Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In An Election Light On Health Care, Harris Leans Into Medicare Plan
In a presidential campaign cycle unusually light on health care proposals, Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious 鈥 and expensive 鈥 Medicare strategy that would introduce a new category of coverage for home health care. The proposal would involve Medicare paying for home health aides to assist older Americans with daily tasks such as eating and using the bathroom. It amounted to a last-minute bet by the Harris campaign that major domestic policy reforms could break through to undecided voters. (Weiland, 10/9)
Vice President Kamala Harris could usher in a new era of prioritizing women鈥檚 health if she鈥檚 elected president. While Harris has generally toed the Democratic party line on health care policy issues, she has distinguished herself by advocating for reproductive health access and addressing maternal mortality disparities. (Zhang, 10/10)
Kamala Harris' proposal to create a Medicare benefit for long-term home care targets an underappreciated part of the economy: caregiving. The sector is staffed by underpaid and unpaid workers 鈥斅爉ostly women 鈥斅燾arrying out crucial jobs that will only become more important as the population ages. (Peck, 10/10)
Former President Donald Trump hurled insults at his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, and other women Wednesday 鈥 saying he had no interest in stopping his attacks even if they turn off female voters 鈥 as Hurricane Milton made landfall, lashing Florida with rain, tornadoes and tropical-storm-force winds. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to be nice,鈥 Trump said at his first of two rallies of the day in the pivotal battleground state of Pennsylvania. 鈥淵ou know, somebody said, 鈥榊ou should be nicer. Women won鈥檛 like it.鈥 I said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 care.鈥欌 (Weissert, Price and Colvin, 10/10)
In other election news 鈥
According to a poll from the American Psychiatric Association, 73% of Americans said they were anxious about the 2024 US election. (Leamey, 10/9)