Summary of Presidential Candidate Health Care Positions

The 2024 general election campaign is now underway, with former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, as the viable contenders for the presidency. This policy comparison includes information gathered from campaign websites and past and present public news reporting on the policy positions of interest to the National Breast Cancer Coalition, including access to care and prescription drug pricing. We will update the positions as more information becomes available.

(Updated: 9/30/24)

Vice President Kamala Harris

Goal: Increase access to health care and lower prescription drug costs.

• Supports the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
• The Biden-Harris administration enacted the American Rescue Plan Act, which temporarily expanded eligibility for and increased ACA Marketplace subsidies. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) extended these subsidies through 2025. Harris proposes making these subsidies permanent.
• Extend Medicaid expansion to cover more Americans.
• Expand Medicare’s services to include vision care, dental care, hearing aids, mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, and comprehensive reproductive health care services.
• The IRA included Medicare drug price negotiation. Harris states that she wants to expand drug price negotiation to all Americans and speed the program to negotiate the prices of more drugs faster.
• Cap annual out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 for all Americans.

Former President Donald Trump

Goal: Privatize access to health care and reduce government involvement in drug pricing.

• Repeal the ACA and make health insurance premiums fully deductible on federal income taxes.
• Allow health insurance sales across state lines.
• Deregulate insurance markets to roll back the ACA’s protections for pre-existing conditions.
• Offer Medicare block grants to states (Project 2025)*.
• End Medicare drug price negotiation (Project 2025)*.

*Project 2025 is a plan by the Heritage Foundation to reshape the executive branch of the US federal government in the event of a Republican victory in the 2024 US presidential election.