2016 is well under way and the presidential candidates are off and running. We took a look at the top two candidates in the Republican and Democratic parties to see where they stand on the major health issues. Based on data as of January 14, 2016, the top Republican candidates are Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, and the top Democratic candidates are Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Of the four top contenders, Clinton is the only candidate to have a section on her campaign website that has a offers a position on healthcare. Information on the stance of the other candidates was consolidated from third party sources which based their findings on interviews, speeches, and publications.
Having taken a preliminary look at each candidate’s stance, the following summarizes their stance on healthcare:
1) None of the front running candidates offer a clear plan of action on the ACA, Universal Healthcare, and Medicare. In fact, there is a lack of detailed information on such an important topic. Of the four leading candidates, Clinton has the most thought out solution (e.g. defend the ACA, lower OOP costs, reduce the cost of prescription drugs, and reward value and quality in the existing healthcare system) but it could be perceived as uninspiring. It is important to note, however, that her current position seems to indicate that the US should stay the course and keep the ACA in place. Should healthcare become a more important issue with the public, we anticipate more details on who each candidate intends on reforming the system.
2) Based on comments made from each candidate regarding healthcare, if any of these individuals became President and could have free course, it is likely that more change is in store. In fact, a closer look at their beliefs in healthcare indicate that they are all fairly radical. If Clinton, Sanders, and Trump have their way, some form of single-payer would be in play. Cruz is the only candidate among the four who suggests repealing the ACA and have healthcare delivered through the marketplace. There doesn’t seem to be a middle ground, which means that the changes we have had through the ACA are temporary and more changes are ahead.
What does this mean for businesses? We have yet to see. In the current political system, getting elected is one thing, getting the country to look like what you want it to look is another. Some candidates may decide to change their views (during the campaign or after being elected) so that they are more aligned with the general populace. Congress may look different as well. Stay tuned.
UBF does not endorse any individual candidate and has conducted this analysis to illustrate the positions of each candidate in the context of healthcare. The table below illustrates a breakdown of the candidates stances on the considered topics.
Alan Wang is the President of UBF and serves as the lead consultant. He has delivered the UBF solution set throughout the world and is highly regarded for his areas of expertise. You can follow him on Twitter @UBFconsulting.