Ben McAdams

“My healthcare platform is simple: health care should be affordable, accessible, and focused on patients—not insurance companies or pharmaceutical profits. Congress recently voted to cut health coverage for 180,000 Utahns to help fund tax breaks for billionaires, a decision that would drive costs for a typical Utah family of four from about $99 to $415 a month. That’s the wrong approach, and I believe families shouldn’t have to choose between paying the rent and seeing a doctor. Utah families shouldn’t be picking up the tab while people in power continue to profit.

The people who passed that law won’t feel the consequences. But Utah families already are through higher premiums, fewer services, or losing coverage entirely. It’s the same story we keep seeing in Washington: people in power run up the tab, and we pay the price.

In Congress, I worked to lower insurance premiums, protect coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, reduce prescription drug costs—especially for lifesaving medications like insulin—and cap seniors’ out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy counter. I also pushed for greater transparency from the pharmaceutical industry and fought efforts from Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress to cut the Social Security and Medicare benefits that hardworking Utahns have earned.

Mental health has also been a high priority for me. I helped to lead the effort in Utah to expand Medicaid to eliminate Utah’s waitlist for accessing behavioral and mental health services. I led bipartisan legislation to expand suicide prevention research and improve mental health services, including work that became law to help the Department of Veterans Affairs study the link between high altitude and suicide risk among veterans so we can develop better prevention strategies. For me, this is personal. I grew up in a family where medical bills and insurance instability were constant worries because my mom and sister had serious health conditions. I know exactly what happens when health care costs spiral out of control. Going forward, I’ll continue fighting to lower health care costs, protect coverage, and expand access to care, while standing up to policies that put corporate profits ahead of patients. My focus is making sure Utah families can afford the care they need and have the security of knowing it will be there when they need it.”

Statement submitted by campaign or congressional office