While the Senator resist going on the record as being for or against the Trump/Ryan plan (which technically isn’t a fleshed out plan but an expressed desire to end Medicare) a Carper aide has provided me with this:
“Senator Carper does not support any effort to weaken the protections afforded by Medicare or Medicaid, which are critical safety net programs on which millions of Americans, including hundreds of thousands of Delawareans, depend for access to the high-quality health care they deserve. That includes fighting tooth and nail to protect the reforms we made to these programs in the Affordable Care Act, including expanding coverage through Medicaid, reducing prescription drug costs for our seniors, and expanding efforts to provide better preventive care for all Americans, but especially our children, the poor, the disabled and the elderly.”
I am gratified that Carper appears to be grouping the ACA and Medicare under an umbrella of protection and that he views our social safety net programs of something worth fighting for, and not leverage to use in some deficit-reducing “grand bargain” as he has in the past.
That small feeling of hope that Carper “gets it” is somewhat confirmed by his statement on Nomination of Rep. Tom Price as HHS Secretary:
“Over 100 million Americans and their families depend on Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and health insurance provided through the Affordable Care Act for their health care. Preserving and improving these programs to ensure that all Americans have affordable access to the health care they need should be shared, bipartisan goals.
“That is why I am troubled that Congressman Price has championed significant proposals that show little regard for the most vulnerable members of our communities, including jeopardizing the guaranteed protections in our bedrock health care programs. At a time when my constituents tell me health care costs remain far too high, Congressman Price’s proposals stand in direct contrast to what most Americans need and want. I look forward to meeting Congressman Price and reviewing his nomination carefully based on his legislative initiatives in Congress, as well as his intentions and ability to preserve and strengthen Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and the Affordable Care Act moving forward.”
It is far too early to know if Carper is going to back up this kind of thing with an actual willingness to fight, but it is a step in the right direction. Which means, as commenters here like Jim C. have pointed out, it now falls to us to keep working to make sure Senator Carper is fully aware of how important this fight is to Delawareans and the nation.
