What would you do to bring down the costs of health care, including the high cost of prescription medications, and how would you improve health care access?
U.S. Senator
Kelly Tshibaka
Republican candidate for U.S. Senator
Sen. Murkowski was the tie-breaking vote to keep Obamacare, which has increased insurance costs and limited choice because it depends on a centralized, top-down government-led approach. Instead, I support moving the resources and regulatory control to the states, guaranteeing protections for low-income individuals and those with preexisting conditions, and giving individuals more affordable health plan options.
When I was commissioner of Administration, I ran the health care plan for the state of Alaska. We made changes like this and saved tens of millions, increased choices for our members and cut costs for the plan.
I also support allowing lower-cost medications to be safely imported and bringing generic medicines to market quicker. I will support giving tax credits, not just deductions, to physicians who provide services to low-income patients. Medicare savings should not be used to cover debt in Obamacare, but reinvested in Medicare to lower costs for beneficiaries.
Lisa Murkowski
Republican candidate for U.S. Senator
Our country has the highest drug prices in the world, with the highest costs on drugs that Medicare enrollees use most. I have led on the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act and was one of the Republicans to support the provision to cap the cost of insulin in the recent Inflation Reduction Act. That price needs to be capped for private-plan users, as well. I also supported capping Medicare out-of-pocket costs to $2,000 annually for prescription drugs. The Inflation Reduction Act was advertised as a silver bullet for fixing the high price of prescription drugs, and while there will be certain drugs the federal government will negotiate on cost, I still want a comprehensive solution to bring down the cost of drugs for everyone, not just Medicare enrollees and the federal government — I believe the bipartisan Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act, which reduces drug costs and increases transparency, would have been a better solution. I have supported the expansion of telehealth coverage and capabilities, including supporting the expansion of broadband. Through appropriations, I’ve worked to provide funding for new clinics and medical equipment throughout the state, a new emergency room in Anchorage and workforce development funding for nursing, doctor, psychiatry and dental programs.
Patricia Chesbro
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senator
The Inflation Reduction Act will target the cost of prescription drugs for seniors. This is vital for seniors’ health and well-being. Unfortunately, this relief is limited to Medicare at this time. We should be looking carefully at the results of this legislation, adjust it as necessary and move it to the wider prescription drug market.