Dr. James Beretta

There may be millions of opinions on how to best repair the nation’s health care crisis, but Dr. James Beretta is arguably more knowledgeable on the subject than most talking heads.

Beretta, 58, is a Birmingham-area physician and also a candidate for U.S. Senate. He’s one of nine Republicans seeking the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions’ after the senator’s ascent to President Donald Trump’s cabinet. Seven Democrats are also vying for the post.

As of Monday, Beretta was not one of the top three candidates in popularity or fundraising. The latest polls show current U.S. Sen. Luther Strange leading Judge Roy Moore and State Rep. Mo Brooks. Strange is also winning the fundraising battle with nearly $3 million raised, though the Senate Leadership Fund could spend more than twice that amount to ensure Strange stays in power.

“There’s a lot of money in the campaign, and that’s insurmountable for me,” Beretta said. “There won’t be any TV ads for me, but it’s not about how much money you have; it’s about how much passion you have for the job.”

A Rhode Island native, Beretta has lived in Alabama for a little more than two decades.

“If Alabama is corrupt, Rhode Island is the example of corruption,” he said in a recent interview with The News Courier.

Beretta lives in Indian Springs and operates a pain management and anesthesiology clinic in Pelham. When asked why he decided to run for Senate, he said his family has been active in politics “for a long time.”

“My children became old enough so I didn’t have to be at home with them and could do other things,” he said. “This opportunity came up and I thought, ‘This might be a good time to go in.’ Looking at the other candidates, I felt I had the qualifications to do the job.”

Health care

Considering his background, Beretta is passionate about the health care debate. He’s also passionate about finding a solution for a system fellow Republicans describe as failing.

He said blame for the faulty system predates President Barack Obama and goes back to President Bill Clinton’s administration, when the Affordable Care Act was known as “shifting the burden of care to consumers.”

Beretta explained that because insurance companies were allowed to participate in lobbying, they were given “carte blanche” to readjust rates and policies to ensure profitability.

“You’ve seen the result, and so have I,” he said. “Our premiums have escalated every year and deductibles have escalated. Drugs we had one month ago are no longer available to patients.”

He explained the Affordable Care Act proved to be a “horrible outcome” for the country. He said those who are insured under the ACA are paying “extortion-type rates and deductibles.”

The health care crisis can be fixed, Beretta said, by repealing it and replacing it with a plan that benefits people, not lobbyists. He added significant costs could be cut by simply reducing administrative overhead.

Beretta said the federal government should also “remove the borders” preventing Alabamians from seeking health care plans offered by exchanges in other states.

“Open the market so other companies have an adequate chance to participate here, which is healthy for consumers,” he said.

Final pitch

When asked why he’s the best candidate, Beretta simply pointed to his work ethic. He said he’s spending eight to 10 hours each day on his campaign.

“I’m working this hard just to be recognized by you,” he said. “I’ll work harder than this to represent you.”

He said he has no plans to go to Washington and become a lobbyist and live off lobbyist money.

“I’ll work hard for the people who send me there because I’ve always been a champion of the people,” he said. “I have to fight every day with insurance companies, and I’ll fight for you in Washington just as vigorously. I can’t be bought and I don’t tolerate corruption in my profession.”