By Bjorn Dyberg
Debating about healthcare has always been a feature of election season, but in this upcoming election, it’s more important than ever before.
President Jimmy Carter and Senator Edward Kennedy tangled about healthcare reform during the 1980 Democratic primary season, President Bill Clinton’s control of the House of Representatives was eviscerated in 1996 partially as a backlash to his and First Lady Hillary Clinton’s attempts to reinvent the system, and President Donald Trump campaigned on dismantling the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s signature achievement, only to be thwarted by the iconic thumbs down vote of Senator John McCain.
In 2024, as another election cycle approaches, the ever present issue of healthcare reform demands our attention and real action. Regardless of which party secures victory—Democratic or Republican—substantial changes loom on the horizon for an American healthcare system already teetering on the brink of dysfunction.
At present, the Florida healthcare system is overburdened, and hospitals are shutting down due to insufficient funds and resources to manage an overwhelming surge in claims. North Shore Medical Center laid off 152 employees as they continue to face significant financial trouble, and recently abruptly shut down their Psych and Women's Services. Shands Starke Regional Medical Center and Shands Live Oak Regional Medical Center were full service medical centers that were converted to emergency-only facilities in recent years, while HCA Florida North Florida Hospital has faced constant headlines for its never-ending surgery saga that has been crippling daily operation.
There are varying reasons for this crisis: In recent decades, there has been a general and stunning decline in American public health, with record levels of obesity and illness being reported across all groups. Additionally, as millions of immigrants continue marching to our borders to join in the American dream, many states have expanded healthcare access to people with no insurance. Just a number of weeks ago, the Biden Administration announced DACA recipients (“dreamers”) will be able to receive health insurance in an expansion of Obamacare, and officials estimate 100,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children will enroll in healthcare coverage due to this rule change from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Hospitals need to offer services to these newly covered people and non-paying arrivals, while also catering to the thousands of covered Americans who have relocated to states like Florida since the pandemic, putting further strain on already stressed and overworked local systems. These are not just temporary problems, but symptoms of systemic inadequacies that require decisive and thoughtful action.
So what would change if either of the two leading candidates win this November, and their parties take control of Congress?
If the Republicans assume the mantle of leadership, we might witness a significant shift away from current structures like Obamacare. Led by Trump, a potential Republican victory, could see a renewed focus on dismantling or eroding the Affordable Care Act after he failed to do so during his first term. The GOP may give more control to insurance companies, allowing them to regulate their products with less federal oversight, which could lead to a dramatic transformation in the healthcare landscape and who would be eligible for coverage. If their plans were to be turned into law, millions of Americans could find themselves with no protections or health insurance, draining their bank accounts and those of the healthcare systems pressured to offer lifesaving services that insurance companies would potentially no longer cover.
Conversely, a Democrats win could result in the infusion of more federal funds into the healthcare system and an expansion of existing programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Obamacare. While this approach aims to stabilize the system temporarily, at the expense of the American taxpayer via the largesse of the government, it treats the symptoms rather than the disease. This path only incentivizes Big Pharma to jack up prices knowing that Uncle Sam will be using our money to pay for it, all while adding to the inflation and higher costs many have been experiencing since COVID.
The fundamental issues remain no matter which parties implement their plans for the future of healthcare in this country: the overall poor health of the American populace, the overpriced and out of control costs of healthcare in our country, and too many uncovered people needing care with no one to pay for it.
Suggesting immigration reform and federal regulation of pharmaceutical conglomerates is far beyond the scope of this article, even though both are necessary ingredients in solving the current healthcare crisis, and it's apparently too much to ask our dysfunctional government to handle in Washington.
There needs to be a comprehensive strategy to overhaul healthcare in this country, and both parties seem to be abdicating responsibility from doing what must be done to fix it. As voters and stakeholders in our nation's future, we must demand more than stopgap solutions or partisan dismantling of existing frameworks. We require a bipartisan commitment to a healthcare reform that not only addresses the immediate fiscal strains and systemic inefficiencies but also prioritizes long-term preventive measures. By doing so, we can hope to not only save our healthcare institutions from collapse but also improve the overall health and well-being of every Floridian, and every American.
Bjorn Dyberg is the Beacon Award-winning founder of CareCoverage, a health insurance agency licensed in 32 states. To connect with Bjorn or to explore how he can help you secure health insurance coverage, email bjorndyberg@carecoverage.net.