The 2020 presidential election between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump is fast approaching. So, understandably, many want to know where the two candidates stand on several topics. However, none is more important than the issue of health insurance, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic devastating the U.S. since early February.
There is a stark contrast between Joe Biden and President Trump on the signature law passed during the Obama years—the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. This landmark healthcare law has enabled millions of Americans to get insurance coverage. So, what’s all the fuss about, you may ask? Well, Biden wants to expand it while Trump wants to repeal it, a course which he has unsuccessfully pursued since taking office in 2017—no if and/or buts about it.
In a nutshell, what are these insurance policy differences? Why does it matter to you, the voter, in these uncertain times where millions of Americans are newly out of work and also newly uninsured? Amid a full-blown COVID-19 pandemic, where over 190,000 Americans have already died, inquiring minds want to know what their health insurance plan will be or whether it is going to be more of the same—absolutely no legislation and more gridlock! The recent untimely death of Supreme court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg brings further havoc to the health insurance policy debate in the days ahead.
Candidate Joe Biden says he wants to expand the ACA with a public option. Overall, Biden sees healthcare as a right and necessity for all Americans. He wants to build on the ACA’s improvements, expand coverage, and fix what’s broken.
Most experts on health insurance accessibility agree that adding a public option would result in the most massive expansion of health insurance in U.S. history. How? With Biden’s plan by creating a federal public option available to marketplace-eligible individuals, people with employer coverage, low-income adults in the Medicaid coverage gap, and low-income uninsured in coverage gap states automatically enrolled.
Meanwhile, even though many progressives are lukewarm toward the ACA because they wanted Bernie Sanders’ pricey but comprehensive Medicare for All, the consequences for millions who would gain insurance under Biden’s proposed public option are immense.
On the other hand, what is Donald Trump’s record on health insurance? As a presidential candidate in 2016, Donald Trump promised that he would repeal the ACA and replace it with something “beautiful.” His main points of this reform would allow taxpayers to deduct their premiums, turn Medicaid over to states in the form of block grants, and allow sales of policies across state lines.
As President, Trump has continued his fight against the ACA since his election by pointing out that Obamacare is hurting American families, farmers, and small businesses with skyrocketing health insurance costs. He argues that soaring deductibles and copays have made already costly plans unusable. Similarly, rising costs and a shortage of insurers in many markets have been part of his rallying cry of disapproval. Thus, he says that replacing Obamacare will force insurance companies to compete for their customers with lower costs and higher-quality service. In the meantime, the President uses his executive authority to reduce barriers to more affordable options for Americans, such as the sale of short-term, limited-duration insurance plans.
Moreover, just this June, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to overturn the ACA—a move that, if successful, would bring a permanent end to the health insurance program popularly known as Obamacare and wipe out coverage for as many as 23 million Americans.
Ultimately, Donald Trump has dismantled the ACA even amidst the suffering brought about by the pandemic for American and U.S. businesses. Millions could lose insurance if Trump is reelected and has four more years to attack the law. At the same time, Biden says he wants to reverse the harmful effects of the Trump Administration on the ACA, with a goal of coverage for more than 97% Americans should he be elected.
So, if you care about the American people having more access to health insurance, which candidate do you think—Joe Biden or Donald Trump—will protect and expand this goal?
