Q: How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
A: By reducing the impact of the third party in the health care equation, thus creating competition and incentive for individuals to control costs.
All should be eligible for coverage, and there should be no discrimination based on pre-existing conditions except conditions brought on by the individual (e.g. smoking). I recommend modifying high deductible health plans and only allowing tax
subsidies for high deductible coverage and health savings accounts (HSAs) contributions, while creating incentives for states to increase competition (such as by reducing Medicaid funding to states that maintain certificate of need (CON) laws).
Aside from changing the Medicare eligibility age (discussed below), I recommend slight modification to Medicare benefits to achieve competition and incentive for individuals to control costs.
[We should] change healthcare so people don't have to pay premiums, but they have to pay a higher percentage of the cost in terms of coinsurance, so they have significant skin in the game when they make a healthcare decision; and also change the
subsidies for healthcare in the tax system for employer based coverage. Everyone needs to care about their purchases, instead of the situation now where a lot of people don't care because they pay for very little of their healthcare"
Source: The Red & Black on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race
, Feb 11, 2016
Medicare benefits need to be cut, to preserve Medicare
Q: In 2007 the government has begun �income relating,� or means testing. Higher income seniors will have to pay more for their doctors� services and outpatient coverage. Do you support Means Testing?
A: While Medicare needs to be preserved,
Medicare benefits need to be cut. One possible solution would be to make Part B more of a 50/50 program (e.g. eliminate the deductible and premiums and have half of all services paid by beneficiaries), while eliminating the Part A deductible
($1,024 for 2008) and adding twenty percent (20%) coinsurance to Part A.
Any surplus assets of Part A should be invested in stocks and bonds, similar to the Social Security surplus assets.
These changes could be phased-in over a period of five (5) to ten (10) years.
Another option would be to hold the Medicare percentage of the budget or GDP constant, while adjusting deductibles, premiums and coinsurance accordingly.
Eliminate all Medicare Rx benefits but catastrophic coverage
Q: Do you support the Prescription Drug Benefit?
A: For prescription drugs, all except the catastrophic coverage piece of Medicare Part D should be repealed, and the government should negotiate with the drug companies for group discounts for seniors.
(According to a January 2008 study published on the Annals of Internal Medicine website, Medicare Part D�s prescription drug benefit led to only a seventeen percent (17%) reduction in out-of-pocket costs for 2006.)
Source: Senior Citizens League Guide to the 2008 US Senate Campaigns
, Oct 10, 2008
National referendum on tax increase vs. Medicare cuts
Q: Your stance on Health Care?
A: I advocate a national referendum, to let the people decide whether (a) the system should remain in tact with current tax increases, or (b) benefits should be cut.
Source: Email interview on 2004 Senate race with OnTheIssues.org
, Jun 28, 2004
No federally-run health care
I don�t advocate, nor would I attempt to induce, state-run health care [nor federal]. My position is: if a state mandates a minimum coverage, the federal government should allow people who pay for such coverage (whether from the state or from a private
insurer) to write it off on their tax returns �above the line�--in other words, they will get a tax benefit if they pay income tax. The same should be true of basic coverage purchased by any individual, regardless of whether it is state-mandated or not.
Source: Email interview on 2004 Senate race with OnTheIssues.org
, Jun 25, 2004
Above-the-line tax deductions for health costs
No federal health care except by �above the line� tax deductions of any state-mandated care.
Source: Email interview on 2004 Senate race with OnTheIssues.org
, Jun 11, 2004
No federal health care except by tax deductions
Health care should be left to the states. The federal government should allow income tax deductions for state-mandated health coverage.
Buckley opposes the AFA survey question on universal coverage
The AFA inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'It is the government's responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance'?
Self-description: (American Family Association helps produce iVoterGuides): "Grounded in God; rooted in research"; they "thoroughly investigate candidates"; when they cannot "evaluate with confidence, they receive an 'Insufficient' rating" (& we exclude)
Buckley opposes the AFA survey question on eliminating private insurance
The AFA inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'I support the elimination of private healthcare insurance'?
Self-description: (American Family Association helps produce iVoterGuides): "Grounded in God; rooted in research"; they "thoroughly investigate candidates"; when they cannot "evaluate with confidence, they receive an 'Insufficient' rating" (& we exclude)