Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
If Elected, Trump Says He'll Give RFK Jr. Carte Blanche Over Medicine, Health
The Hill: Trump Says He'll Let RFK Jr. 'Go Wild' On Health, Food In Potential Second Term
Former President Trump said Sunday that he would let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “go wild” in dealing with issues related to food, medicine and health in a potential second administration. “I’m going to let him go wild on health. I’m going to let him go wild on the food. I’m going to let him go wild on the medicines,” Trump told supporters at Madison Square Garden. Kennedy, who has led an initiative for the Trump campaign dubbed “Make America Healthy Again,” has long drawn criticism for his anti-vaccine comments. He has spoken about the proliferation of processed foods and additives, and he has worked as an environmental lawyer. (Samuels, 10/27)
The Hill: 5 Takeaways From Trump's Madison Square Garden Rally
Donald Trump rolled out one new policy, and it is one that echoed something first proposed by his opponent. “I am announcing a new policy today that I will support a tax credit for family caregivers who take care of a parent or a loved one. It’s about time that they were recognized,” Trump said. Harris earlier this month introduced a new plan to expand Medicare benefits so that the program covers the costs of long-term home care for older Americans. The plan is aimed at helping the “sandwich generation” who are caring for both their own children and their aging parents. (Samuels, 10/27)
Stat: Donald Trump's Health Care Policy Plans, From Medicaid To Abortion
A second Trump presidency could mean significant changes to health care access and costs, even if former President Trump is still working out the details. (Owermohle, 10/28)
Los Angeles Times: Michelle Obama Rallies For Kamala Harris In Michigan
Michelle Obama challenged men to support Kamala Harris’ bid to be America’s first female president, warning at a rally in Michigan on Saturday that women’s lives would be at risk if Donald Trump returned to the White House. The former first lady described the assault on abortion rights as the harbinger of dangerous limitations on healthcare for women. (Superville, Madhani and Megerian, 10/26)
Politico: Everyone’s Tough On Drugs Again
There’s a rare point of agreement among Republican and Democratic candidates this election year: America has a drug problem and it’s fentanyl traffickers’ fault. Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, are hammering Democrats over border policies they say have allowed fentanyl to surge into the country. Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, respond that they, too, have cracked down on traffickers and want stricter border enforcement. (Paun, 10/27)
Also —
The Atlantic: Election Anxiety Is Telling You Something
Americans are anxious about the election. The American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America survey found that, as of August, politics was the leading cause of stress for seven out of 10 adults across party lines. In a poll from a mental-health-care company the same month, 79 percent of respondents reported that the presidential election made them feel anxious this year, and more than half thought about the election every day. Now that the election is imminent, one can only assume that Americans’ anxiety is even higher. (Love, 10/25)
Axios: How Politics Is Stressing Us Out More Than Ever
The 2024 election cycle may be remembered for redefining anxiety and drawing attention to the unique way politics stresses Americans out. Pitched partisanship, razor-thin margins, political violence and a barrage of ads have measurable health effects, including high levels of stress-related hormone in the body that can lead to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and more. (Goldman, 10/28)
