Health care under Harris versus Trump: A public health historian sizes up their records

The presidential debate on Sept. 10, 2024, did not add much context to what the two candidates would do on health care beyond their own records. Visual China Group/Getty Images by Zachary W. Schulz, Auburn University Health care is a defining issue in the 2024 election – Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Republican contender Donald Trump have starkly different records on the issue. Rather than focusing on what they promise to do, let’s examine what their past actions reveal about their approaches to Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, public health infrastructure, drug policy and child abuse and domestic violence prevention. As a specialist in public health history and policy, I have carefully examined both candidates’ records on American health care. With years of experience in the health care field and being a cystic fibrosis patient myself, I have developed a deep understanding of our health care system and the political dynamics that shape it. For me, as for many other Americans, health care is more than just a political issue; it is a deeply personal one. Medicare During Harris’ time in the Senate, she co-sponsored the Medicare for All Act, which aimed to expand Medicare to all Americans, effectively...