Maine — 2nd District

The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com To put the focus on the topics and concerns that matter most to you, the BDN opinion section asked subscribers for their questions for the candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House. Today, we’re sharing answers from the candidates for the U.S. House for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, Republican former Gov. Paul LePage and State Auditor Matt Dunlap, a Democrat. Visit bangordailynews.com/candidates-questions to see the responses in other races. What measures would you vote for to ensure that all Mainers have access to affordable healthcare? Should all Americans have access to the same coverage, at the same cost, as members of Congress? Do you support Medicare-for-all or another form of universal health care? If so, how would you pay for it? If not, why not. Matt Dunlap, Democrat I will fight with every chance I get to fix our broken health care system and make it better for every Mainer, and that means taking every opportunity possible to vote to make sure Mainers have access to affordable health care. Healthcare is too expensive, but Paul LePage spent more time passing tax cuts for billionaires than doing anything to fix it. I will take on Big Pharma and the insurance companies that are making millions while too many families can’t afford lifesaving care. LePage may call Medicare and Medicaid cuts “the greatest thing that can happen to the Maine people,” but as your representative, I will vote to restore the Medicaid cuts, expand tax credits to make health insurance premiums more affordable, and fight for Medicare for All (which would be $1 trillion dollars cheaper than our current system). Paul LePage, Republican Mainers deserve affordable care, more choices and the freedom to choose their doctors. Those with pre-existing conditions should have coverage. I support more competition in our insurance marketplace, transparent pricing and removing bureaucracy, which simply adds cost to patients without any beneficial health outcomes. Under Obamacare, insurance companies have gotten rich. Insurance companies should have to compete for your business and they should be forced to justify the prices they charge for premiums. Congress should live under the same rules as the people it represents. As governor, I signed Public Law (PL) 90 , which expanded insurance options and lowered premiums for Mainers. This reform was touted by The Wall Street Journal because it actually lowered health insurance premiums. I oppose completely government-run healthcare. First, it would force every Mainer to lose their health plans including union plans, employer plans, or other types of healthcare plans, which would be eliminated. Second, government-run healthcare will cost all Mainers as tens of trillions of dollars gets eaten by an inefficient system which would force across-the-boar