Trump election likely brings major changes to federal health policy

Former President Donald Trump’s election victory will likely give a far broader platform to skeptics and critics of federal health programs and actions (Source: “Trump’s White House Return Poised To Tangle Health Care Safety Net,” KFF Health News, Nov. 6, 2024).
 
While Trump has said he will not try again to repeal the Affordable Care Act, his administration will face an immediate decision next year on whether to back an extension of enhanced premium subsidies for ACA insurance plans. Without the enhanced subsidies, steep premium increases causing lower enrollment are projected. The current uninsured rate, about 8%, would almost certainly rise.
 
Within Trump’s circles, some names have already been floated as possible leaders for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). They include former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Seema Verma, who ran the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services during the Trump administration.
 
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suspended his independent presidential run and endorsed Trump, has told his supporters that Trump promised him control of HHS. Trump said publicly before Election Day that he would give Kennedy a big role in his administration, but he may have difficulty winning Senate confirmation for a Cabinet position.
 
While Trump has vowed to protect Medicare and said he supports funding home care benefits, he’s been less specific about his intentions for Medicaid. Some health analysts expect the program will be especially vulnerable to spending cuts, which could help finance the extension of tax breaks that expire at the end of next year.