Sarah Kliff grades Biden and Trump's health care plans

Oct 26, 2020

In this episode, Sarah Kliff, an investigative reporter for the New York Times known for her health care policy insights, dives deep into the contrasting health care plans of Biden and Trump. She evaluates the lasting impact of the Affordable Care Act a decade later and discusses Biden's ambitious health care strategy, including its challenges. Kliff also sheds light on the ongoing Supreme Court battle to dismantle Obamacare and critiques Trump's health care promises, revealing a lack of a concrete plan for those with preexisting conditions.

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INSIGHT

ACA's Mixed Legacy

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) successfully increased health insurance coverage, but its impact on reducing healthcare costs is less clear.
Cost-sharing burdens like deductibles and copayments remain high, preventing some insured individuals from accessing care.

INSIGHT

Medicaid Expansion's Success

Medicaid expansion has been the most successful coverage aspect of the ACA.
It has even gained popularity among Republican voters, who generally oppose the ACA.

INSIGHT

Individual Mandate's Limited Impact

The individual mandate in the ACA was less impactful than initially predicted and may not be essential for the law's function.
The mandate penalties were often lower than the cost of insurance, and its constant debate diminished its power.

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There are few issues on which the stakes in this election are quite as stark as on health care. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden plans to pass (and Democrats largely support) a massive health care expansion that could result in 25 million additional individuals gaining health insurance. The Trump administration, as we speak, is pushing to get the Supreme Court to kill the Affordable Care Act, which would strip at least 20 million Americans of health care coverage.

There's no one I'd rather have on to discuss these issues than Sarah Kliff. Kliff is an investigative reporter for the New York Times focusing on health care policy, and my former colleague at the Washington Post and Vox where we co-hosted The Weeds alongside Matt Yglesias. She's one of the most clear, incisive health care policy analysts in media today and a longtime friend, which made this conversation a pleasure. We discuss:

The legacy of Obamacare 10 years later
Why the fiercely fought over “individual mandate” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be
What Biden’s health care plan would actually do — and where it falls short
Whether a Biden administration would be able to pass massive health care reform — and why it might still have a chance even if the filibuster remains intact
The ongoing Supreme Court case to dismantle Obamacare
Whether Donald Trump has a secret health care plan to protect those with preexisting conditions (spoiler: he doesn’t)
The hollow state of Republican health care policy
The academic literature showing that health insurance is literally a matter of life and death
Which social investments would have the largest impact on people’s health (hint: it’s probably not expanding insurance)

And much more

References:

"If Trump wins, 20 million people could lose health insurance. If Biden wins, 25 million could gain it." by Dylan Scott, Vox

“Obamacare Turns 10. Here’s a Look at What Works and Doesn’t.” by Sarah Kliff, et al. New York Times

"The I.R.S. Sent a Letter to 3.9 Million People. It Saved Some of Their Lives." by Sarah Kliff, New York Times

"Republicans Killed the Obamacare Mandate. New Data Shows It Didn’t Really Matter." by Sarah Kliff, New York Times

"Without Ginsburg, Supreme Court Could Rule Three Ways on Obamacare" by Sarah Kliff and Margot Sanger-Katz, New York Times

Book recommendations:

The Healing of America by TR Reid

And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts

Dreamland by Sam Quinones

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

Credits:

Producer/Audio wizard - Jeff Geld

Researcher - Roge Karma

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