Fred Thompson on Health Care

Thompson says every American is entitled to affordable health care, but opposes new taxes or mandates to reach that goal. He does not support a "one-size-fits-all Washington-controlled program." He says consumers need more information and access to affordable, portable insurance through a competitive marketplace. He also advocates information technology and wide use of clinical best practices to bring down medical costs

Health Insurance: Private/Government

• Enable every American to get affordable health care that is portable -- it follows the individual, not the job.
• Do not use new mandates or raise taxes to provide access to care.
• Offer Americans more information as well as the chance to choose affordable health care options.
• Streamline regulations through free market solutions to reduce costs for employers.
• Avoid "socialized medicine" because national health care systems in Canada and England are "coming apart at the seams."

Medical Costs

• Encourage greater competition and choice to reduce costs for employers.
• Encourage using clinical best practices, and information technology.

Health Savings Accounts

• Not currently addressed in his platform.

Drugs: Costs/Importation

• Not currently addressed in his platform.

Drug Safety

• Not currently addressed in his platform.

Electronic Record Keeping

• Encourage the use of electronic medical records to cut down on medical errors, save money, and hold down insurance premiums.

Medicare/Medicaid

• Reform Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
• Opposes the prescription drug benefit (Plan D) for Medicare.

Stem Cells

• Supports adult stem cell research.
• Does not support stem cell research involving embryos.

Public Health Issues

• Information not available from campaign.

Abortion

• Supports the pro-life perspective.
• Remedy the "bad law and bad medical science" of Roe v. Wade by the appointment of "good judges."

Other

• Speed up medical research and innovation.

Information compiled by Michele Foust, WebMD Medical News.

Medically reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

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