The United States spends more on healthcare than any other industrialized nation but compares poorly on some key health indicators. Life expectancy is low and preventable diseases are more common in the U.S. than in other developed countries.
It’s no surprise, then, that polled voters rank healthcare high up on their list of concerns. The presidential candidates addressed some of the issues in their recent debate.
Affordable Care Act of 2010
Vice President Kamala Harris defended the Affordable Care Act, stating “healthcare is a right, not a privilege,” while former President Trump called the ACA lousy and said he had “concepts of a plan” to replace the ACA. The ACA, often referred to as Obamacare, was enacted in 2010 and now provides healthcare insurance for 50 million Americans.
Harris said she plans to grow the ACA and defended the Biden Administration’s record on healthcare. She said the administration had strengthened the ACA, citing the Inflation Reduction Act which caps out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 per month for Medicare recipients.
Harris also referenced the $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket costs for outpatient prescription drugs for Medicare recipients, which starts in 2025.
Trump said he would replace the ACA if a better plan comes along, however he does not currently have a plan to do so. Trump vowed to replace the ACA during his 2016 campaign, but failed to do so. Trump focused on his claim that he saved the ACA during his term as president, despite his efforts to dismantle the plan.
Reproductive Rights
The candidates were at odds on abortion, with Harris stating that Trump favored a nationwide abortion ban and Trump wildly claiming that Democrats are in favor of execution after birth.
Trump erroneously claimed that Democrats including Harris’s running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, support execution after birth. A moderator stepped in to point out that there is no law that allows execution of a baby.
Trump evaded the question about whether he would veto a nationwide abortion ban, stating the issue is up to the states and that such legislation would never reach the president.
Harris criticized the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court ruling that overturned reproductive protections previously granted under Roe v. Wade.
Harris pointed to instances of injustices toward women since Dobbs struck down Roe v. Wade protections, allowing state laws that restrict or deny abortions. She placed the blame directly on Trump for his part in revamping the Supreme Court by appointing three conservative justices, thus allowing the majority needed for the Dobbs decision.
Meanwhile, the former president bragged that he appointed three of the justices on the Supreme Court, which effectively overturned Roe v. Wade.
Vice President Kamala Harris needs your support to implement the proposals she outlined in the debate, so make sure you are registered to vote. Talk up Kamala’s proposals with your family and friends and urge them to register and vote. You can find all the information you need to register on the South Carolina State Election Commission website.
