During the presidential campaign, health care has been lacking focus, leaving the public wanting more attention on the topic. According to a survey by Gallup and West Health, two in three Americans feel that health care is not receiving enough attention in the 2024 election, with Democrats more concerned than Republicans. Candidates like Harris and Trump have touched on various health care issues, but details on their plans remain vague.
Harris has outlined plans to lower prescription drug prices, expand Medicare coverage, cancel medical debt, and support federal abortion rights. On the other hand, Trump has expressed support for IVF coverage and made limited mentions of health care plans, including a vague concept to replace the Affordable Care Act. Both candidates promise to protect Medicare, an essential issue for voters.
Prescription drugs are a significant concern for voters, with Harris aiming to extend cost-saving measures like capping insulin prices to all Americans. Trump has supported measures to reduce drug prices, including capping insulin costs for certain Medicare recipients. Experts like Josh Bivens and Richard Frank have weighed in on the feasibility and potential impact of Harris’ plans to lower prescription drug costs.
Colleen Grogan, a professor at the University of Chicago, emphasizes the importance of Medicare in setting the stage for broader drug price negotiations. However, the influence of pharmaceutical companies and lobbyists remains a significant hurdle in expanding price negotiation efforts. The Affordable Care Act, also known as ACA, has seen changes under the Biden administration. The health care tax credits have been increased through the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, resulting in more affordable plans sold through ACA. These tax credits are set to expire at the end of 2025, but Harris has promised to expand and make them permanent. There is also support among Democrats in Congress for this move.
Economist Bivens notes that the tax credits have boosted enrollment and made health care more affordable for many people. He predicts that Harris would extend or make permanent the ACA premium tax credits, while Trump is unlikely to do so.
Policy expert Frank believes that making ACA tax credits permanent would bring stability to the marketplaces. He anticipates negotiations around ACA subsidies and the expiring Trump tax provisions to be a major focus of legislative activity. He suggests that a "grand bargain" may be reached to address these issues depending on the political landscape.
Health care analyst Grogan observes that enrollment in the exchanges has increased significantly under the American Rescue Plan, indicating a desire to continue this trend. She doubts that Trump would pursue repealing the ACA, as it is not popular. However, she highlights a provision in Project 2025 that could impact essential health benefits and risk rating in private insurance markets.
Regarding long-term care, Harris aims to expand Medicare to cover home-based care for seniors and those with disabilities. She proposes ending the practice of seizing seniors’ homes for long-term Medicaid care. Trump has not publicly addressed long-term care, but the 2024 Republican Party platform emphasizes protecting Medicare for seniors.
In terms of health care costs and medical debt, Harris is committed to working with states to alleviate medical debt burdens. Biden-Harris administration had proposed a significant increase in funding for home-based and community-based care services through Medicaid in the Build Back Better Act.
Overall, the future of health care policy in the United States remains uncertain, with potential changes depending on the outcome of elections and legislative priorities. Her economic policy proposals include working with cities and states to eliminate $7 billion of medical debt for nearly 3 million people.
Trump signed the No Surprises Act while in office to protect people from unexpected medical bills.
The Republican Party platform for 2024 promises to increase transparency, promote choice and competition, and expand access to affordable healthcare and prescription drug options, although the details are unclear.
Bivens believes that medical debt is likely to become a bigger political issue in the future and that politicians who take action to solve it will be rewarded.
Grogan supports Harris’ promise to eliminate medical debt and notes that funds from the American Rescue Plan have been used to relieve medical debt at the local level. However, she is concerned that the subsidies are going to hospitals, and regulations should be put in place to prevent them from charging exorbitant prices.
In terms of reproductive rights, Harris promises to protect abortion rights and access to IVF, while Trump believes states should set their own laws and would veto any federal abortion ban.
Bivens criticizes Trump’s stance on reproductive rights as incoherent and half-baked. He questions whether Trump is saying what he needs to in order to get elected.
Grogan notes that Harris is limited in what she can do to protect abortion rights without support from Congress. She also mentions that Trump lacks support from some Republicans in Congress for his views on IVF and abortion.
Regarding the opioid crisis, Harris vows to stand up to drug traffickers and pharmaceutical companies and help those struggling with addiction, but no further details are provided. Trump has linked the crisis to migrants, which has been debunked by statistics showing that the majority of drug smuggling over the border is done by U.S. citizens.
Overall, the issue of medical debt, reproductive rights, and the opioid crisis are key points of contention in the upcoming election. "And I believe that our lack of discussion on this matter has been particularly noteworthy."
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Future Pandemic Preparedness
Both presidential candidates have seemed to overlook the issue of pandemic preparedness in their campaigns. This is a peculiar choice from a public policy perspective, especially in the aftermath of a global pandemic. It is not surprising, however, that both candidates would want to distance themselves from the previous health crisis and avoid addressing the potential for future ones.
Bivens: He suggests that the reason neither Trump nor Harris has emphasized pandemic preparedness is simply a collective hope that such an event will not occur again.
Frank: On the other hand, the Biden Administration has proposed increased funding for the CDC to enhance public health infrastructure and preparedness for future pandemics. This aligns with what one might expect from a Harris administration. In contrast, there have been proposals from the Republican side to significantly cut back on the CDC budget, which is a concerning trend that warrants attention.
Grogan: She acknowledges the importance of preparedness in the face of potential dangers but notes that it is a contentious issue that both candidates likely wish to avoid discussing due to its polarizing nature.
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In summary, while the candidates may be hesitant to delve into the topic of pandemic preparedness, it remains a critical issue that demands attention and proactive measures to safeguard public health. following sentence:
"The cat chased the mouse around the house."
"The mouse was chased around the house by the cat."