Wyden talks rebuilding efforts, presidential race

“Right now, time is of the essence,” Wyden said.

We spoke to senator ron wyden today who wished president trump and the first lady a speedy recovery.

But as kezi 9 news reporter kennedy dendy tells us... wyden says this is also causing some difficult and*necessary conversations about healthcare in the united states.

Wyden: "we need help with the coronavirus.

I'll just say, you know, not everybody can go to walter reed."

As the ranking member of the senate finance committee... wyden has a powerful voice on healthcare.

Wyden says he already has plans if former vice president joe biden wins on november 3-rd.

Wyden: "one of my priorities will be to get medicare in a position where it can negotiate and bargain."

He says that holding down healthcare costs is crucial and something that's fresh on the minds of many americans.

Bridge: senator wyden said the pandemic came down hard in so many ways...and the recent news out of the white house will hopefully serve as a wakeup call to wear your mask.

And as he puts it, that shouldn't be a political matter.

Wyden: "it doesn't have anything to do with democrats and republicans."

We went to skinner butte today to ask people their thoughts on health care.

Most people we spoke with say they're concerned --- and it's not just covid that has them worried.

Dean: "i pay 30,000 dollars a year for healthcare for the two of us.

I couldn't get a mri when my knee hurt.

My knee was really bad.

I couldn't get an mri.

They wanted an xray, and the x ray was negative.

I said what about an mri--they said you can't have it."

Others said that*reform is needed now.

Leanne: "we have to change it.

I'm worried about the way it's going.

I don't like the attitude of i have it, i don't care about anybody else.

To me that's wrong."

According to the centers for medicare and medicaid services, americans paid around 3.6 trillion dollars for healthcare in 2018.

That's an average of over 11,000 dollars per person.

So as wyden says...there's no time to waste.

Reporting in eugene