5/23/2019

ELECTION/HEALTHCARE/PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign believes he can turn Republicans’ biggest liability from last year’s congressional elections – the debate about the future of healthcare in America – into a winning issue for his reelection. That would have appeared highly unlikely just months ago, when Democrats seized upon the issue of coverage for pre-existing medical conditions to capture control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Since then, the 2020 Democratic presidential field has been locked in a debate about how far to go to transform the U.S. healthcare system. Some candidates have suggested abolishing private insurance in favor of a single government-run plan, sometimes referred to as ‘Medicare for All,’ while others favor more modest reforms. Trump’s campaign is betting that whoever emerges with the Democratic nomination next year will have been forced to embrace a sweeping healthcare reform proposal that may spook moderate voters.”

Ginger Gibson, James Oliphant, “Trump campaign views healthcare as a 2020 campaign weapon,” Reuters, May 23, 2019 3:13 am