11 – Assisting Our Elders and the Poor

The following two questions were asked of me by the League of Woman Voters earlier in my campaign.

What measures will you support to cope with rising costs of Medicare and Medicaid?

I support all measures and initiatives that will eliminate fraud, abuse and waste throughout our health care delivery system, especially in our health insurance for the elderly and disabled and welfare programs or the poor and the elderly. More than 25% of all healthcare cost is waste and fraud.

Furthermore, I will support Health Savings Accounts to provide incentives for Americans to assume some responsibility for their own healthcare.

I will support and encourage all efforts to put more of our resources into preventive healthcare.

I support encouraging private and public insurers to provide incentives for reducing cost of premiums for those persons who practice good health habits and penalize those who do not.


Would any of these measures involve shifting additional costs to the states?

Shifting the cost of Medicare and Medicaid form the Federal government to the states does not solve the problems of rising healthcare costs. The contracts of poorly performing or fraudulent healthcare providers would be terminated.

Incentives can be offered rewarding excellent performance in health care, in fact, there a move underway establishing Pay-for-Performance incentives by insurers in the healthcare industry.

There are now only 11 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!