As 2020 Candidates Go Big And Bold On Health Ideas, Voters Say They Just Want Someone To Bring Costs Down
Many of the candidates are pushing "Medicare for All" or some variation of expanded government-supported health care. While many voters see the plans as aspirational, for now, they simply want to pay less for their health care. That disconnect between what politicians are preaching and what voters are worried about could be detrimental to Democrats, who polls show currently hold an advantage over Republicans when it comes to the issue of health care. Meanwhile, media organizations help you navigate the candidates' stances on health.
The Washington Post:
Voters Have Big Health-Care Worries, But Not The Ones Democrats Are Talking About
Medicare-for-all. Medicare for all who want it. Health care as a form of freedom. As they campaign, most of the 23 Democratic candidates for president are trumpeting bold ideas to achieve the party’s long-held dream of ushering in health coverage for every American. The problem is that many voters are not focused on such lofty goals. They want something simpler — to pay less for their own health care. (Goldstein, 6/21)
The New York Times:
‘Medicare For All’ Vs. ‘Public Option’: The 2020 Field Is Split, Our Survey Shows
“Medicare for all” is the hottest idea in the Democratic presidential race for overhauling the nation’s health care system, and it is a phrase quite likely to be heard repeatedly at the first debates this week. But despite all the buzz, it turns out that the concept is dividing the 2020 field. A new survey of the Democratic candidates by The New York Times finds that many of them prefer less sweeping changes than the Medicare for All Act, the single-payer bill introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders and supported by Senator Elizabeth Warren and several other presidential hopefuls. A majority of candidates in the survey — including former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., the leader in early polls — said they would rather add a “public option” in the health care system that would compete with private plans. (Gabriel and Goodnough, 6/23)
The New York Times:
How The Democratic Candidates Responded To A Health Care Policy Survey
The New York Times asked all 23 Democratic presidential candidates for their views on the best ways to improve the health care system. We received responses from 19 of them. The first three questions asked whether the candidates supported three possible routes for changing how Americans receive health insurance: by creating a “Medicare for all” system that would eliminate private insurance; by providing a choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government and private insurance; or by making more modest changes to the Affordable Care Act. (6/23)
Politico:
2020 Candidates Views On The Issues: A Voter’s Guide
The most comprehensive guide anywhere to the issues shaping the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. Search by candidate, issue or category. (6/24)
Politico:
Democratic Group's Poll Shows Trump Vulnerable With His Base On Health Care
The Democratic research group American Bridge is preparing a $50 million campaign to win over a slice of President Donald Trump’s base, and new polling has convinced the organization that Trump is vulnerable on pocketbook issues, especially health care, among white working-class voters. The battleground-state polling is a new step in American Bridge’s plans to target Trump voters in small towns and rural areas with ads linking local events to unpopular Trump policies. (Bland, 6/24)
And here's what to watch for at this week's debates —
CNBC:
Business Issues To Watch In 2020 Democratic Primary Debates In Miami
Business has dominated the early policy discussions in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. Expect more talk about candidates’ plans for corporate America when 20 hopefuls square off over two nights in the first Democratic debates this week. In the race’s early days, Democrats have pledged to overhaul chunks of the U.S. economy from health care to technology and agriculture. They have promised to roll back at least parts of the GOP corporate tax cuts. (Pramuk, 6/23)
Miami Herald:
Republicans Target Medicare For All Before Democratic Debates
A GOP-aligned group is launching a massive ad campaign targeting single-payer health care, a national effort designed to undercut the proposed program’s popularity as it gains some support within the Democratic Party. One Nation, a non-profit political advocacy group, will make an initial $4 million investment in the campaign, which is slated to begin Friday and will air heavily around next week’s first Democratic presidential primary debates in Miami. (Roarty, 6/20)
