Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'I Hope That They End It': Trump Wants Supreme Court To Topple ACA
Days before the 2020 presidential election, President Donald Trump isn鈥檛 making any secret of his health care agenda: He wants the Supreme Court to strike down the Affordable Care Act 鈥 which could leave tens of millions without health care coverage 鈥 and he鈥檚 nowhere close to having a plan in its place. 鈥淚 hope they end it,鈥 Trump told 60 Minutes reporter Lesley Stahl, in an interview that the Trump campaign preemptively released over purported concerns that the president鈥檚 words would be misconstrued. 鈥淚t鈥檒l be so good if they end it.鈥 (Scott, 10/22)
Repeatedly pressed by ["60 Minutes" correspondent Lesley] Stahl on what would happen to Americans who could lose their insurance or protections for preexisting conditions, Trump said his administration had -- or would have --- 鈥渧arious plans.鈥 Stahl told Trump that he鈥檇 made earlier statements promising a plan 鈥渨ill be here in two weeks -- it鈥檚 going to be something like we鈥檝e never seen before. And of course we haven鈥檛 seen it. So why didn鈥檛 you develop a health plan?鈥 Trump said: 鈥淚t is developed, it is fully developed, it is going to be announced soon.鈥 (Sinkn, 10/22)
President Trump on Wednesday tweeted photos of聽60 Minutes聽correspondent Lesley Stahl holding a large book ostensibly documenting his healthcare accomplishments聽鈥撀燽ut one photo showed Stahl opening the book to a blank page, underscoring Democratic attacks against Trump鈥檚 health care record. (Solender, 10/21)
鈥淚 hope that they end it.鈥 That鈥檚 what President Donald Trump told CBS this week, referring to an upcoming Supreme Court case that will decide the fate of Obamacare. On November 10, the court鈥攚hich will almost certainly include three Trump appointees鈥攚ill hear arguments in the latest Republican challenge to the landmark health care law. If the justices side with Trump, millions of Americans could lose their health coverage. (Weinberg, 10/22)
In related news on the Affordable Care Act 鈥
In his State of the Union address in February 2019, Donald Trump vowed to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.' But if Trump has his way and the supreme court strikes down the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the resulting seismic disruption to the healthcare system would end that dream. (Ryan, 10/23)
KHN: KHN On The Air This Week聽
KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner discussed the impact of the election and the upcoming Supreme Court challenge on the Affordable Care Act with New Hampshire Public Radio鈥檚 鈥淭he Exchange鈥 and WNYC鈥檚 鈥淭he Brian Lehrer Show鈥 on Wednesday. Rovner also spoke with Newsy鈥檚 鈥淢orning Rush鈥 on Thursday about the roles of health care and COVID-19 in the presidential campaign. (10/23)