Issue Position: Health

Issue Position

Everyone deserves healthcare treatment. Everyone deserves access to healthcare insurance.

Everyone deserves both at an affordable cost.

However, a government takeover of healthcare is not the answer. The American people must be in charge of their healthcare decisions. Why have government bureaucrats, rather than Americans, decide for themselves what is best for their families.

We need common-sense solutions that harness the energy and innovation of the free market and put healthcare back in the hands of the American people.

We should eliminate healthcare insurance discrimination based on age or gender and encourage real competition in the healthcare insurance market.

Tort reform must also be part of any healthcare reform. We must enact reforms to prevent frivolous lawsuits so that doctors will not be forced to practice "defensive medicine" and order unnecessary and expensive tests and procedures, all of which raise the cost of healthcare.

We must make insurance companies compete to provide the best coverage at the best price. The insurance companies should also be required to keep contracts and plans simple and fair.

A fundamental aspect of making insurance companies compete is to allow for individuals to shop for insurance plans across state lines. Interstate competition would force insurance companies to compete nationally. Individuals and families will have a broader selection of plans to choose from in order to meet their specific healthcare needs. Instead, of a government-run one-size-fits-all solution, interstate insurance will be a consumer-driven market that would ensure that insurance companies provide effective and affordable healthcare to all Americans.

Healthcare needs to be your decision, not a decision of where you work. It should be portable and stay with you through changing jobs or careers.

Deciding on healthcare coverage is one of the most personal choices an individual can make. Individuals should have the opportunity to find the healthcare coverage that fits his/her lifestyle. This cannot be achieved through onerous regulations and government interference. Government must allow individuals to choose for themselves from a robust and competitive private sector.

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