices when prescribing opioid pain-killers, strengthening state prescription drug monitoring programs, and expanding access to the life-saving drug naloxone.

The 21st Century Cures Act also included critical mental health and substance use disorder reforms, strengthening enforcement of mental health parity laws, promoting the integration of physical and mental health care. Most importantly, the 21st Century Cures Act dedicated $1 billion in new grant funding, which will be essential to helping states provide prevention, treatment, and recovery services to patients These bipartisan advances will be fundamentally undermined by repeal of the ACA.

Opposing argument: (Warren, D-MA, in StatNews.com, 11/28/2016): Senator Elizabeth Warren railed against the 21st Century Cures, saying the bill had been `hijacked` by the pharmaceutical industry. `I cannot vote for this bill,`` Warren said. `I will fight it because I know the difference between compromise and extortion.` The current legislation includes $500 million for the FDA, well below the amount Democrats had sought. Warren and Washington Senator Patty Murray have long argued that they would only support Cures legislation that included significant investment in basic medical research. While Warren said she supported many of the provisions, she called others `huge giveaways` to the drug industry.

Source: Letter Regarding Fighting the Opioid Crisis 17LTR-ACA on Feb 3, 2017

Keep healthcare mandate, according to CC survey.

Carper opposes the CC survey question on healthcare mandate

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."

Source: Christian Coalition Surve 18CC-5 on Jul 1, 2018

Protect state tobacco settlement funds from federal seizure.

Carper adopted a letter to Congressional leaders from 53 Governors:

As you know, preserving and protecting the state tobacco settlement funds is the nation’s Governors’ highest priority. We strongly urge you to reach final agreement and pass the conference report on the emergency supplemental appropriations bill soon, and to retain the Senate provision that protects our settlement funds from federal seizure.

Many of our state legislatures are currently in session, and some have already completed work on their budgets. Therefore, it is critical that conferees reach agreement quickly on this issue. Governors are unified in their commitment to ensuring that the funds remain in the states and that there be no restrictions on states’ ability to tailor spending to meet the needs of their citizens.

We offer our strongest support for conferees to recede to the Senate version of the bill containing the Hutchison/Graham bipartisan tobacco recoupment protection legislation.

Source: National Governor's Association letter to Congress 99-NGA31 on Apr 14, 1999

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John Carney
Matt Meyer
Mike Ramone
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James DeMartino
Jessica Scarane
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