Tag: Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s Healthcare Achievements 2016-2020

This post reviews healthcare during Donald Trump’s first presidential term, detailing his achievements from 2016 to 2020 and the political climate surrounding healthcare policies. It discusses the impact of the ACA, Trump’s various healthcare initiatives, and his reelection in 2024 against Kamala Harris after Biden dropped out.

updated November 26, 2024

This post looks back at healthcare under the first Trump administration from 2016 to 2020.

I originally wrote this post in 2020 during the Presidential campaign between incumbent Donald Trump, Republican, and Joe Biden, Democrat. Trump was not reelected.

In 2024 Trump again ran for President against the incumbent Biden, who unexpectedly dropped out of the race in the summer. His Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic candidate.

Donald Trump won reelection with 50% of the popular votes to 48.4% for Kamala Harris. The electoral count was 312 to 226. (per the Associated Press).

(The last President to serve two non-consecutive terms was Grover Cleveland in 1893. )

Healthcare 2008-2016

Due to the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus, health has been a major topic in both world and national news this year and will continue to be so for months if not years. And health is a major issue in this year’s United States presidential election in November 2020.

Health care was a major issue in the 2008 election and proved to be momentous. In his campaign, the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, promised health care reform and as President he delivered with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, (ACA) the first time Americans have had universal health care.

The ACA sparked heated debate in the 2016 election with the Democratic candidate pledging to build upon it and Republican candidate vowing to dismantle it . This year the debate continues.

Healthcare and the Presidential Campaign 2020

In this and another post, I review and list what I think are some of the most important points in the health care philosophy of each major party candidate, according to information on their official websites.

I am not endorsing either of the candidates, their party ,or their healthcare plans. My intent is to present a non-partisan look at what they have done and propose. If it sounds otherwise, that is unintentional.

You should also review a post about the Republican Party healthcare platform.

How to become President inforgraphic
The Presidential pathway from USA.gov

The incumbent candidate-Republican- Donald J. Trump

Donald J. Trump, owner and former president of The Trump Organization, was elected the 45th U.S. president in 2016. He was born June 14, 1946. Mr. Trump is married to Melania Trump and has 5 children.

Official portrait of President Donald J. Trump, Friday, October 6, 2017. (Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead)

President Donald J. Trump Achievements

This information was adapted from a Trump-affiliated site that is no longer active.

The Trump Administration

  • expanded access to Association Health Plans (AHPs) allowing small business to pool risk across states.
  • launched a program to provide the HIV prevention drug PrEP to uninsured patients for free.
  • issued guidance expanding options for individuals with chronic conditions. High deductible plans can now cover products such as insulin, inhalers and statins pre-deductible.
  • issued a rule allowing health care workers to refuse to provide services like abortion, sterilization or assisted suicide, if they cite a religious or conscientious objection.
  • announced the launch of a new COVID-19 Uninsured Program Portal in an effort to cover testing and treatment for uninsured individuals.

As part of the landmark Tax Cuts and Jobs Act President Trump repealed the individual mandate, which forced people to buy expensive insurance and taxed those who couldn’t afford it.

The mandate disproportionately hurt the poor: 80% of those affected made less than $50,000.

As President, Mr. Trump
  • took executive action to strengthen Medicare and reform the Medicare program to stop hospitals from overcharging seniors on their drugs.
  • pressured China to close dangerous loopholes that allowed Chinese fentanyl manufacturers to legally ship the compound worldwide, much of which ended up in the U.S.
  • created a bipartisan opioid commission that issued 56 recommendations to help defeat the opioid crisis.
  • invoked the Defense Production Act, giving power to allocate health care supplies and increase production of necessary products to counter COVID-19. 
  • worked with Congress to stop surprise medical billing.
As President, Mr. Trump signed
  • the bipartisan Tobacco-Free Youth Act to raise the nationwide age for purchasing tobacco and vaping products to 21 years old.
  • the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, expanding the SNAP and WIC programs by adding $500 million, helping pregnant women and those who lost their jobs due to COVID-19.
  • an executive order to modernize flu vaccines and help protect more Americans by promoting new technologies to improve vaccine manufacturing and effectiveness.
  • a bill to extend Veterans Choice Health Care Law.
  • an executive order that increased price and quality transparency in American health care.
Oval Office replica
replica of the Oval Office at the Reagan Presidential Library, photo by Dr. Aletha

Exploring the HEART of healthcare election politics

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Dr. Aletha

Comparing the candidates’ health care promises- how Americans’ medical care may change in 2016

In this post, I review and summarize what each candidate proposes and plans according to information on their official websites. I’ll give you the links and encourage you to read them for yourself.

In 3 months, on November 8, 2016, United States citizens will elect the 45th President.

This graphic from USA.GOV reviews the process of electing the President.

How to become President inforgraphic
The Presidential pathway from USA.gov

I plan to vote and hope you will too if you are eligible. 

I don’t endorse a candidate on this blog because I want everyone who visits to feel welcome, and politics is not the focus of this blog. But I am watching the campaign closely; I listened to the major speeches at both of the major party conventions.

I am especially interested in the candidates’ views on health care. Health care was a major issue in the last election and proved to be momentous.

In his campaign, the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, promised health care reform and as President he delivered with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the first time Americans have had universal health care.This election’s  major party candidates also make promises about health care.

 

 

 The 2016 Presidential candidates

In this post, I review and summarize what each candidate proposes and plans according to information on their official websites. I’ll give you the links and encourage you to read them for yourself.

The Republican party convention occurred first, so I will start with its candidate.

Republican- Donald J. Trump, Chairman and President, The Trump Organization

 

 

 

“Healthcare Reform to Make America Great Again”

Mr. Trump believes the Affordable Care Act, which he refers to as Obamacare, is an “economic burden” to the country. He says it has caused

  • Runaway costs,
  • Websites that don’t work,
  • Greater rationing of care
  • Higher premiums
  • Less competition
  • Fewer choices

He recommends a

“series of reforms that follow free market principles and restore economic freedom and certainty” , which will

“broaden healthcare access, make healthcare more affordable and improve the quality of the care available to all Americans.”

As President, Mr. Trump will request Congress to

  1. Completely repeat Obamacare, eliminate the individual mandate to buy health insurance.
  2. Modify existing law that inhibits the sale of health insurance across state lines.
  3. Allow individuals to fully deduct health insurance premium payments from their tax returns.
  4. Allow individuals to use Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), which should be tax free, allowed to accumulate, and become part of one’s estate at death.
  5. Require price transparency from all healthcare providers.
  6. Block-grant Medicaid to the states.
  7. Remove barriers to entry into free markets for drug providers, allowing consumers access to imported, safe and dependable drugs from overseas.

Also under his health care plan, Mr. Trump includes

  • Enforcing immigration laws
  • Eliminating fraud and waste
  • Energizing our economy
  • Reform our mental health programs and institutions
Oval Office replica
replica of the Oval Office at the Reagan Presidential Library-photo by Dr. Aletha

Next, the  Democratic Party convened and nominated its candidate-

Democrat-Hillary Rodham Clinton, lawyer, former First Lady and Secretary of State

 

 

 

“Universal, quality, affordable health care for everyone in America”

  1. Maintain and expand the Affordable Care Act
  2. Bring down out-of-pocket costs for copays, deductibles and prescription drugs
  3. Expand access to care for low income groups, immigrants and rural populations.
  4. Defend access to reproductive health care.

As President, Mrs. Clinton will work with Congress to

Fight addiction and substance abuse with prevention, treatment and recovery programs and reforming the criminal justice system handling of offenders.

Set a goal to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer’s Disease by 2025. Help those affected and their families get the care they need.

Create an AIDS/HIV policy to increase research, expand treatment options, increase health care financial options for those affected, and eliminate discriminatory laws.

Develop an “autism initiative” to expand insurance coverage, increase funding for research, early identification and intervention, employment opportunities, and school safety.

Commit to fully implement the Americans with Disabilities Act, and increase support for persons with disabilities and their families.

Under the heading of health Mrs. Clinton includes her positions and proposals for

  • Climate change
  • Women’s rights and opportunity
  • Support for veterans, the military and their families
  • Paid family and medical leave
couches in room with Presidential seal on the floor
another view of the Oval Office replica by Dr Aletha

Follow this link to read about another woman, a physician, who is running for President-

From the O.R. to the Oval Office- 3 Docs Who Ran

exploring the HEART of healthcare policy

Please explore some of the other posts on this blog about the United States’ healthcare system . Here’s one to get you started .

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Dr. Aletha

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