Tag: health insurance

2016 Presidential Election and Healthcare -a look back

updated June 15, 2026

As I update this post, it’s 2026, a midterm election year. We aren’t electing another president but many important positions in the Senate, House, and state governments are being contested. Here is a look back at the healthcare issues 10 years ago.

Election 2008-ObamaCare

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.

As President, he delivered with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the first time Americans have had universal health care. This election’s candidates also make promises about health care.

Election 2016

In 2016 Donald Trump ran for President against Hiliary Clinton.

As you know, Mr. Trump defeated Mrs. Clinton, winning the Electoral College, although she won the popular vote.

The White House
The White House, home of the President (photo from the Lightstock website )

This summary of what each candidate proposed came from their official websites. I didn’t add my opinion or commentary, nor endorsement of either one.

I also looked at the healthcare views of two third party candidates, one of whom is a physician; comparing all proposals, you will see that Americans hold widely differing opinions about health and health care.

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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, Simi valley, California

Democrat-Hillary Rodham Clinton, lawyer, Former Senator 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

Green Party – Jill Stein, M.D., physician, activist

Dr. Stein favors

“Medicare for all”, single payer health care system for everyone, with no premiums, co-pays or  deductibles.

Eliminate private health insurance.

Decrease prescription drug costs

Full access to contraceptive and reproductive care, including morning after contraception

Invest in community health infrastructure- organic food, renewable energy

Prioritize prevention by encouraging physical activity, improving nutrition and minimizing environmental pollution

Libertarian- Gary Johnson, businessman, former Governor of New Mexico

Mr. Johnson’s website had little information about his health care proposals, so I am also including items from the Libertarian party’s website.

 The party supports

a free-market healthcare system where the individual is free to choose everything related to health care- insurance, doctors, treatments, medication, end-of-life care

the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines

abortion as a private decision up to the individual’s conscience and not regulated by the government

Mr. Johnson

opposes mandatory vaccination

supports the legalization and regulation of marijuana.

Exploring the HEART of healthcare

I took the photos of the “Oval Office” during a tour of the Reagan Presidential Library in California a few years ago. I have also visited the Nixon, Eisenhower, and Kennedy Libraries.

I’d love for you to follow this blog and follow me on social media.

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Dr. Aletha

President Trump’s Healthcare Achievements 2016-2020

This post reviews healthcare during Donald Trump’s first presidential term, detailing his achievements from 2016 to 2020 , including his response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

updated June 25, 2026

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. Joe Biden won that election.

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 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, health was a major topic in both global and national news. And health was s 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 .

Official portrait of President Donald J. Trump, Friday, October 6, 2017. (Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead)
How to become President inforgraphic
The Presidential pathway from USA.gov

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

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ACTIONS TO COMBAT THE CORONAVIRUS

President Trump established a Coronavirus Task Force which advised him on the medical and scientific facts, research, and treatment of COVID-19.Vice President Mike Pence chaired the task force.

January 6, 2020- the CDC issued a level 1 travel notice for Wuhan China, established a coronavirus incident management system for information about the virus, and two weeks later activated its emergency operations center.

January 27- The White House Coronavirus Task Force started meeting to monitor the virus and provide updates to the President. The CDC issued a level lll travel health notice to avoid all nonessential travel to China.

January 30-WHO declared coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19, a global health emergency. (not in the timeline as written)

On January 31, the Trump Administration declared the coronavirus a public health emergency, announced Chinese travel restrictions, and suspended entry into the United States for foreign nationals who pose a risk of transmitting the coronavirus.

February 4- In his State of the Union Address, Mr Trump vowed to “take all necessary steps” to protect Americans from the coronavirus.

February 7- He told reporters that the CDC is working with China on the coronavirus.

February 24- The Trump Administration requested $2.5 billion from Congress to combat the spread of the coronavirus. On March 6 he signed an $48.3 billion bill to provide funds to federal, state, and local agencies, and $500 million in Medicare telehealth waivers. He requested a payroll tax cut bill from Congress.

March 31- Trump issued “30 Days To Slow The Spread” guidance to mitigate the outbreak of coronavirus.

April 2-Mr. Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to direct 3M to produce more N95 respirator masks and to help several companies-ResMed, General Electric, Medtronic- get the supplies needed to make ventilators.

April 3-Mr. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum blocking the export of N95 and other respirator masks, surgical masks, PPE gloves, and surgical gloves to ensure they are available in the U.S.; he directed FEMA to send Ochsner ( Medical Center in Louisiana) surgical gowns.

April 6- In a phone call, he discussed potential coronavirus therapies with CEOs of pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

April 12- The United States, Russia, and OPEC agreed to cut oil production and stabilize the oil market, a deal that Mr.Trump “brokered.”

April 14-President Trump halted funding to WHO, while a review of its “mismanagement” of the coronavirus outbreak is conducted. (quotation marks added)

April 16-He announced new, phased “opening up America again” guidelines, spoke with the Opening Up America Again Congressional group, and spoke with the Governors about re-opening.

By April 17, the President had declared major disaster declarations for all states and territories, a first in U.S. history

April 22- Mr. Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation suspending immigration to the U.S. for 60 days due to “the impact of foreign workers on the labor market, in an environment of high unemployment.”

By April 27, President Trump had spoken with many foreign leaders, including those of India, Italy, China, Turkey, Russia, Kenya, South Africa, Poland, Pakistan, Qatar, Ecuador, Britain, and France.

He also spoke to Republican Senators, former Vice President Joe Biden, and the state Governors.

He attended meetings with multiple business leaders including those in health insurance, tourism, retail, wholesale, supply chain distributors,and banking.

He spoke by phone with owners of groceries, restaurants, and other small businesses.

He also spoke to leaders in mental health, faith, tribal affairs, and nonprofits, including the Salvation Army and the Red Cross.

He met with energy execs from Phillis 66, Devon, Occidental, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, and other companies to discuss coronavirus’ effect on the energy industry.

Mr. Trump spoke to the commissioners of major league sports organizations-MLB, NFL, and NBA, recognizing the teams’ and players’ work in their communities to combat coronavirus.

He met with military families, coronavirus survivors, and front line healthcare workers.

April 24- The President signed the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP) and Health Care Enhancement Act into law

  • $323 billion-for the PPP
  • $75 billion-for health care providers
  • $25 billion- for coronavirus testing

April 24-President Trump spoke with three other Presidents.

April 24: “Vice President Pence & members of the coronavirus held a conference call with Governors to discuss increasing testing capacity.”

On April 27, the White House coronavirus task force appeared in a Rose Garden

Exploring the HEART of health

I’d love for you to follow this blog and follow me on social media.

I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

a group of lapel buttons, red, white and blue, saying VOTE

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Dr. Aletha