Americans are strongly opposed to Trump's healthcare proposals, making healthcare a potential winning issue for Democrats. Unlike Clinton and Obama, who faced resistance to their healthcare plans, Biden sees healthcare as an opportunity to go on the offensive against Trump and the GOP. National media polls indicate that more voters trust Biden than Trump to handle healthcare. Trump's vow to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which currently covers over 45 million people, sets up a clear choice for voters. House Republicans, including the conservative Republican Study Committee, have proposed not only repealing the ACA but also restructuring Medicare, Medicaid, and federal tax incentives for employer-provided insurance. This sharp contrast between the parties' healthcare plans emphasizes the direction Democrats have taken on the issue.
Previous Democratic presidents, including Truman, Clinton, and Obama, prioritized expanding access to healthcare. However, politically, it proved challenging for them. Clinton's complex "Clintoncare" plan failed to pass, contributing to a GOP wave in 1994. Obama succeeded in passing the ACA in 2010, but it fueled a Tea Party backlash and contributed to Republican electoral victories. Public opinion on the ACA shifted during Trump's attempts to repeal it in 2017, with more Americans expressing support for the law. Defending the ACA became crucial for Democrats, leading to significant gains in the 2018 midterm elections.
Biden has effectively advanced his healthcare agenda, securing increases in subsidies for private insurance under the ACA and implementing policies to control drug prices, including Medicare negotiation for lower prices and caps on out-of-pocket expenses for seniors.
