Health - Network Advocates

Equally sacred are those who are sick, disabled, and older adults.

1.) Protects the Affordable Care Act
While campaigning before the 2016 election, President Trump promised to repeal and replace the ACA¹ and supported Republican congressional attempts to repeal the ACA once in office.²President Trump supported the repeal of the individual mandate in the 2017 Republican tax law,³ and also used the power of the executive branch to undo provisions of the ACA, including reducing funding for advertising ACA enrollment⁴and allowing short-term health plans that previously did not meet Dept. of HHS standards.⁵ During the Trump presidency, the ACA has faced numerous legal challenges, including a case soon to be decided by the Supreme Court that is supported by the Trump Justice Department.⁶

Vice President Biden was a supporter of the Affordable Care Act during the Obama presidency, securing key Senate votes necessary for its passage,⁷ and says he would protect the ACA⁸and build on its success. (So far the ACA has reduced the number of uninsured people in the U.S by nearly 20 million.)⁹

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2.) Supports disability community priorities
President Trump’s campaign website does not include a plan or name any policies that address the priorities of the disability community.¹ Over the past four years, numerous regulations proposed and implemented by the Trump administration have worsened conditions for people with disabilities including: conducting more frequent continuing disability reviews,² changing the “public charge” rule,³ and encouraging states to convert their Medicaid programs into a block grant.⁴

Vice President Biden 5 The Biden plan includes aggressively enforcing existing civil rights laws such as the ADA, the Fair Housing Act, and more. The plan also includes: ensuring non-discrimination in access to health care, enforcing parity for mental and behavioral health treatments with physical health benefits, phasing out the subminimum wage for disabled workers, creating a tax credit for informal caregivers, increasing SSI benefits, reforming the SSI program to eliminate the marriage penalty, revoking the “public charge” rule, and more.

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3.) Opposes cuts to and restrictions on Medicaid
Despite stating during his campaign that he would not cut Social Security, Medicaid, or Medicare,¹ President Trump has supported and implemented numerous cuts and restrictions to Medicaid throughout his presidency. This includes: allowing states to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients,²and allowing states to receive a block grant for Medicaid.³ In Arkansas, the state’s Medicaid work requirements led to no significant increase in employment, but cause a rise in the state’s percentage of uninsured people.⁴

Vice President Biden opposes Medicaid work requirements⁵ and instead would increase Medicaid coverage by establishing automatic Medicaid enrollment for people under 138% of the federal poverty line when they interact with certain government programs or institutions.⁶

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4.) Supports the health and wellbeing of older adults
President Trump’s FY 2020¹and 2021²budgets would reduce federal spending on Medicare, and he has indicated that he is willing to consider cuts in the future.²His August 2020 Executive Order suspending the collection of payroll taxes threatens the future of Medicare by cutting payments to Medicare,⁴ and puts Social Security at risk.⁶ In July 2019, the Trump administration proposed rules relaxing the requirements tied to infection control in nursing homes and other healthcare facilities;⁵ it also decreased the fines charged if found in violation.⁷

Vice President Biden would protect Medicare and ensure there are no disruptions to the current Medicare system.8

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Equally sacred are those who are sick, disabled, and older adults.

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