What would federal health policy look like under a Trump Administration?  Donald Trump outlined his plan for “Healthcare Reform to Make America Great Again” on March 2, 2016.  The heart of the plan is a call for Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”) and enact other “free market” policies, including:

  • Allowing sale of health insurance across state lines;
  • Making individual health insurance premium payments fully deductible from taxes;
  • Reviewing options for Medicaid “to ensure that those who want healthcare coverage can have it”;
  • Allowing individuals to make tax-free contributions to Health Savings Accounts that could accumulate and become part of the estate of the individual;
  • Requiring price transparency from all healthcare providers;
  • Converting Medicaid into a block-grant program; and
  • Allowing importation of prescription drugs from overseas (see our separate post).

The policy paper also notes the need to reform mental health programs and discusses the potential impact of other Trump proposals, such as immigration policy changes, on health care costs.