Tag: COVID-19

From Practice to Politics-Doctors who ran for President-Senator Paul

Dr. Rand Paul was a candidate for the Republican party nomination for President in 2016. He suspended his campaign before the party convention. He continues to serve as Senator from Kentucky.


In 2016 I wrote about the 3 physicians who ran for President of the United States that year. None of them won but one of them, Dr. Rand Paul, serves in the Senate for his home state of Kentucky

Please note: posts on this blog about political figures are written for information and education only, and do not imply endorsement unless otherwise stated.

Randall “Rand” Paul, M.D., opthalmologist

Dr. Rand Paul was a candidate for the Republican party nomination for President in 2016. He suspended his campaign before the party convention. He continues to serve as Senator from Kentucky.

About Dr. Paul

  1. Dr. Paul graduated from Duke University Medical School.
  2. He was elected Senator from Kentucky in 2010.
  3. He is married, has 3 children, and coached his children in Little League baseball, soccer and basketball.
  4. His father Dr. Ron Paul is an obstetrician/gynecologist, has served in the House of Representatives, and also ran for President.
  5. He has served as President of the Lions Club International .
  6. He provides eye surgery free of charge to people unable to pay in his home state of Kentucky.
  7. He has traveled around the world as a volunteer eye surgeon, providing care to people unable to pay; a recent trip was to Guatemala. He has received awards for his humanitarian work.
  8. A large part of Dr. Paul’s daily work as an ophthalmologist was dedicated to preserving the vision of our seniors. In 2002, The Twilight Wish Foundation recognized Dr. Paul for Outstanding Service and Commitment to Seniors. 
  9. Dr. Paul has written books, including Our Presidents & Their Prayers: Proclamations of Faith by America’s Leaders 

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According to his official website,


Dr. Paul’s entrance into politics is indicative of his life’s work as a surgeon: a desire to diagnose problems and provide practical solutions, whether it be in Bowling Green, Ky., or Washington, D.C.

Senator Paul’s stand on health issues (as stated on his website)

I am 100% pro-life. I believe life begins at conception and that abortion takes the life of an innocent human being. It is the duty of our government to protect this life as a right guaranteed under the Constitution.

There are many in Washington who give lip service to the Second Amendment, but vote to restrict gun ownership once they begin serving in public office. Gun control laws only restrict access to responsible gun ownership.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) – commonly known as “Obamacare” (P.L. 111-148), rapidly expanded the powers of government into the health care system. Since the passage of Obamacare, states, businesses, and other institutions have filed Constitutional challenges to many of the burdensome provisions of the law.

another book by Senator Paul
Senator Paul and COVID-19

The Republican lawmaker tested positive for the virus in March 2020, becoming the first case of COVID-19 in the Senate.

“I appreciate all the best wishes I have received,” Dr. Paul said in an interview. “I have been retested and I am negative. I have started volunteering at a local hospital to assist those in my community who are in need of medical help, including coronavirus patients. Together we will overcome this.”

Dr. Paul, an opthalmologist, has been outspoken with opinions about SARS-CoV-2 and its management, often clashing with Dr. Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert and head of infectious disease at the NIH.

exploring the HEART of health

Dr. Aletha

President Joe Biden’s Plan for Healthcare-a review

In 2021, Joseph Biden became the 46th US President, succeeding Donald Trump. In his 2023 State of the Union Address, he addressed healthcare, proposing reforms like Medicare expansion and lower drug costs. His campaign focuses on affordable, quality healthcare, pharmaceutical regulation, reproductive rights, mental health support, and personalized community health plans, with future plans for specific communities.

updated February 10, 2023

Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021. As the Democratic candidate and former Vice President, Biden defeated incumbent president Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

On February 7, 2023 President Biden gave the annual State of the Union Address to Congress and the nation. In it, he discussed several healthcare issues, including Medicare, drug costs, premiums for the ACA, veterans’ toxic burn pits exposure, and injuries due to gun violence.

Here is a review of what he proposed in his campaign for President three years ago.

This post was originally published August 18, 2020.

Due to the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus, health has been a major topic in both world and national news this year and will continue to be so for months if not years. And health is a major issue in this year’s United States’ presidential election in November 2020.

Health care was a major issue in the 2008 election and proved to be momentous. In his campaign, the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, promised health care reform and as President he delivered with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, (ACA) the first time Americans have had universal health care.

The ACA sparked heated debate in the 2016 election with the Democratic candidate pledging to build upon it and Republican candidate vowing to dismantle it . This year the debate continues.

Healthcare and the Presidential campaign 2020

In this and a previous post, I review and list what I think are some of the most important points in the health care philosophy of each major party candidate, according to information on their official websites.

I am not endorsing either of the candidates, their party,or their healthcare plans. My intent is to present a non-partisan look at what they have done and propose. If it sounds otherwise, that is unintentional. I’ll give you the links to their sites and encourage you to read them for yourself.

You should also review my post about the Democratic Party healthcare platform.

The challenging candidate-Democrat-Joe R. Biden

Joe R. Biden was a US. Senator from Delaware for 36 years. He served as the 47th Vice President of the United States. He was born November 20, 1942. Mr. Biden is married to Jill Biden and has had 4 children, 2 of them deceased.


The Biden Plan for Healthcare

Access to affordable insurance

  • create a public health option like Medicare
  • increase value of tax credits to lower insurance premiums .
  • expand coverage to low income Americans
  • premium-free access to the public option for those 4.9 million individuals who would be eligible for Medicaid 
  • opposes every effort to get rid of the Affordable Care Act

Affordable, quality healthcare, less complex system

  • Middle class families will get a premium tax credit to help them pay for coverage.
  • Stop surprise billing: bar health care providers from charging patients out-of-network rates when the patient doesn’t have control over which provider the patient sees (for example, during a hospitalization)
  • Lower costs and improve outcomes by partnering with the healthcare workforce .

Stop “abuse of power” by pharmaceutical companies

  • Repeal the law allowing pharmaceutical companies to avoid negotiating with Medicare over drug prices
  • Limit launch prices for new drugs facing no competition and limit price increases for existing drugs to no higher than general inflation
  • Allow consumers to buy prescription drugs from other countries
  • Stop drug companies’ tax break for advertising
  • Improve the supply of generic drugs.

Make healthcare a right for all, not a privilege for a few

  • Expand access to contraception and protect the constitutional right to an abortion
  • Restore federal funding to Planned Parenthood
  • Reduce the high maternal mortality rate, which especially impacts women of color
  • Defend health care protections for all regardless of gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
  • Double federal investment in community health centers
  • Improve access to mental health care and remove the stigma

“In the months ahead, Biden will put forward additional plans to tackle health challenges affecting specific communities, including access to health care in rural communities, gun violence, and opioid addiction.”

Oval Office replica
replica of the Oval Office at the Reagan Presidential Library, photo by Dr. Aletha

Exploring the HEART of healthcare politics

Thanks for reviewing this overview of Mr. Biden’s health care proposals. I hope you will take the time to review his website for yourself. In another post I reviewed the views of the incumbent Republican President, Donald Trump.

a group of lapel buttons, red, white and blue, saying VOTE

This photo and the cover photo of the White House are from the media site Lightstock.com, an affiliate which pays this blog a commission for purchases made from this link

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Dr. Aletha