The Tolbert Report

What is that up in the air today? Why it’s none other than State Sen. Gilbert Baker talking about Sen. Blanche Lincoln and healthcare. Sorry if that joke is over your head but Baker is flying around the state today with stops in a Conway, Little Rock, Jonesboro, El Dorado, Texarkana, Fort Smith, and Fayetteville.

“One, I agree that our health system needs to be reformed,” stated Baker in a release today (full release on the jump.) “Two, every American should have affordable and accessible healthcare, regardless of pre-existing conditions. As the next Senator from Arkansas, I will always support medical liability reform and promote ways to improve the lives of Arkansans through well-being and prevention.”

Baker highlighted the fact that if Sen. Lincoln ends up voting for closure for the current health care reform legislation, she will be voting for government-run healthcare. “A vote for cloture in the U.S. Senate, or limiting the healthcare debate, is a vote for government-run healthcare,” Baker said. “It’s more important to see healthcare reform done right, than right now.”

Fellow Republican candidate Conrad Reynolds agrees saying last week, “Sen. Lincoln has another choice to make. Will she again stand with Sen. Reid and the liberal leaders in Washington in order to pay the tab on her new committee chairmanship, or will she choose to honor the conservative values of the people of Arkansas?”

Baker is highlighting several alternative proposals such as medical tort reform, tax credits for medical expenses, promotion of wellness programs, and expanded deductions for health insurance for the self employed and small businesses.

Sen. Baker Says Vote for Cloture is Vote for Government-Run Healthcare 

  

Baker says government-run healthcare is not the answer; offers ideas 

  

Conway, Ark. – U.S. Senate Candidate Senator Gilbert Baker today stated that a vote for cloture (to cut off debate) is a vote for government run healthcare and offered his ideas to reforming the nation’s healthcare system.  On a media fly-around, Senator Baker provided ideas for common-sense health care reforms, which will be a top priority for him in Washington.

 

“One, I agree that our health system needs to be reformed,” stated Sen. Baker.  “Two, every American should have affordable and accessible healthcare, regardless of pre-existing conditions.  As the next Senator from Arkansas, I will always support medical liability reform and promote ways to improve the lives of Arkansans through well-being and prevention.”

 

At stops in Conway, Little Rock, Jonesboro, El Dorado, Texarkana, Fort Smith, and Fayetteville, Sen. Baker said government-run health care is not the answer, due to the fact it will lead to higher costs, reduced quality, and limited patient choice.

 

“Patient decisions should be made by doctors and patients, not government bureaucrats,” Sen. Baker said.

 

As a state senator, Sen. Baker understands the importance of reaching across the aisle in drafting legislation.  He believes comprehensive healthcare reform must be bi-partisan in order to reflect the views of all Americans.

 

“A vote for cloture in the U.S. Senate, or limiting the healthcare debate, is a vote for government-run healthcare,” Sen. Baker said.  “It’s more important to see healthcare reform done right, than right now.”

 

Sen. Baker is offering the following solutions for healthcare reform:

 

§  Implement comprehensive medical liability reform that will reduce costly, unnecessary defensive medicine practiced by doctors trying to protect themselves from overzealous trial lawyers.

 

§  Provide immediate substantial financial assistance, through new refundable and advanceable tax credits, to low and modest-income Americans.

 

§  Promote prevention and wellness by giving employers and insurers greater flexibility to financially reward employees who seek to achieve or maintain a healthy weight, quit smoking, exercise, and manage chronic illnesses like diabetes.  

 

§  Create incentives to save now for future and long-term health care needs by improving health savings accounts and flexible spending arrangements as well as creating new tax benefits to offset the cost of long-term care premiums.

 

§  Bring greater fairness to the tax code by extending tax savings to those who currently do not have employer-provided insurance but purchase health insurance on their own.

 

§  Help employers offer health care coverage to their workers by reducing their administrative costs and offer a new small business tax credit

 

§  Recognize that one of the largest obstacles for many small businesses when it comes to retaining current employees or creating new jobs is the cost of health insurance. Any plan should allow states, small businesses, associations, and other organizations to band together and offer health insurance at lower costs.

§  Make health care more convenient by eliminating bureaucratic red tape to expand access to Community Health Centers that are so critical to underserved areas, both in large cities and in rural America.

Tags: 2010 Candidates