In this month's snapshot, Pat Kelly emphasizes that the 2016 presidential election could bring significant changes to the U.S. health care system. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have both campaigned on promises to control health care spending and reduce out-of-pocket expenses for consumers.
The chart below provides a brief overview of each candidate’s health care platform, so you can better understand how Clinton or Trump may affect the employee benefits landscape if elected into office.
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The Affordable Care Act (ACA) |
Wants to expand the ACA |
Wants to repeal the ACA |
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Cadillac tax |
Would repeal the Cadillac tax |
Would repeal the Cadillac tax |
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Prescription drugs |
Wants to eliminate tax breaks pharmaceutical companies get for direct-to-consumer advertising and allow consumers to import drugs from other countries (like Canada) |
Calls for a free market for prescription drugs and supports allowing consumers to import drugs from other countries that regulate prices |
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Undocumented immigrants’ access to coverage |
Would allow undocumented immigrants to buy insurance through the Marketplace |
Wants would-be immigrants to prove they can pay for their own health care |
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Public option |
Supports an option that allows people as young as 55 to buy Medicare coverage |
Does not appear to support a public option at this time |
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Medicare |
Supports allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and cap out-of-pocket costs for those with chronic health problems |
Against cuts to Medicare and wants to grow the economy to preserve the future of the program |
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Coverage across state lines |
Open to the issue, but the topic isn’t currently part of her party’s platform |
Supports allowing the sale of health insurance across state lines and allowing individuals to deduct health insurance premiums from their taxes |
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Price transparency and consumer driven health plans |
Would expand pricing disclosure requirements for doctors and hospitals and calls for an end to “surprise” billing |
Would encourage the use of tax-free health savings accounts and supports calls for greater price transparency |
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Medicaid |
Would allow states that sign up for Medicaid expansion to receive a 100 percent federal match for the first three years |
Wants states to get their funding through block grants |
Like any election, how and if these platforms would be achieved once one of the candidates is in office remains to be seen. By being aware of where each candidate stands, though, you can better understand how this election could impact the employee benefits industry and prepare your business for any potential changes.
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