Issue Position: Medicare Reform

Issue Position

Medicare and this country should be thriving but instead we hobble through one preventable "looming crisis" after another caused by Congressional mismanagement. Some blame the crisis of rising Medicare costs on greater longevity enjoyed by today's seniors. Medicare's accomplishments of better health and greater longevity are not a burden and do not create the "crisis". Longevity is a blessing to be cherished. Congress should seize on the opportunity to improve and strengthen Medicare in ways that serve to build confidence, not create fear and the uncertainty of a "looming crisis".

I support strengthening Medicare in the following three ways.

> First , to preserve Medicare , it is necessary to repeal Obamacare.

> Second, I support a plan that maximizes individual enrollee choice and encourages private competition. This begins with a premium support plan, in which Medicare enrollees may remain in current traditional Medicare or if they choose, they may use premium support payments from Medicare to pick from a variety of private plans. Enrollees, as individual shoppers, seek the plan with features, benefits, and costs that most appeal to them and their needs. Competition among private plans produces better coverage at lowest prices and insures access to quality healthcare with greatest enrollee satisfaction. This approach is already successful in Medicare Part D and in the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (FEHBP). The FEHBP covers over 8 million beneficiaries, and has outperformed Medicare in quality, access to providers, and cost containment since the 1960's.

> Third, Congressmen should not take money from health care industries who buy influence and advantage. Medicare needs protection from this unethical and corrupting practice. I am uniquely qualified. I accept no campaign contributions and I spend no money on my campaign so that when I serve in Congress, I will advocate for Medicare reform with no conflict of intere

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