Elections Will Have a Major Impact on Healthcare

Elections are just around the corner and all eyes are on the Presidential race. When it comes to health care issues, the divide between the candidates is more like a gulf. Whatever the outcome, states will see the effects.

President Trump focused a lot of effort on health care in his first term. His achievements included expanding short-term limited duration health insurance plans, association health plans, and health reimbursement arrangements. His executive order clarifying the hospital price transparency requirements included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was a significant move on an issue that is largely bipartisan.

If elected to a second term, it appears likely Trump will continue to look at ways to give patients more control and more options. President Biden reversed President Trump’s policies on short term limited duration health insurance plans — a new Trump Administration will likely go back to their original policy. President Trump also supported Section 1332 State Innovation Waivers for Medicaid. These waivers allow states to structure Medicaid programs in a way that best fits their needs,  and regulations. Several states benefitted from the use of these waivers, and some were rescinded when President Biden took office. A second Trump Administration would likely begin to grant these waivers again and may continue to support work requirements for Medicaid.

In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris has supported increased and extended ACA marketplace subsidies through both the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Harris also supported a fix for the “family glitch,” which allowed dependents of people with “unaffordable” employer-based family coverage to receive ACA subsidies. While Vice President Harris has backed off her support for Medicare-For-All, she has indicated her support for expanding access to ACA marketplace plans and expanding Medicare coverage for home health care.

Since the Inflation Reduction Act and the removal of the non-interference clause in Medicare Part D, the federal government has been negotiating prices with drug manufacturers for a limited number of prescription drugs. A Harris Administration would likely support increasing the number of drugs that could be negotiated. Vice President Harris has also voiced support for eliminating medical debt—a policy which would have a significant impact on rural hospitals.

True to their ideologies, President Trump favors giving more power to state governments and individuals, and Vice President Harris supports stronger federal requirements and more uniform coverage options. Health care is always a named as an important issue for voters and this November they will get to decide what the future of our health care system looks like.