What's at stake for health care this election

Voters head to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in an election with significant consequences for health care.

A victory for Vice President Harris will likely mean the continuation and strengthening of many of the Biden administration’s efforts to increase access to care and decrease costs.

A second Trump presidency could mean significant changes to the healthcare system, though Trump has been vague about his plans.

Much of what either candidate would be able to accomplish will depend on Congress, where Democrats face long odds to hold their razor-thin majority in the Senate and the House is considered essentially a tossup.

Here’s what to watch:

Abortion access

Throughout his entire campaign, Trump has repeatedly stated his belief that abortion should be left as a state issue. After some waffling, he stated he would be voting “no” on Florida’s ballot measure that would overturn the state’s current six-week ban, even though he has said he believes it to be too restrictive.

Harris has said restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade will be her “first priority” if she wins the election. She said she would push Congress to eliminate the filibuster to pass abortion protection legislation.

She has repeatedly said she would sign legislation passed by Congress to restore Roe v. Wade, which was overturned by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority in 2022. However, such a bill has little chance of getting through the Senate, even if Democrats have a slight majority.

The Biden-Harris........

© The Hill