Marty, Bernie, Hillary –Ready to talk health policy?

Last year, I interviewed all nine candidates for governor of Massachusetts about healthcare policy. I asked each of them the same questions and they all gave thoughtful replies. I received encouraging feedback from readers and from mainstream media, such as WBUR.

The presidential race is a whole different ballgame, with a lot more bluster and superficiality than the race for governor. And although it’s pretty popular for a niche publication, the Health Business Blog is not going to have the reach of more general outlets.

Nonetheless I decided to reach out to the three Democrats who remain in the race to see if they’ll be willing to speak. I would really like to see a competitive race and am still a little puzzled as to why Martin O’Malley hasn’t gotten more attention. He’s a credible player, if not as colorful as Bernie Sanders or as famous and controversial as Hillary Clinton.

The O’Malley site contains reasonably detailed policy prescriptions, but the only one on healthcare is about addiction treatment. That’s an important topic, but doesn’t make for a healthcare policy.

Sanders has a lot to say about prescription drug pricing. He frames it in the context of universal coverage, but again he doesn’t share a comprehensive policy.

Clinton’s site includes the most comprehensive views including one on healthcare broadly, another on addiction and another on Social Security and Medicare.

I do hope the candidates will take me up on my interview offer.

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By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

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