Your Guide To Health Care Election Viewing
Ben Leonard and Chelsea Cirruzzo
Politico November 5, 2024
AT STAKE — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump offer starkly different visions for the future of U.S. health care.
Harris has leaned into health care in her campaign, pledging to safeguard reproductive rights and build on the Biden administration’s accomplishments on drug pricing and Obamacare . Trump has focused significantly more on other issues like border security and the economy, said abortion rights would be up to the states and has cozied up to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s ideas for health care policy.
Here’s what could happen depending on who wins the race:
A Harris victory: Harris would look to increase the federal role in health care and strengthen safety-net programs like Medicaid.
Harris is expected to continue several Biden administration priorities, including maintaining measures to expand abortion access, including rules allowing abortion pills to be delivered through the mail, and policies intended to boost Obamacare enrollment.
She has a number of priorities that would require Congress’ support, including expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, which would likely require Democratic control of the House and Senate. She would also need Congress’ buy-in for expensive proposals like extending enhanced subsidies for Obamacare plans that expire at the end of 2025 and creating a Medicare home care benefit.
Personnel: Potential names who could lead HHS under Harris include CDC Director Mandy Cohen, CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
A Trump victory: Trump’s vision for health care is less clear, but he would be expected to pull back on policies that strengthen Obamacare enrollment as he did when president and end Biden administration policies expanding access to abortion.
He’s gestured to bolstering transparency and competition in health care and lowering medical costs with few specifics. A Trump win could be a blow to supporters of continuing the Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Trump has been largely silent on Medicaid , though he has said large-scale deportations would “end the financial drain” on the health care system and ensure Medicaid is available for citizens. His administration is expected to approve states’ requests to tie Medicaid to employment and could move to allow states to convert a portion of Medicaid funding into block grants, which he pushed for as president.
Personnel: Under Trump, HHS could be led by former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Paragon Health Institute President Brian Blase, former HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan, former HHS Deputy Chief of Staff Paul Mango or former Trump Domestic Policy Council Director Joe Grogan. Trump has suggested Kennedy could play a major role in a Trump administration.