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COVID-19 Response, ACA Take Center Stage at First Trump-Biden Presidential Debate

Analysis  |  By Jack O'Brien  
   September 29, 2020

The healthcare-heavy debate took place on the main campus of the Cleveland Clinic.

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden clashed over how to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and the fate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during the first 2020 presidential debate Tuesday night. 

Trump and Biden debated the administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak, what the approach to the pandemic should be going forward, and what healthcare plan could expand coverage in an affordable way. 

The healthcare-heavy debate took place on the main campus of the Cleveland Clinic.

Related: What Trump and Biden Should Debate at the Cleveland Clinic: Why the Hospital's Private Police Mostly Arrest Black People

Below are key healthcare topics discussed during from the first presidential debate:

How to combat COVID

Biden criticized Trump over the administration's response to COVID-19, which has infected over 7 million and killed 200,000 Americans.

He added that Trump "has no plan" to combat the virus and knew that the outbreak was worse than he let on publicly, referring to private recordings released by journalist Bob Woodward earlier this month. 

Trump countered Biden's attacks by highlighting the administration's actions to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, such as providing resources like ventilators to states in need.

Trump also mentioned that the U.S. is "weeks away from a vaccine," though Wallace pressed him about the timeline of obtaining a vaccine through Operation Warp Speed.

Wallace added that Moncef Slaoui, the former pharmaceutical executive and leader of the U.S. vaccine effort, said a vaccine would likely be available around summer 2021, but Trump said he disagrees with that timeline. 

Related: 4 Healthcare Topics to Watch in the First Trump-Biden Presidential Debate

Trump criticized Biden's oversight of the H1N1 response in 2009; while Biden countered by comparing the lower death total from the swine flu outbreak and the lack of a national economic shutdown.

Biden also said that Trump has been "totally irresponsible" with regards to social distancing.

What will happen to the ACA?

Following Trump's selection of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace the recently deceased Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, Biden said the President wants to "get rid of" the ACA.

Biden said Barrett has written that the landmark healthcare law is "unconstitutional" and warned that millions, particularly those with pre-existing conditions, will lose healthcare coverage if it is overturned in the ongoing California v. Texas case. 

On the future of the ACA, Biden said Trump has "no plan for healthcare" and is seeking to overturn the landmark healthcare legislation, adding that he is "not for anyone needing healthcare."

Trump countered by saying Biden will "extinguish" healthcare coverage for 180 million Americans who have private health insurance by embracing a "socialist" healthcare policy similar to that proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

Wallace pressed Biden on whether the implementation of a public option would serve as a "government takeover of healthcare," which he said would expand coverage and lower costs.

The moderator also followed up on Trump's long-awaited "comprehensive" ACA plan, calling the executive order on healthcare signed last week a "largely symbolic" measure.

Trump said the administration's elimination of the individual mandate was a major step to undoing the ACA but did not outline a new healthcare plan during the debate.

Additionally, Trump highlighted the administration's efforts to lower prescription drug prices, specifically reducing the cost of insulin

Related: Promises Kept? On Healthcare, Trump's Claims of 'Monumental Steps' Don't Add Up

In addition to the COVID-19 response and the fate of the ACA, Trump repeatedly criticized Biden for neglecting to provide adequate healthcare to veterans.

The next presidential debate is scheduled to take place on October 15 in Miami. The first and only vice presidential debate is scheduled to take place on October 7 in Salt Lake City.

Related: Without Ginsburg, Judicial Threats to the ACA, Reproductive Rights Heighten

Jack O'Brien is the Content Team Lead and Finance Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.

Photo credit: September 02, 2020 - Character Illustration of Joe Biden facing Donald Trump. Illustrating the 2020 US presidential election. / Editorial credit: Yalcin Sonat / Shutterstock.com


KEY TAKEAWAYS

The healthcare-heavy debate took place on the main campus of the Cleveland Clinic.

Trump mentioned that the U.S. is "weeks away from a vaccine," publicly disagreeing with the timeline laid out by the head of Operation Warp Speed.

On the future of the ACA, Biden said Trump is seeking to overturn the landmark healthcare legislation and that he is "not for anyone needing healthcare."


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