In a flurry of executive orders on his first day in office, President Biden made significant moves to strengthen Americans’ access to affordable healthcare. However, his predecessor, President Trump, wasted no time in reversing many of these policies that were set in motion. One of the key actions taken by Biden was signing an executive order in April aimed at enhancing healthcare coverage for Americans. This order directed the Department of Health and Human Services to examine new policies focused on alleviating the burden of medical debt on families and individuals, signaling a commitment to addressing the financial challenges associated with healthcare in the country.
Simultaneously, agencies worked to expand the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through updated eligibility criteria and increased funding for organizations assisting individuals in enrolling in the ACA. These efforts were part of a broader strategy to improve healthcare access and affordability for Americans across the nation.
However, the tide quickly turned as Trump swiftly rolled back several Biden-era policies, including a directive for Medicare and Medicaid to explore ways to reduce prescription drug costs. In response, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) set a $2 cap on certain generic drugs and implemented measures to prevent Medicare beneficiaries from overpaying for drugs that had received accelerated approval. Additionally, state Medicaid programs were supported in covering the costs of high-priced, innovative therapies, aiming to make essential treatments more accessible.
Notably, Biden’s initiatives to cap insulin costs at $35 and establish a $2,000 out-of-pocket maximum for prescription drugs remained intact despite Trump’s actions on his first day in office. This move signaled a commitment to protecting consumers from exorbitant healthcare expenses and ensuring essential medications remained affordable.
Further diverging from Biden’s healthcare agenda, Trump also rescinded various COVID-19 health orders, such as those focusing on equity in pandemic response and vaccine requirements for federal employees. The decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization underscored a shift in the approach to global health cooperation, aligning with Trump’s broader stance on international alliances.
The Democratic National Committee criticized Trump’s swift actions, accusing him of jeopardizing healthcare coverage for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions. They emphasized the significant progress made under the Biden-Harris administration in expanding health coverage and ensuring affordability, contrasting it with Trump’s rollback efforts that could potentially increase costs and worsen health outcomes for Americans.
Despite the political maneuvering, health policy experts suggest that the immediate impact of Trump’s actions on healthcare costs may be limited. Dr. Stacie Dusetzina of Vanderbilt University noted that such executive reversals are often symbolic gestures by incoming administrations and may not substantially alter the healthcare landscape in terms of affordability and access.
As the healthcare policy landscape continues to evolve with each presidential transition, the overarching goal of improving healthcare access and affordability remains a critical and ongoing priority for policymakers. While political agendas may shift, the fundamental challenge of ensuring that all Americans have access to quality, affordable healthcare persists as a central issue in the national discourse.
In the realm of healthcare policy, the interplay between
