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Healthcare
 As you know, Congress is currently debating health care reform. I am concerned about the cost of increased government intervention in health care. Earlier this year the head of the Congressional Budget Office said, "The federal budget is on an unsustainable path…" The recent massive shift toward a government run economy has been expensive. Our budget deficit for this year ($1.6 trillion) will be roughly 13 percent of our GDP; twice the size of any year since WWII. And the ten year deficit is projected to be $9 trillion. Adding another trillion dollar commitment for a government run healthcare plan is irresponsible.
Additionally, government-backed competition in a private market undoubtedly distorts markets, drives out competition and could end up costing taxpayers billions. This is what happened with the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Should a "public option" be inserted into the health care market and perform like other government programs, many Americans could lose their current coverage.
When it comes to health care reform, I believe that we need to help those who need it most, and give individuals choice. Too many families don't have access to affordable, high quality health care, and this needs to change. Simply put, our health care system should put patients first. Patients should be able to get the care they need when they need it and patients and doctors should be making the health care decisions.
I support doing some common-sense changes that will reduce costs, expand access, and increase the quality of care in a way that America can afford. We need to change federal laws to help families keep their health insurance regardless of employment status or a preexisting condition. We need to encourage new and existing local programs to provide all Americans access to affordable health care. We should give states the tools to design innovative programs that make health care coverage more affordable for everyone.
I support letting small businesses band together to purchase high quality health care for their employees at a more affordable price, just as large corporations and unions do. We should also focus on prevention and wellness programs to help avoid serious and costly illnesses. We need to encourage the development of advances in treatments that help people live longer, healthier lives. And finally, we should rein in junk lawsuits that make health care more expensive for everyone.
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