Ways Trump’s presidency may reshape U.S. health care

After winning a second term as U.S. President, Republican Donald Trump has proposed significant changes to the nation’s health care system, including allowing staunch anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to have free rein over health, medicine, and food policy.

So far, Trump has been relatively silent on detailed health care policies, focusing instead on issues like immigration and inflation.

However, during the September presidential debate, he mentioned having “concepts of a plan” for health care.

Now that Trump has secured his second term, here’s what he has said about health care.

Giving RFK Jr. free rein on health

On 28 October, during a campaign rally, Trump suggested giving Kennedy, a well-known vaccine sceptic, control over the nation’s food and drug agencies.

“Robert F. Kennedy cares more about human beings, health, and the environment than anyone,” Trump told the crowd. “I’m going to let him go wild on health, go wild on food, and go wild on medicines.”

Kennedy claimed that Trump promised him authority over the Food and Drug Administration, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Agriculture, according to several media sources.

The Trump administration also plans to remove fluoride from U.S. drinking water on the first day in office, according to Kennedy.

Concepts of a health plan

During his 2016 campaign, Trump repeatedly vowed to repeal Obamacare. Following his election, when the House voted to do just that, he hosted a celebration with Republican representatives at the White House. However, the repeal effort stalled in the Senate in July 2017.

In June 2020, the Trump administration requested the U.S. Supreme Court block the law, but the case was dismissed.

Since then, Trump has wavered on whether he intends to repeal it again.

In November 2023, Trump addressed the issue on his social media platform, Truth Social.

“The cost of Obamacare is out of control, and it’s not good Healthcare. I’m seriously considering alternatives,” he posted. “We had a few Republican Senators who campaigned against it for 6 years, only to vote against terminating it. It was a low point for the Republican Party, but we should never give up!”

Reproductive rights

Trump has claimed credit for appointing the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade.

However, after winning the Republican primary earlier this year, he stated he would not back a national abortion ban, arguing that states should decide their own restrictions.

IVF coverage

In August, Trump declared that if he wins a second term, he intends to make IVF treatment free for families.

These remarks came amid warnings from doctors that the overturning of Roe v. Wade, along with state-level restrictions on reproductive health and efforts to define a fetus as a person, could jeopardise IVF since it involves embryos and common reproductive medications.

“I’m announcing today that under the Trump administration, either the government or your insurance company will cover all IVF treatment costs,” he declared at a campaign rally.

Cutting funds for schools with vaccine mandates

During the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2021, Trump told former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly that he had received the booster shot.

In an interview with Candace Owens two days later, Trump defended the vaccine when Owens suggested it was unsafe.

“Oh no, the vaccine works,” Trump countered Owens, who was unvaccinated. “The ones getting very sick and hospitalised are those who didn’t take the vaccine.”