WASHINGTON — Seven months before the presidential election, Donald Trump’s health care priorities remain fuzzy at best. But one thing is certain: A second Trump administration would put its own stamp on a host of critical issues that are top of mind for voters.
The former president has seesawed on federal abortion bans, the prospect of repealing the Affordable Care Act, and ways to lower drug costs, struggling to hone in on a message that will resonate with voters who have largely backed President Biden’s approach on these issues. Most Americans support federal protections for abortion and more than half view Obamacare favorably. A majority also back government negotiations on drug prices, though many don’t credit Biden with championing that policy.
But while Trump’s messaging on abortion and insurance has shifted in recent months, Medicare negotiating power could work in his favor as he resurrects first-term efforts to reform drug pricing policies. Former officials — many of whom are speaking with the campaign on an informal basis — say Trump would not kill Biden’s signature drug pricing plan, but tailor it his own way.
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