KRLS radio host: “[T]hat’s sort of an interesting position to take because then what do we do with people that can’t afford it? We just can’t let them die at the door of the hospital.”
One week before Election Day, Mariannette Miller-Meeks is going to new lengths to show just how bad she would be for Iowans’ health care in Congress. Pressed on whether she believes that “health care is a right or a privilege” during an interview with KRLS’ Dr. Bob Leonard, Miller-Meeks repeatedly dodged the question before admitting that it, in her opinion, is not a right.
From KRLS’ “In Depth” with Dr. Bob Leonard:
HOST: Do you see health care as a right or as a privilege?
MILLER-MEEKS: I see health care as, as, a, um, as an entity that if the citizens want in this country and feel that it’s important to have that we should make arrangements and provisions to be able to give affordable health insurance to individuals. I see health as different from medical care. The health is the things that we can do in our personal behaviors that allow us to live healthy lifestyles which is different than medical care or medical insurance so we know that we need to continue to have people continue to adopt health lifestyles and health behaviors in addition to having medical insurance and access to medical insurance…
HOST: I guess I’m gonna ask that again because whether you think it’s a right or a privilege sort of dictates how one proceeds with respect to offering different plans for people, legislating, etc. So do you think it’s a right or a privilege?
MILLER-MEEKS: I think that as a society, as a wealthy society, if the majority of people want to have health insurance, medical insurance, offered to individuals that we should continue to work towards getting access to individuals.
HOST: Okay, you can correct me if I’m wrong –
MILLER-MEEKS: Constitutionally there is not a right, constitutionally in our constitution, there is not a right to medical insurance.
HOST: Okay, so that’s sort of an interesting position to take because then what do we do with people that can’t afford it? We just can’t let them die at the door of the hospital.
Miller-Meeks’ comments come after her concerning stance on health care has become a central theme of the race for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. Miller-Meeks supports doing away with the entire Affordable Care Act in the middle of a global pandemic, a move that would take away protections from Iowans with pre-existing conditions. After taking more than $300,000 from drug and insurance industries, she also supports a plan that would let her special interest backers charge older Americans what AARP called an “age tax” and has advocated for raising the retirement age and ending the Medicare guarantee.
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