Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Obamacare, Reproductive Rights Join COVID In The Campaign 2020 Spotlight
AP: Biden To Focus On Health Care In Supreme Court Debate
Joe Biden on Sunday used the sudden Supreme Court vacancy to reinforce his argument that the upcoming election should be a referendum on President Donald Trump’s handling of health care and the coronavirus. The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg jolted the presidential campaign just six weeks before the election and as several states are already voting. Trump has seized on the opportunity to nominate a new justice to motivate his most loyal voters. Biden kept the focus on health care, which has proven to be a winning issue for Democrats during previous elections and could be even more resonant amid the pandemic. (Jaffe, 9/20)
Politico: Pandemic Supercharges Campaign Battles Over Obamacare
The Obamacare wars are back. President Donald Trump and Joe Biden are starting to talk about the Affordable Care Act and its protections for people with pre-existing conditions as voters clamor for assurances that their health coverage will remain secure at a time of great upheaval. Competing pledges to maintain protections for people with pre-existing conditions are also emerging in key Senate and battleground House races across the country — even from incumbents who voted to repeal the ACA. (Luthi and Ollstein, 9/18)
The New York Times: Abortion Was Back-Burnered In The Presidential Race. Not Anymore.
For Joshua Hon, the prospect of another open seat on the Supreme Court was the moment he’s been waiting for since voting for President Trump four years ago.“I would not say that I love Trump, but I do believe that abortion is killing babies,” said Mr. Hon, 35, who lives in Durham County in North Carolina. (Lerer and Dias, 9/20)
Modern Healthcare: Biden, Trump Offer Distinct Healthcare Agendas
Former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump undoubtedly cast drastically different visions of their healthcare agendas. Biden touted the landmark law that the Trump administration wants to strike down in its entirety. Trump offered vague bullet points as his agenda, while Democrats released a 91-page platform document. As both campaigns shift into high gear, industry leaders will be on the lookout for more details to emerge on policy initiatives that could reshape payment, coverage and overall operations in the coming years. (Cohrs, 9/19)
Also —
Kaiser Health News: Trump-Biden Race Could Hinge On How Florida’s Pinellas County Swings
Betty Jones voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, but the lifelong Republican has her doubts she will do it again this year.The federal response to the coronavirus pandemic that has killed about 200,000 Americans and forced older adults to restrict their activities has her contemplating a leadership change. (Galewitz and Snipe, 9/21)
AP: Law And Order Vs. Health Care As Dems, GOP Vie For Suburbs
Scores of suburban districts are back in play in the GOP’s long-shot attempt to win House control in November’s election. Democrats who used health care to capture the majority in 2018 are emphasizing it anew, saying they’ll shield voters from Republicans trying to tear coverage away during a pandemic. “This is as current an issue as can possibly be,” said Leslie Dach, who heads the Democratic-backed Protect Our Care Coalition. (Fram and Salter, 9/20)
