To the Editor:
At Erik Paulsen’s recent town halls on May 30, he was asked many questions related to the health care, an issue about which I have a good deal of interest. Naturally, I was interested to hear Congressman Paulsen’s responses to these question. I was sadly disappointed. The Congressman was asked about the possibility of Medicare negotiating directly with the drug companies, something that over 90 percent of the country supports. The Congressman claimed the Congressional Budget Office had determined there would be no effect on drug prices. Actually, Congress has the authority to amend the Medicare Act requiring negotiated drug prices, which would result in significant discounts as seen elsewhere, as in Canada, for example.
Coincidently, at the Brooklyn Park Town Hall, there was a question related to the significantly lower drug prices in Canada. Congressman Paulsen’s response implied that Canada was stealing intellectual property from the USA in this regard. This bold claim was not supported with any facts or clarification. Unfortunately, the town hall format precluded a dialog, nor has a written inquiry to his office resulted in a response. We in CD3 deserve much more from our congressman. My intention here is to neither demonize Congressman Paulsen nor to confer sainthood on Dean Phillips, but I sure hope that, between now and Nov. 6, there will be open debates between Paulsen and challenger Phillips on heath care and many more issues. Airing out these issues in public will provide an opportunity to the well-educated constituents of CD3 to help separate rumor and innuendo from facts.
Derek Roek, Plymouth
Plymouth Sun-Sailor, June 13, 2018