Questions to Ask Candidates at Campaign Events

How would you help doctors who can no longer afford to take new Medicare patients because of Medicare’s declining and unpredictable rate of payment?
How do you propose to correct the physician Medicare payment rate formula?

Do you support a patient-centered medical home? (In this new model, the traditional doctor’s office is transformed into the central point for Americans to organize and coordinate their health care, based on their needs and priorities.)
Can you describe your plan for health care reform?
How does your health care proposal pay for coordination of health care (e.g., email, consultation with other physicians, patient registries, non face-to-face visits)?
Does your health care plan provide for basic primary care and preventive medicine?
Why do you think health care costs are rising so quickly? What specific measures do you propose to curb this trend?

There are more than 46 million Americans without health insurance today; why has the number of uninsured increased over the past decade?
Have you committed, or will you now commit, to making coverage for all a top priority of your administration if you are elected?
Do you support a major overhaul of the health care system, or do you support incremental steps to widen coverage? Why?
Would you support an approach that provides everyone with full coverage for basic health services and catastrophic care, and allows people to obtain additional benefits through private insurance?
Do you think health coverage for all can be achieved without mandating that each individual have insurance? If so, how?
Do you support providing Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions to help people buy private insurance? Do you believe HSAs are an effective way to help cover the uninsured?

Do you support the development of grants and loan programs for small- and medium-sized practices to acquire an electronic health records system that allows physicians and other providers to have instant access to information on treatment options when treating patients?
How would your administration balance patient privacy concerns with the need for an electronic health records system?
Do you have an electronic personal health record? Why or why not?

What is your plan to increase the number of medical students who choose family medicine and primary care?

Do you support a cap on non-economic damages in medical liability lawsuits as a way to help doctors afford to practice in our state?
At what level? //Or// Why not?
If you do not support a cap on lawsuits, what is your specific proposal to keep liability insurance affordable?