The two candidates in Kentucky’s sixth congressional district race stand on opposite sides when it comes to health care reform. Incumbent Andy Barr and challenger Elisabeth Jensen appeared Monday night on KET'S Kentucky Tonight. Barr argues current reforms will leave states like Kentucky with unaffordable Medicaid costs. "The state simply doesn't have the capacity to fund, at this point, this massive expansion of Medicaid. This is going to crowd out our ability to fund education," said Barr.
Jensen says insuring thousands through federal health care reforms can help address issues like obesity, heart disease, and lung disease in Kentucky. She says the next step is to look at the real costs in health care. "Looking for transparency in hospital costs and doctor costs and figuring out how to bring down the real costs of health care, not just the insurance premiums," said Jensen.
The impact of money on Washington politics is another topic being debated by the two candidates. Jensen, says big money is a major corruptor in Congress. "If not as much as partisan politics in Washington, special interests and money has done more to corrupt decision making and influence the way our actual government works," added Jensen.
Barr believes a step in the right direction would be greater disclosure of who contributes to Washington politicians. "It allows the voters to hold those folks accountable and I think that's the most important thing we can do without compromising the first amendment," said Barr.
The two candidates will meet again face to face, next Monday night at Eastern Kentucky University.?
