State Senate Candidates’ Night – Part 9 – Health Care, State-Run Health Insurance

Continuing coverage of the League of Women Voters Candidates’ Night for those seeking State Senate seats looking at answers to the question of health care, including whether candidates favored a state-run health insurance plan.

And the candidates had a minute to answer the question

My notes are below:

32nd District

Craig Wilcox

  • Mary Mahady

    Republican Craig Wilcox – doesn’t think that there’s anything worse to a family than finding out health care for loved ones is unavailable. “I don’t believe that Illinois or any other government entity needs to be in the habit of telling you what you deserve, what you don’t deserve, and what’s available to you.”  Agrees with Dan McConchie that market should be opened up, that competition will lower prices.  As far as a state-run insurance company, “name one or two things that you think our government does well.”

  • Democrat Mary Mahady – should have a universal health care system and Medicaid for all nationally.  Until then, wants the ACA continued. With regard to a state-run program, she said she was “open to any option that would be beneficial to the residents of Illinois.”  Possibility of working with neighboring states.  “Lots of good ideas out there.”  Goal to have good good health care for all that is affordable.

33rd District

Don DeWitte

  • Nancy Zettler

    Republican Don DeWitte – No to a state-run program.  “The state has shown its inability to run complex programs.  He pointed out with reagrd to the ACA there is no longer a penalty to non-participation.

  • Democrat Nancy Zettler – said she prefers Medicare for all, but that the State Treasurer has investigated a Midwest ACA with surrounding states.

26th District

Don McConchie

Tom Georges

  • Republican Dan McConchie – “We set up the exchange with only one provider in most of the state.”
  • Democrat Tom Georges – Agrees to Medicare for all. On state level does not agree with a state-run health care program.

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