When it comes to your question of who is in power on these issues, the vote you cast for president matters a lot. the president has big things Influence what initiatives and issues are submitted to Congress.
But the president cannot act alone on any of these issues. Let’s take a look at the details below.
Towards the end of the summer, we asked AJC readers to share any questions they had on the subject, and we got answers. With the presidential and legislative elections about a month away, questions regarding health care are looming large in the campaign.
Healthcare (Insurance)
Often when people talk about having medical coverage, they are referring to health insurance. It wasn’t specified, but I’ll go with that interpretation here.
These days, the biggest decision a president has to make regarding health insurance is whether to support the Affordable Care Act..
Congress passed the ACA in 2010, and only Congress can repeal it. However, the president can force Congress to abolish it or change the program.
Former President Donald Trump vowed to repeal the ACA when he first took office, and Congress followed his lead and adopted it, just one vote short.
President Joe Biden has done the opposite. He proposed new subsidies to make ACA plans cheaper for low-income and upper-middle-income people. Congress passed that funding, which added about 700,000 Georgians to the ACA roster. These subsidies are set to expire in 2025, and it’s up to Congress and the future to renew them. president.
The President can act directly to accomplish some changes to the ACA without assistance from Congress. The government could create rules to ease the process of enrolling in an ACA health insurance plan, such as giving people more time to enroll. You can also fund additional supportive services, such as advertising to tell people what to do and navigators to guide them through registration.
abortion
Although this was one of the issues on which the Supreme Court had the most say, the president had powerful influence. President Trump has changed the landscape of abortion in the United States. This is because Mr. Trump had a strategy for appointing new U.S. Supreme Court justices. Roe v. Wade reversal likelyand they did.
Going forward, there are still several ways the president and Congress can influence the availability of abortion. The president appoints the leaders of agencies that oversee the approval of abortion drugs, for example. And the president oversees a government agency that coordinates rules regarding patient privacy, including patient pregnancy test results.
If the president were to push for national abortion legislation, Congress would first have to agree. Ultimately, it will be up to the Supreme Court to decide whether this system will remain in place.
There are several decisions regarding abortion that are in the hands of Congress. Congress has already decided that federal funds will rarely pay for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is in danger.
medicare
Medicare was created and funded by Congress. The president alone cannot undo it. But there are some changes the president can make.
Biden called on Congress to allow Medicare to negotiate prices with drug companies to lower the cost of drugs, starting with 10 popular drugs. Also, as a result of the 2022 law, insulin usage for Medicare patients is capped at $35 per month.
Future presidents will need to work with Congress to decide how to address future Medicare budget shortfalls. Options may include reductions in benefits. attempt to negotiate or otherwise reduce the price; Or simply spend more.
