Democratic incumbent President; IL Senator (2004-2008):
Click here for 116 full quotes
OR click here for Barack Obama on other issues.
- Prioritize finding a cure for cancer. (Jan 2016)
- All kids should get vaccinated, but not by law. (Feb 2015)
- ObamaCare didn't crush jobs nor explode deficits. (Jan 2015)
- Ebola teaches us how to prevent future pandemics. (Jan 2015)
- FactCheck: Yes, 10 million newly insured last year. (Jan 2015)
- An AIDS-free generation is within our reach. (Feb 2013)
- We reduced senior Rx prices & pushed preventive care. (Oct 2012)
- I don't think Medicare vouchers are the way to go. (Oct 2012)
- Voucher system puts seniors at mercy of insurance companies. (Oct 2012)
- Too many Americans skip preventive care due to cost. (Sep 2012)
- FactCheck: ObamaCare covers only 1/2 of 30 million uninsured. (Jan 2012)
- OpEd: Incremental plan builds on patchwork system. (Aug 2008)
- 2003 Rx Drug Bill combined worst of public & private sectors. (Aug 2008)
- Give more help to those denied a life of dignity & respect. (Jul 2008)
- Address minority health needs by more coverage & targeting. (Mar 2007)
- Allow prescription drug re-importation. (May 2004)
AIDS
- Lead eradication of malaria and HIV, like we did with Ebola. (Jan 2016)
- Advocated condom use to avoid AIDS at Saddleback Church. (Jan 2010)
- CDC estimate: a half million would follow Obama's AIDS test. (Aug 2008)
- Use whatever works with AIDS, including teaching abstinence. (Apr 2008)
- We need condom distribution to deal with the scourge of AIDS. (Aug 2007)
- Homophobia prevents talking about HIV/AIDS. (Jun 2007)
- Got tested for AIDS, with wife, in public, in Kenya. (Jun 2007)
- Curing AIDS must be all-hands-on-deck effort. (Mar 2007)
- Lead global fight against AIDS. (Jul 2004)
ObamaCare
- 18 millions people have gained health insurance. (Jan 2016)
- FactCheck: 7M new Medicaid includes woodwork & normal churn. (Feb 2014)
- 12 million covered; zero denied for pre-existing conditions. (Jan 2014)
- Boards of experts identify best practices & keep costs down. (Oct 2012)
- ObamaCare says insurance companies can't jerk you around. (Oct 2012)
- Ignored advice to postpone reform, because it was needed. (Sep 2012)
- They called ObamaCare "Armageddon", but no asteroids fell. (Oct 2011)
- Repealing healthcare reform would cost $250B. (Jan 2011)
- Medicare is major driver of our long-term liabilities. (Jan 2010)
- Zero fines & no mandate for small business. (Oct 2008)
- No exclusions for pre-existing conditions. (Oct 2008)
- Health care is a right: something’s fundamentally wrong now. (Oct 2008)
- Ban insurance companies from discriminating against the sick. (Aug 2008)
- Include everyone who wants insurance in national pool. (Aug 2008)
- I’ve got a health plan and a plan to get it implemented. (Jun 2008)
- Voluntary universal participation, like in Medicare Part B. (Feb 2008)
- Buy private insurance via National Health Insurance Exchange. (Feb 2008)
- Against enforcement mechanism for mandating insurance. (Jan 2008)
- Subsidies to people who can’t afford care--not single payer. (Jan 2008)
- Problem isn’t mandating coverage, but affording it. (Nov 2007)
- Cautious incremental plan offers choice & subsidy. (Nov 2007)
- Tackle insurance companies on reimbursement system. (Oct 2007)
- Government healthcare like members of Congress have. (Sep 2007)
- Morally wrong that terminally ill must consider money. (Sep 2007)
- Increase competition in the insurance and drug markets. (Aug 2007)
- National Health Insurance Exchange for private coverage. (Aug 2007)
- Give people the choice to buy affordable health care. (Jun 2007)
- Employers are going to have to pay or play. (Mar 2007)
- The market alone can’t solve our health-care woes. (Oct 2006)
- Health care tied to balancing costs and taxes nation wide. (Jun 2006)
- 2008: must be national system; not state-level pilots. (Oct 2005)
- Will expand health coverage & allow meds to be re-imported. (May 2004)
Obamacare Criticism
- OpEd: Passing ObamaCare with no GOP caused long-term rancor. (May 2014)
- FactCheck: Some Medicare premiums went up under ObamaCare. (Jan 2014)
- FactCheck: Yes, 9M signed up, but only 3M are newly insured. (Jan 2014)
- Lie of the Year: 'If you like your plan, you can keep it'. (Dec 2013)
- ObamaCare and RomneyCare both expand private insurance. (Oct 2012)
- OpEd: ObamaCare passed by constitutionally suspect tactics. (Apr 2012)
- 2009: Accused of "Obamunism" and "Chains We Can Believe In". (Oct 2011)
- OpEd: True cost of ObamaCare was end of bipartisanship. (Oct 2011)
- OpEd: No authority to micromanage citizens' healthcare. (Jul 2011)
- FactCheck: healthcare reform saves $2B to $10B, not $250B. (Jan 2011)
- OpEd: Obama's public responsibility for health is socialism. (Nov 2010)
- OpEd: Slices $500B from Medicare; repeals Medicare Advantage. (Apr 2010)
- OpEd: Obamacare decides when life is worth preserving. (Apr 2010)
- OpEd: authority to require private insurance purchases? (Apr 2010)
- OpEd: ObamaCare was achieved by Cuba 50 years ago. (Mar 2010)
- OpEd: cut $622B in Medicare despite claiming no cuts. (Mar 2010)
- High-risk pool for uninsured, now in plan, was GOP idea. (Jan 2010)
- Cross-state-line insurance leads to cherry-picking. (Jan 2010)
- Tort reform only saves $5B per year; not enough to matter. (Jan 2010)
- Didn't tackle healthcare for political benefit, it's needed. (Jan 2010)
- FactCheck: Obama's estimate of $1T saved is closer to $132B. (Jan 2010)
- FactCheck: Exempts small business, but no $2,500/yr savings. (Oct 2008)
- $15B subsidies to private insurers was a lobbyist giveaway. (Sep 2008)
- End-of-life self-medication ok; euthanasia by others not ok. (Apr 2008)
- AdWatch: punishing uninsured families doesn’t make sense. (Feb 2008)
- FactCheck: Yes, Obama favored single-payer, despite denial. (Jan 2008)
- FactCheck: OPPORTUNITY to insure all, but no GUARANTEE. (Jan 2008)
- FactCheck: Reducing obesity would save $18B, not $1T. (Dec 2007)
- FactCheck: Correct that insurance lobbying cost $1B. (Sep 2007)
- Reform failed in ‘90s because of drug company lobbying. (Jul 2007)
Universal Coverage
- Shifting Medicaid to states means some people don't get help. (Oct 2012)
- Add 2,000 new primary-care residency spots. (Apr 2010)
- 2009: Expanded SCHIP by loosening eligibility standards. (Nov 2009)
- Reduce premiums and uninsured get same coverage as Congress. (Oct 2008)
- When your child gets sick, you don't shop for best bargain. (Jul 2008)
- If we started from scratch, one-payer system would be best. (Jul 2008)
- Universal health care means anyone who wants it can get it. (Feb 2008)
- Mandating kids’ insurance ok; mandating adults has problems. (Feb 2008)
- Young adults up to age 25 can be covered under parents’ plan. (Feb 2008)
- Adults will get health care as they can afford it. (Feb 2008)
- No one turned away due to illness or pre-existing condition. (Feb 2008)
- AdWatch: Pressure insurance & drug companies to change. (Jan 2008)
- Being poor in this country is hazardous to your health. (Dec 2007)
- Added 20,000 children to Illinois healthcare. (Oct 2007)
- National insurance pool & catastrophic insurance. (Apr 2007)
- Healthcare system is broken without lifetime employment. (Oct 2006)
- Focus on the affordability of a broad healthcare plan. (Jan 2006)
- Crises happen in our lives and healthcare is necessary. (Oct 2004)
Voting Record
- No need to mandate coverage; just let people afford it. (Jul 2007)
- Voted NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium. (Mar 2008)
- Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D. (Apr 2007)
- Voted YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D. (Feb 2006)
- Voted YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics. (Nov 2005)
- Voted YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug. (Mar 2005)
- Increase funding for AIDS treatment & prevention. (Jan 2001)
- More funding for Rx benefits, community health, CHIPs. (Jan 2001)
- Improve services for people with autism & their families. (Apr 2007)
- Establish a national childhood cancer database. (Mar 2007)
- Preserve access to Medicaid & SCHIP during economic downturn. (Apr 2008)
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Written by
Daniel Biss on Health Care
Jeanne Ives on Health Care
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