2022: Nick Begich Blamed Americans For High Health Care Costs, Which He Argued Were Driven By “Poor Diet” And A “Lack Of Exercise”

2022: Begich Blamed Americans For High Health Care Costs, Which He Argued Were Driven By “Poor Diet” And A “Lack Of Exercise.” QUESTION: “What would you do to bring down the costs of health care, including the high cost of prescription medications, and how would you improve health care access?” BEGICH: “In 1960, health care costs were less than 6% of GDP. Today, we are approaching 20%. High health care costs are driven by a combination of factors, but some of these are behavioral in nature: poor diet, lack of exercise and a marginal emphasis on early screening. These factors have led to a substantial increase in the number of Americans with heart disease, diabetes, late-stage cancers and related conditions. Simply stated, we must encourage healthier living if we are to meaningfully drive down the costs of health care. That said, reciprocal licensure, drug and medical device patent reform, permitting cross-border purchase of prescription drugs, drug price negotiation, expanding insurance populations across state lines, direct primary care insurance models, provider price transparency (i.e. published costs) and encouraging greater competition within the generic drug market will all support improved competitiveness and allow Americans to receive better choices at a lower price.” [Alaska Beacon, Candidate Comparison Tool, 9/30/22]