Positions on senior issues by candidates for Indiana 7 th Congressional District

Based on interviews with Jon Elrod, Andre’ Carson, Woody Myers, and David Orentlicher, March and April 2008

On Medicare:

Elrod: Believes in and supports traditional Medicare

Carson: Believes in and supports traditional Medicare

Myers: Supports traditional Medicare and believes it should be preserved as an option. Thinks the entire system, Parts A through D, is in need of an overhaul rather than fixing it piece by piece.

Orentlicher: Supports improved and expanded Medicare, including more preventive care, long term care, and prescription drugs as Medicare benefits. There is a potential for substantial savings through the elimination of provider fraud and the provision of quality, cost effective, care,

Elrod: Without clear evidence that Medicare C works, would support legislation to end Part C.

Carson: Eliminate the subsidies to private insurance companies and establish strong penalties for deceptive marketing.

Myers: The overpayments is a key item that needs to be fixed.

Orentlicher: Has no problems with competition to Medicare, but competitors should not operate on more favorable terms than Medicare itself. Therefore, supports elimination of the overpayments to private insurance companies, payments over and above what Medicare pays for the same procedures.

On Medicare Part D, the prescription drug program:

Elrod: Medicare should be allowed to negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry.

Carson: Medicare should be allowed to negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry and there should be a prescription drug program available directly through Medicare.

Myers: Medicare should be allowed to negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry.

Orentlicher: Prescription drugs should be provided as a Medicare benefit. Supports allowing the government to negotiate the price of prescription drug purchases with pharmaceutical companies.

On Part D drug importation:  

Elrod: Based primarily on concerns that importation may threaten thepharmaceutical industry’s development of new medicines, opposes drug importation.

 Carson: Americans should be able to purchase imported medicines from countries whose quality and safety standards are as good or better than those in place in the United States.

Myers: Could support allowing importation with appropriate quality controls.

Orentlicher: Favors allowing the importation of prescription drugs as long as there are safety controls comparable to those of Canada, the European Union nations, and other developed countries.

On the Part D “donut hole”:

 Elrod: Request for position unanswered

Carson: Close the donut hole and stabilize Part D deductibles.

Myers: Fix the donut hole as part of a comprehensive Medicare overhaul.

Orentlicher: Eliminate the donut hole. This is part of providing prescription drugs as a Medicare benefit.

On a national single-payer system:

Elrod: Believes that the current system is close to a single payer system and does not support expanding government’s role. Believes individuals, especially young adults, should take personal responsibility for their health care and retirement needs.

Carson: Supports a single-payer health care system for all Americans.

Myers: Thinks the country is not ready for a single-payer system and instead favors a “universal” health care approach that mixes private insurance and government oversight with “fewer, better payers” resulting from insurance and pharmaceutical industry consolidation.

Orentlicher: Backs Improved Medicare for All. States that his first act in Congress will be to sign on as a co-sponsor of H.B. 676, the Medicare for All bill.. Will also work to cover all members of Congress in the same Medicare program as everyone else.  

On Social Security:

 Elrod: Request for position unanswered.

Carson: Opposes privatizing Social Security in any way. Supports raising the earnings cap in order to address the program’s future shortfall.

Myers: Has seen no privatization proposal that he could support and thinks we need to protect Social Security. Sees no immediate crisis but would be willing to evaluate the system and would consider a raise in the earnings cap as a less onerous piece of the solution to long-term financing.

Orentlicher: Believes that privatization is not a useful approach. The best thing is to grow the economy. Social Security funding is on much firmer ground when our economy is thriving. The Social Security tax needs to be made more equitable. Raising the earnings cap would contribute to this end.