With a new Commander-in-Chief poised to take office in January, one of the most volatile and polarizing election seasons comes to a close. Amidst the pandemic, the issue of healthcare has been one of the most important topics on the campaign trail. As we shift into a new era of leadership, what changes can Americans expect to see when it comes to healthcare?
As far as healthcare and the impact the new administration may have on coverage for Americans, we’re primarily seeing two topics of conversation - the future of the Affordable Care Act and the handling of COVID-19.
The Affordable Care Act
Since becoming the front-runner of the Democratic party, Biden has made it clear that he intends to offer a public plan option for Americans. This option would operate similar to Medicare, and continue building on the foundation set in place through the Affordable Care Act .
Currently, the Affordable Care Act protects people with pre-existing conditions - such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc. Additionally, it limits out-of-pocket expenses users pay for doctor visits and medical expenses, as well as require employers with 50+ employees to offer insurance coverage.
Currently, around 27.9 million (or 8.5 percent) Americans are uninsured.1 Biden has pledged on the campaign trail to lower this number to three percent.
Affordability of a Public Plan Option
Currently, the Affordable Care Act plan options have a limit of charging 9.86 percent of household earnings for a health insurance plan. The new plan proposes a decrease in cost limits to 8.5 percent.2
This plan also proposes an elimination of the tax credit income cap, currently set at 400 percent of the federal poverty line.2 This would allow more Americans to be eligible to receive tax credits that assist in offsetting the cost of plan premiums.
Biden has included a plan to regulate and oversee new drug prices, as well as lower Medicare prescription prices and eliminate advertising tax breaks for pharmaceutical companies.
Speaking of Medicare, the new administration has also proposed a drop in age eligibility for Medicare from 65 to 60.
COVID-19 Response
Obviously, we can’t talk healthcare in 2020 without diving into the topic of COVID-19 and the plan for it.
On his campaign website, Biden has outlined some clear direction for how he proposes to handle COVID-19. His plan includes:3
- Free and reliable access to testing for every American, as overseen by a Pandemic Testing Board
- Hiring 100,000+ workers to build a national contact tracing workforce
- Premium pay for health care workers
- Emergency paid leave for those who have contracted COVID-19
In terms of restoring the economy to pre-pandemic levels of growth, the new administration emphasizes the importance of establishing a “rigorous public health response” in order to navigate a “stronger, more effective reopening.”3
Healthcare has remained top of mind for many Americans throughout 2020, and it will likely continue to be an important issue as we step into 2021. If you’re wondering how the new administration’s proposed healthcare changes may affect your current coverage, you can always reach out to your company’s HR department, insurance provider or financial professional for guidance.
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