Issue Position: Health Care

Issue Position

Currently our country is in the grips of enormous turmoil over Obamacare.

Any Arkansas or national newspaper constantly reminds us that Arkansas expanded its Medicaid program through the Private Option. With this new law we grew our broken Medicaid system, at the request of President Obama, by more than 8% due to the Private Option-Medicaid Expansion.

Today, I am the only candidate who openly states I am against the Obamacare Medicaid Expansion--the so called Private Option.

It is my belief that a candidate's position on the Private Option-Medicaid Expansion defines whether a candidate wants to reduce the size of government or merely be a player in the rate at which we grow government.

Saying one is conservative while at the same time designing, sponsoring, and promoting the greatest expansion of government spending in the state's history does not make sense.

As the Obamacare Private Option now stands, in the year 2017 (less than 3 years from now) our share of the bills come due; and in 2020 Arkansas taxpayers will pick up approximately 90 million dollars of the cost. And due to the "surprising" increased costs of the Private Option insurance premiums, we are seeing the likelihood of this debt increasing.

Both of my opponents are for the Private Option. And Mr. Burris not only is the architect of it, but has voted for it 10 times--five of those were just in the past few weeks during the fiscal session.

When I am elected I will bring a fresh open mind to the Senate. I am open to true reform of our near bankrupt Medicaid system. I want to preserve Medicaid (and Medicare) for the truly vulnerable. It is too important for those in true need.

My opponents both support and promote the Private Option; and no matter what is brought forth, they will stand to protect it.

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