As a Senator, Rick Santorum supported the Medicare Prescription Drug benefit known as Medicare Part D. He voted for the plan and ran television commercials noting that support. In the 2012 election, Senator Santorum was critical of that program. He stated that it was not funded properly as it simply spends whatever seniors need. He stated that his vote for that program was a mistake, but that he voted in favor of the reform because of other portions of the program, and that no other option was on the table. He claimed in a debate that the overall reform program had come in 40% under budget.
Senator Santorum has supported the plan proposed by Congressman Paul Ryan to transition Medicare to a voucher system to allow seniors to purchase health care on the open market. He has stated that this proposed plan is identical to Medicare Advantage, where seniors get resources from the federal government and then go out and make choices on what to purchase.
Senator Santorum opposed the 2009-2010 health care reform plan known as Obamacare and supports it's repeal. He stated that under the plan, Medicare would be cut starting in 2014 and the government would be rationing of care from the top down.
2012 Presidential Plan
Repeal ObamaCare
Strengthen patient-driven health coverage options such as Health Savings Accounts coupled with high deductible insurance plans (and repeal ObamaCare policies that gut such options)
Reduce costs through competition, increased transparency, electronic records, and health care literacy – empowering patients and their doctors with information and options
Allow patients to purchase health insurance across state lines to gain access to the best insurance coverage to fit their individual needs – patients shouldn’t be required to pay for (and subsidize for others) coverage for services they don’t want or need
Allow those who purchase their own health care coverage to do so with pre-tax dollars, including a refundable tax-credit for the purchase of health coverage (so that employees are not tied to jobs solely for health coverage, but have portability of affordable coverage)
Enact meaningful medical liability reform – to increase access, and reduce added costs and inefficiencies from defensive medicine for federal programs and incentivize state liability reforms
Block-grant Medicaid so that states aren’t burdened by unfunded, crippling, one-size-fits-all federal mandates, so that states can implement solutions to address their unique health care needs
Medicare Part D Advertisement
In 2006, Senator Santorum ran a television commercial noting his support for Medicare Part D. He stated that seniors deserved access to affordable prescription drugs.
National Constitution Center
On November 9, 2009 Senator Santorum spoke at the National Constitution Center and stated that any the Democratic leadership and President Obama had no intention of being bipartisan but were looking for a bill to steer the country toward European socialism.
Fox News Appearance - Opposition to Reform
On September 7, 2010 Senator Santorum appeared on Fox News and spoke about his opposition to the 2009-2010 health care reform plan.
Fox News Appearance - Budget and Health Care
On April 25, 2011 Senator Santorum appeared on Fox News and spoke about numerous issues. Among these issues was the proposed Medicare changes by Congressman Paul Ryan, and the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. He states that the mechanism of funding some medicare aspects is not proper because the program will spend whatever seniors need.
We did two things that were wrong with the program. Number one, we made it universal. In other words, we had a problem that was about 15 percent of seniors didn't have prescription drugs. And we -- and the president compromised with the Democrats, President Bush, to provide a universal benefit.
I was against that. I spoke against it. I worked against it, but we lost. ... I voted for it for a lot of reasons beyond the Medicare prescription drugs, for example, Medicare Advantage.
South Carolina Debate
In May of 2011, Senator Santorum participated in the Republican Primary in South Carolina. He is asked about his support for Medicare part D and states that he supported the program because it was a privately run program and not an entitlement.
Good Morning America
In June of 2011, Senator Santorum appeared on Good Morning America and discussed Medicare in relation to the Paul Ryan plan, Medicare Advantage, and the prescription drug plan known as Part D.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But it is admirable to stand by what you believe in, but could it lead to the same result this time around? For example, you just mentioned Congressman Ryan's budget plan. It appears that you want to go even farther than Congressman Ryan. You say you've criticized him for not applying his changes in Medicare, which Democrats say would end Medicare as we know it, for not applying that to those at or near the retirement age. So you'd say to people 55 and older yes, your Medicare will be changed as well?
SANTORUM: Well remember George, almost 25 percent of seniors right now have what the Ryan plan is, it's called Medicare Advantage. And in fact, that number was growing up until Barack Obama slashed the program –
STEPHANOPOULOS: But that's an option –
SANTORUM: – well, but the point is, seniors were able to take money and go out and purchase insurance. And by the way, the seniors who were most likely to do it were lower-income and actually less-educated seniors. Why? Because they found it was a better deal. And so I believe that, seniors – by the way, in the drug program, Medicare Part D, is exactly the Ryan plan. In other words, seniors get resources from the federal government, go out and make choices. No seniors believes they're being thrown off a cliff because they have Medicare Part D. Medicare Part D isn't a government-run, one-size-fits-all drug program, and it's working wonderfully. Seniors love it. "We forced it down their throat," quoting the Democrats. No we didn't, We gave them the choices, and seniors can in fact do this. It does save money, and it's going to be a good thing for them, and it's going to be a great thing for our country.
Iowa Debate
In June of 2011, Senator Santorum participated in the Presidential debate in New Hampshire. He notes his support for Medicare reform and the Paul Ryan plan. He also notes that Obamacare will cut Medicare.
KING: We have to save time. Let me start with the senator first. Should the Republicans slow down?
SANTORUM: No. We have a $1.4 trillion deficit, and it isn't getting any better anytime soon. We have to deal with this problem now. And what Paul Ryan has suggested, which I wholeheartedly support, is to use a program that is identical to what seniors already have. It's called Medicare Part D.
They have a program right now which seniors like. It is a program that's called a premium support program. We give seniors -- depending on income -- a certain amount of money so they can go out and they can purchase health care that they want that helps them -- and this is the key, John -- we need to include seniors in controlling costs.
What President Obama -- let me finish, please -- what President Obama has done is he put in, in the Obamacare bill, the Independent Payment Advisory Board. Ladies and gentlemen, seniors, Medicare is going to be cut, starting in 2014, by the federal government, and it's going to be rationing of care from the top down.
What Paul Ryan and Rick Santorum want to do, which is not radical, which is take a program, Medicare prescription drugs, that is 41 percent under budget, because seniors are involved in controlling costs, and apply it all to Medicare. It is the right approach for Medicare.
TEA Party Debate
In September of 2011, Senator Santorum participated in the TEA party debate in Tamp Bay, Florida. He was asked about his vote for the Prescription Drug bill known as Medicare Part D.
BLITZER: Senator Santorum, staying on the issue of spending, budget deficits, you voted for the prescription drug benefits for seniors when you were in the United States Senate costing about $1 trillion. If you had to do it over again, you wouldn't vote for that, but if you were president of the United States, would you repeal prescription drug benefits for seniors under Medicare?
SANTORUM: I think we have to keep a prescription drug component, but we have to pay for it. In other words, we have to have a program that is funded.
Now, the reason that that program has actually worked well is it's come in 40 percent under budget because it's a program that uses private sector insurance, not government-run, one-size-fits-all health care. If we do that for the rest of Medicare, which is what the Ryan proposal suggests, and something that I proposed, again, years ago, had the courage to go out and lead on this issue, then we would be able to have a prescription drug program and we'd be able to have Medicare that you choose.
The idea that unless we have a government-run, one-size-fits-all Medicare program, that that's throwing grandma off a cliff, is Washington think -- is people who think in Washington this president, who believes that they know better than you how to run your life and how to purchase your health care. I trust you, I trust the American people. That is the greatness of our country.
(APPLAUSE)
BLITZER: Thank you, Senator.
Western Debate
In October of 2011, Senator Santorum participated in the Western debate in Las Vegas. He noted his opposition to Governor Romney's plan in Massachussets and Obamacare.
COOPER: Senator Santorum, does Mitt Romney have the answers for jobs? SANTORUM: I agree with -- with all of what Governor Romney and both -- and Governor Perry said. I would add the fact that -- that I've put forward the plan that's going to allow for income mobility. That's a new term, but I've been using it for a long time, which is people at the bottom part of the income scale being able to rise in society.
Believe it or not, studies have been done that show that in Western Europe, people at the lower parts of the income scale actually have a better mobility going up the ladder now than in America. And I believe that's because we've lost our manufacturing base. No more stamp "Made in America" is really hurting people in the middle.
And that's why I focus all of the real big changes in the tax code at manufacturing. I cut the corporate rate for manufacturing to zero, repeal all regulations affecting manufacturers that cost over $100 million and replace them with something that's friendlier, they can work with. We repatriate $1.2 trillion that manufacturers made overseas and allow them to bring it back here, if they invest in plants and equipment. They can do it without having to pay any -- any excise tax.
The final point I would make to Governor Romney, you just don't have credibility, Mitt, when it comes to repealing Obamacare. You are -- you are -- your plan was the basis for Obamacare. Your consultants helped Obama craft Obamacare. And to say that you're going to repeal it, you just -- you have no track record on that that -- that we can trust you that you're going to do that.
COOPER: Governor Romney, 30 seconds.
(APPLAUSE)
SANTORUM: You don't.
ROMNEY: You know, this I think is either our eighth or ninth debate. And each chance I've -- I've had to talk about Obamacare, I've made it very clear, and also in my book. And at the time, by the way, I crafted the plan, in the last campaign, I was asked, is this something that you would have the whole nation do? And I said, no, this is something that was crafted for Massachusetts. It would be wrong to adopt this as a nation.
SANTORUM: That's not what you said.
ROMNEY: You're -- you're shaking -- you're shaking your head.
SANTORUM: Governor, no, that's not what you said.
ROMNEY: That happens -- to happens to be...
(CROSSTALK)
SANTORUM: It was in your book that it should be for everybody.
ROMNEY: Guys... PERRY: You took it out of your book.
SANTORUM: You took it out of your book.
ROMNEY: Hey, his turn. His turn, OK, and mine.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMNEY: I'll tell you what? Why don't you let me speak?
(CROSSTALK)
SANTORUM: You're allowed -- you're allowed to change -- you're allowed to change...
ROMNEY: Rick, you had your chance. Let me speak.
SANTORUM: You can't change the facts.
ROMNEY: Rick, you had your chance. Let me speak.
SANTORUM: You're out of time. You're out of time.
COOPER: He ate into your time.
(BOOING)
Rick...
(CROSSTALK)
ROMNEY: I haven't had a chance to respond yet, because you were interrupting the entire time I was trying to speak.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMNEY: Let me make it very clear.
COOPER: I'll give another 20 seconds.
ROMNEY: And -- look -- look, we'll let everybody take a look at the fact checks. I was interviewed by Dan Balz. I was in interviews in this debate stage with you four years ago. I was asked about the Massachusetts plan, was it something I'd impose on the nation? And the answer is absolutely not.
It was something crafted for a state. And I've said time and again, Obamacare is bad news. It's unconstitutional. It costs way too much money, a trillion dollars. And if I'm president of the United States, I will repeal it for the American people.
(APPLAUSE)
COOPER: All right. Senator Santorum?
SANTORUM: Mitt, the governor of Massachusetts just is coming forward saying we have to pick up the job left undone by Romneycare, which is doing something about cutting health care costs.
What you did is exactly what Barack Obama did: focused on the wrong problem. Herman always says you've got to find the right problem. Well, the right problem is health care costs. What you did with a top-down, government-run program was focus on the problem of health care access. You expanded the pool of insurance without controlling costs. You've blown a hole in the budget up there. And you authored in Obamacare, which is going to blow a hole in the budget of this country.
Dartmouth Economic Debate
On October 11, 2011 Senator Santorum participated in a debate at Dartmouth University. Senator Santorum spoke about the need to remove Obamacare to provide certainty to the market.
ROSE: Senator Santorum, we talked about jobs in Pennsylvania. A competitive agenda of yours would be what?
SANTORUM: Well, I already put forward a plan.
You know, Mitt, I don’t want to go to a trade war, I want to beat China. I want to go to war with China and make America the most attractive place in the world to do business. And we need to do that with the agenda that I outlined, which, unlike Herman’s plan, which could not pass, because no - how many people here are for a sales tax in New Hampshire? Raise your hand.
There you go, Herman. That’s how many votes you’ll get in New Hampshire.
We’re not going to give the federal government, Nancy Pelosi, a new pipeline, a 9 percent sales tax for consumers to get hammered by the federal government.
How many people believe that we’ll keep the income tax at 9 percent? Anybody?
There. That’s why people won’t trust giving people -
ROSE: So if you keep mentioning “9-9-9” and Herman Cain, I’m going to have to go back to him every other question.
SANTORUM: Hold on.
CAIN: That’s right.
SANTORUM: I am not done yet. I’ve only been able to answer one question, unlike everybody else here, so let me just finish what I’m saying.
ROSE: Right.
SANTORUM: We need to repeal Obamacare. That’s the first thing we need to do.
SANTORUM: You want to create jobs? I went to OSIPI (ph) yesterday and I talked to a small businessman there, and he said, “I will not hire anybody, I will not make a move until I find out what is going to happen with this health care bill and how it’s going to crush me.”
And so, repealing Obamacare, and we can do it, not by waivers. That’s the wrong idea, Mitt. The reason it’s the wrong idea, because you get a waiver, California going to waive that? No. New York going to waive it? No. All of these states, many of them, liberal states are going to continue on, and then states like New Hampshire that will waive it will end up subsidizing California.
(CROSSTALK)
SANTORUM: We need to repeal it -
ROSE: All right. But the time -
SANTORUM: I know.
ROSE: You see the red light, time.
SANTORUM: We need to repeal it by doing it through a reconciliation process. And since I have experience and know how to do that, we’ll take care of it -
Michigan Economic Debate
On November 10, 2011 Senator Santorum participated in the Michigan Economic Debate. He spoke about his support for private health accounts.
BARTIROMO: Senator?
SANTORUM: This is, I think, the difference between me and a lot of the candidates here. I heard a lot of responses, but I haven't -- I haven't seen a lot of consistency in some of -- some of those responses on the last few questions.
When it comes to health care, back in 1992, I introduced the first health savings account bill that everybody up here said was the basis for consumer-driven health care. I was leading on that before anyone else was even talking about it. Secondly, I was someone who proposed a block grant for Medicaid way back in 1998 with Phil Gramm, again, leading on this issue. Same thing, reforming the Medicare program back in the 1990s, again, I led on these issues.
I was always for having the government out of the health care business and for a bottom-up, consumer-driven health care, which is different than Governor Romney and some of the other people on this panel.
Number two -- and I didn't get a chance to answer any of the housing questions. I was on the banking housing committee in -- in the United States Senate. I was one of 24 people who wrote a letter to Harry Reid saying, please let us bring up this housing legislation, which I voted for in the committee, that would have put curbs on Fannie and Freddie. I -- I was out there before this bubble burst saying this was a problem. I -- I was in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the other day, and I had one of a -- a home-builder, who was a head of the association, came up to me and said, Rick, I'm here to apologize. We came here to push you so you would oppose, you know, putting caps on Fannie and Freddie. You were right; we were wrong.
Time and time again, Wall Street, the Wall Street bailout, five of the eight people on this panel supported the Wall Street bailout. I didn't. I know that we saw problems best from the bottom up, not the top down and government intervention in the marketplace.
2012 Presidential Campaign Website Statements
Repeal and Replace ObamaCare with PATIENT-CENTERED HEALTHCARE
Every American should have access to high-quality, affordable health care, with health care decisions made by patients and their physicians, NOT government bureaucrats
America needs targeted, market-driven, patient-centered solutions to address the costs and underlying causes of being uninsured rather than a one-size fits-all, government-run health care system
THE SANTORUM HEALTH CARE SOLUTION
Priority number 1 = repeal ObamaCare and its burdensome job-destroying bureaucracy, taxes, mandates, and heavy-handed government decision-making… and replace it with market-driven, patient-centered alternatives to increasing health care access and affordability
President Obama promised that ObamaCare would decrease health care costs – but in a cruel bait-and-switch, the law significantly increases costs and mandates that working Americans foot the bill through unprecedented mandates, taxes and fees
Especially cruel are ObamaCare’s multiple incentives for employers to discontinue offering health care coverage to their employees – leaving patients uninsured and required to purchase health insurance the government chooses or pay stiff penalties
Strengthen patient-driven health coverage options such as Health Savings Accounts coupled with high deductible insurance plans (and repeal ObamaCare policies that gut such options)
Reduce costs through competition, increased transparency, electronic records, and health care literacy – empowering patients and their doctors with information and options
Allow patients to purchase health insurance across state lines to gain access to the best insurance coverage to fit their individual needs – patients shouldn’t be required to pay for (and subsidize for others) coverage for services they don’t want or need
Allow those who purchase their own health care coverage to do so with pre-tax dollars, including a refundable tax-credit for the purchase of health coverage (so that employees are not tied to jobs solely for health coverage, but have portability of affordable coverage)
Enact meaningful medical liability reform – to increase access, and reduce added costs and inefficiencies from defensive medicine for federal programs and incentivize state liability reforms
Block-grant Medicaid so that states aren’t burdened by unfunded, crippling, one-size-fits-all federal mandates, so that states can implement solutions to address their unique health care needs
Voting Record
Amendment - Drug Reimportation
In July of 2006, a an amendment was voted on to prohibit the United States Customs and Border Protection from preventing an individual not in the business of importing a prescription drug from importing an FDA-approved prescription drug. Rick Santorum voted against the amendment to prevent border patrol agents from taking prescription drugs from citizens crossing the border.
Rick Santorum voted against the amendment to prevent border patrol agents from taking prescription drugs from citizens crossing the border.
Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003
A bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system.
