United States Senate runoff election in Louisiana, 2014/Healthcare

2014 U.S. Senate runoff election in Louisiana

Runoff General Election Date December 6, 2014

Primary Date November 4, 2014

December 6 Runoff Election Winner: Bill Cassidy

Incumbent prior to election: Mary Landrieu

Republican candidate: Bill Cassidy

Race Ratings Cook Political Report: Lean R Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely R

Issues in this election: •Keystone Pipeline • Healthcare  • Connections to Pres. Obama • Social Security • Media  • Voting analysis and trends

According to an exit poll conducted by Edison Research, healthcare was the most important issue to voters in Louisiana with the economy coming in a close second. The exit poll found that "Landrieu voters made up 57 percent of those who gave health care the top spot. Those who chose the economy split between Cassidy and Landrieu, with about 45 percent supporting the challenger and 42 percent the incumbent."

The Affordable Care Act and Medicare/ Medicaid were major issues in the November 4 "jungle primary" and runoff election. Below are statements made by Sen. Mary Landrieu and Rep. Bill Cassidy on The Affordable Care Act, Medicare/ Medicaid and the medical device tax.

The Affordable Care Act

According to an exit poll conducted by Edison Research, "Fifty-six percent of Louisiana voters say they believe the 2010 federal health care law went too far." During the campaign, Landrieu expressed her support for the bill, and Cassidy expressed his opposition to it.

• Landrieu: Despite the unpopularity of the Affordable Care Act in Louisiana, Landrieu defended the bill. In a debate she said, "I'm telling you this is a good bill. It's not perfect. I will defend it. I will improve it. And I will fight for it."

• Landrieu: The following statement appeared on Landrieu's website:

“	On March 23, 2010, the President signed into law the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Senator Landrieu supported this historic legislation because it achieves the goals she laid out at the beginning of the debate: It stabilizes costs and expands affordable health care choices for families and small businesses in Louisiana and throughout the country. It expands coverage and increases choice and competition for thousands of Louisianians. Most importantly, this law makes private health insurance more affordable and accessible without including a government-run option. The Congressional Budget Office, which is nonpartisan and so does not represent either Democrats or Republicans, analyzed the law and determined that it will lower or stabilize insurance premiums, cover 30 million Americans who are currently uninsured, and reduce the U.S. budget deficit by $210 billion over the next 10 years.	”
—Mary Landrieu, https://web.archive.org/web/20141118002607/http://www.landrieu.senate.gov/?p=issue&id=15

• Cassidy: Cassidy drew on his experience as a doctor to oppose the Affordable Care Act. He said, "Over 30 years I have witnessed the government get more involved in patient care and I have not witnessed improved quality or access to health care because of government intervention. That’s why I believe in free-market health care solutions that give patients the power, not Washington DC bureaucrats. When patients have control over their health care dollars and health care providers are accountable to them, the system lines up to serve them better."

• Cassidy: Cassidy explained his eight step plan for reforming the healthcare system, which included: Patient Choice, Consumer-Driven Health Care (HSAs), Transparency in Pricing, Information Portals, Guaranteed Renewal, Preserve the Family, Allow Insurance Plans to be Sold Across State Lines and Tort Reform.

“	1. Patient Choice – Patients should have the power to choose health care options that make sense for them. A young woman in her 20s will have very different health care needs than a man in his 70s. Instead of Obamacare’s one-size fits all approach, patients should be able to choose the plan that is most in line with their needs. 2. Consumer-Driven Health Care (HSAs) – You can find more detailed information on my plan for Consumer-driven health care in the health care issues section. Consumer driven plans, such as HSAs, have proven a remarkable health care tool. They lower costs and give patients the power to control their health care dollar. This provides a financial incentive to be discerning in how their health care dollars are spent. HSA's give patients an opportunity to receive more value and better quality for their dollars spent on healthcare. 3.Transparency in Pricing – Currently, patients do not have a way to find out how much health care services cost. This is pretty basic economics; patients should know how much their health care will cost before the bill comes in the mail. Increased transparency will follow from increased use of consumer-driven health care because patients will demand it. 4. Information Portals – Americans like and deserve a choice when making healthcare decisions. Utah has done an excellent job of informing customers about their health care options. States should be encouraged to create information portals in which health care customers could access information about different health care plans and costs. However, this should be a free market, rather than a tool for government regulation like Obamacare exchanges. 5. Guaranteed Renewal – Patients want to know that they’re protected once they buy health insurance. Guaranteed renewal would ensure that patients could keep their insurance, even if or when they get sick, as long as they choose to stay enrolled. 6. Preserve the Family – Obamacare penalizes marriage. For certain couples, the government provides each person a subsidy if they are single, but does not give the same couple a subsidy if they are married. Marriage and family should be incentivized, rather than penalized, by allowing married couples to get the same subsidies that similar situated non-married couples get and allowing family members to pool their health care subsidies for family coverage. 7. Allow Insurance Plans to be Sold Across State Lines – The key to decreasing costs and increasing quality in health care is increasing competition so that plans and providers have to compete harder for your business. Allowing insurance plans to be sold across state lines would increase competition. 8. Tort Reform – Doctors spend billions of dollars on extraneous tests and health care services because they rightly feel they need to protect themselves from frivolous litigation. America needs tort reform so that we can reduce health care costs.	”
—Bill Cassidy, https://web.archive.org/web/20141117202915/http://billcassidy.com/issues/healthcare/bill-8-steps/

Medicare/ Medicaid

• Landrieu: In a debate Landrieu said, "I voted for $700 million in efficiencies in the Medicare Program. . . I put that money back into the Medicare Program to strengthen it and extended the life of the program as it is. And I also believe that other people, particularly people that are under 65, deserve healthcare."

• Cassidy: According to Cassidy, "...Medicaid offers the illusion of coverage without the power of access. Medicaid is an important program. In congress, I introduced comprehensive Medicaid reform called the Medicaid Accountability and Care (MAC) Act. I will continue to develop and promote this legislation in the U.S. Senate. This isn’t a new concept; it originated in the 1990’s with contributions from John Breaux, Rick Santorum, Bill Clinton and others. This legislation would modernize Medicaid's financing. It breaks down America’s Medicaid into specific categories: the elderly, blind and disabled, children and adults. Payments would be calculated on a per-capita, per category basis. The bottom line – the health care dollar will follow the patient. This means that bureaucrats won’t be able to spend money without thinking about patient care and needs. The proposal would control federal spending while simultaneously improving patient outcomes and addressing fraud and waste in the system."

Medical Device Tax

The Affordable Care Act raises funding for the subsidies provided by the act by imposing a 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices. According to the Washington Post, "The tax imposes a levy on a host of products — everything from X-ray equipment and MRI machines to pacemakers and dentures. This does not include consumer items that fall under the retail exemption, such as eyeglasses, contact lenses and hearing aids. The tax applies to items produced and sold in the U.S., including imports, but not to exports or resales intended for export." The tax is likely to be repealed when the Republicans take control of Congress in 2015.

• Cassidy: Cassidy released the following statement after voting to repeal the medical device tax on June 7, 2012: "Today, House Republicans voted to repeal the Medical Device Tax. One study shows it will cost up to 45,000 jobs as America's manufacturers push jobs overseas. Creating jobs requires helping American companies remain globally competitive. This includes repealing taxes and ultimately rolling back the President's health care plan."

Key votes

The Affordable Care Act

Vote on HR3590: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was designed to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare by providing insurance subsidies, setting up healthcare Exchanges, expanding coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, regulating insurance premium increases and improving Medicare and Medicaid, among other measures. It passed 60 - 39 on December 24, 2009.

Vote on H.R.4872: The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 included "a number of health-related financing and revenue changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act enacted by H.R.3590 and modifies higher education assistance provisions. Read together, H.R.3590 and the health care-related provisions of this bill are commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act (ACA)." It passed 56 - 43 on March 25, 2010.

Vote on HR3590: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was designed to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare by providing insurance subsidies, setting up healthcare Exchanges, expanding coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, regulating insurance premium increases and improving Medicare and Medicaid, among other measures. It passed 219 - 212 on March 21, 2010.

Vote on H.R.4872: The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 made "a number of health-related financing and revenue changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act enacted by H.R.3590 and modifies higher education assistance provisions. Read together, H.R.3590 and the health care-related provisions of this bill are commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act (ACA)." It passed 220-207 on March 25, 2010.

Medical Device Tax

Vote on S.Amdt. 297 to S.Con.Res. 8: According to Senate.gov, the purpose of S.Amdt. 297 to S.Con.Res. 8 was, "To promote innovation, preserve high-paying jobs, and encourage economic growth for manufacturers of lifesaving medical devices and cutting edge medical therapies." It passed the Senate 79-20 on March 21, 2013.

Vote on H.R.436 : The Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012 would have revised the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on medical devices, along with repealing other healthcare-related taxes. It passed the House 270 - 146 on June 7, 2012.

Vote on H.R.4: The Jobs for America Act included the Save American Workers Act of 2014, Hire More Heroes Act of 2014, American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2014 and the America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2014, along with many other tax relief measures. It also called for the repeal of the medical device tax. It passed the House 253 - 163 on September 18, 2014.

See also

• United States Senate runoff election in Louisiana, 2014
• United States Senate elections in Louisiana, 2014
• United States Senate elections, 2014
• United States Senate
• Louisiana elections, 2014
• United States House of Representatives elections in Louisiana, 2014
• U.S. Senate delegation from Louisiana
• United States congressional delegations from Louisiana
• Mary Landrieu (D)
• Bill Cassidy (R)

External links

• Louisiana Elections Division
• Elections Division: Candidates

Footnotes

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Louisiana's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Bill Cassidy (R)

John Kennedy (R)

Representatives

District 1

Steve Scalise (R)

District 2

Troy Carter (D)

District 3

Clay Higgins (R)

District 4

Mike Johnson (R)

District 5

Julia Letlow (R)

District 6

Cleo Fields (D)

Republican Party (6)

Democratic Party (2)