Pinehurst Today

Representative Richard Hudson and Heritage Foundation Director of the Center for Health and Welfare Policy, Nina Owcharenko Schaefer, authored an op-ed in the Washington Examiner criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris, Governor Tim Walz, and Democratic healthcare policies. They argue that these policies lead to fewer choices, lower quality care, and higher costs for patients and families.

In their piece, Rep. Hudson and Schaefer stated, “While issues such as the border crisis, global conflicts, and persistent inflation continue to dominate headlines, healthcare remains a key concern for voters."

They highlighted that last month Vice President Harris selected Gov. Walz as her running mate. This makes them the first ticket to fully endorse government-run, single-payer healthcare. According to Hudson and Schaefer: "It would cost tens of trillions of taxpayer dollars and reduce medical productivity," resulting in fewer choices for patients, poorer quality care, longer wait times, and increased taxes.

The op-ed also criticizes prescription drug price controls under the Biden administration. They claim these controls have led to higher drug costs in North Carolina while limiting access to life-saving medications for seniors.

Reflecting on past Democratic promises with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), they noted: "A decade later... premiums are still rising," leading to fewer options that are more limited in scope and quality.

Hudson and Schaefer argued that instead of addressing these issues effectively: "The Biden-Harris administration’s solution has been to simply slap a Band-Aid over them with more taxpayer-funded subsidies."

They warned that a Harris-Walz administration would put the government in charge of individual healthcare decisions: "giving it the power to decide what kind of care you get... if you can get it at all."

Conversely, they asserted that conservatives in the House are focused on making coverage more affordable with transparent pricing while enhancing accessibility and reducing overall costs.

They concluded by calling for a shift from what they see as failed big-government policies towards a patient-centered healthcare agenda.

The full op-ed is available in the Washington Examiner.

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