Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Talks About Personal Tragedies In Ad Touting His Plan To Expand Affordable Care Act
The New York Times: Why This Joe Biden Health Care Ad Stands Out
Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s presidential campaign on Tuesday made an extraordinarily emotional appeal for his candidacy and his health care proposal through a new ad that highlights his struggles with grief and family loss, a message that reminds voters of the good will and empathy many have for the former vice president while accentuating one of his central policy goals. In the 60-second television spot, called “Personal,” Mr. Biden tells the stories of his family tragedies that he often shares on the campaign trail as he discusses the importance of health care access. But the ad is striking for the wrenching images of Mr. Biden with his two sons who survived a car crash that killed his first wife and a daughter in 1972. One of those children, Beau Biden, would die of cancer in 2015, a development that drew widespread sympathy in Washington and around the country toward the end of Mr. Biden’s second term in the Obama administration. (Glueck, 8/27)
The Associated Press: Biden Health Plan Aims Far Beyond Legacy Of 'Obamacare'
Wrapping himself in the legacy of "Obamacare," Joe Biden is offering restless Democrats a health care proposal that goes far beyond it, calling for a government plan almost anybody can join but stopping short of a total system remake. Recent polls show softening support for the full government-run system championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Biden is pitching his approach in a new ad aimed at Democrats in Iowa. His "public option" would give virtually everyone the choice of a government plan like Medicare, as an alternative to private coverage, not a substitute. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 8/27)
The Hill: Biden Defends ObamaCare Record In New Iowa Ad
"ObamaCare is personal to me," Biden narrates in the ad. "When I see the president try to tear down, and others propose to replace it and start over that's personal to me too. We've got to build on what we did because every American deserves affordable health care." (Manchester, 8/27)
The Washington Post: Biden Knocks Trump, Democratic Rivals In New TV Ad Touting Affordable Care Act
Health care has emerged as a fault line in the Democratic primary debate, with Biden calling for building upon President Barack Obama’s signature achievement while other leading candidates, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), advocate for a Medicare-for-all single-payer plan. In his 60-second spot, Biden highlights the importance to his family of having had health insurance at key moments as well as the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 while he was vice president. (Wagner, 8/27)
In other elections news —
Politico: Poll: Dems More Likely To Support Candidate Who Backs Medicare For All Over Fixing Obamacare
As the Democratic presidential field continues to grapple with plans to address health care, a significant majority of Democratic voters are more likely to back a 2020 primary candidate who supports “Medicare for All” than building on the Affordable Care Act, a new poll found. According the POLITICO/Morning Consult poll out Wednesday, 65 percent of Democratic primary voters would be more likely to support a candidate who wants to institute a single-payer health care system like Medicare for All; 13 percent said they’d be less likely to back a candidate based on that support. (Oprysko, 8/28)
The Hill: 2020 Democrats Sit For Interviews With Health Care Activist
A slate of Democrats running for president in 2020 are sitting down for interviews with activist Ady Barkan to discuss health care policies as the party’s presidential primary heats up. Barkan, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2016 and has garnered social media fame with his activism fighting for more affordable health insurance, said the current primary is not engendering substantial discussions or plans on the topic. (Axelrod, 8/27)
