Based on the presidential administrations you are comparing, complete the Agenda Comparison Grid. Be sure to address the following: Based on your Agenda Comparison Grid for the healthcare issue you selected, develop a 1-page Fact Sheet or Talking Points Brief that you could use to communicate with a policymaker/legislator or a member of their staff for this healthcare issue. Be sure to address the following: Purchase the answer to view it Purchase the answer to view it
Agenda Comparison Grid: Presidential Administrations on Healthcare
Presidential administrations in the United States have varied in their approaches to healthcare issues. To better understand the differences between different administrations, we can compare their agendas using an Agenda Comparison Grid. This grid allows us to identify the similarities and differences in their healthcare policies.
For the purpose of this analysis, we will focus on two presidential administrations: the Barack Obama administration (2009-2017) and the Donald Trump administration (2017-2021).
Policy Area: Healthcare
Criteria Obama Administration Trump Administration
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Issue Definition Expanded access to affordable care Repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
through the ACA
Goals Reduce the uninsured rate Repeal and replace the ACA
Policy Instruments Individual mandate, Medicaid Individual mandate repealed, promotion
expansion, Health Insurance of short-term health plans, promotion
Marketplace, subsidies of Health Savings Accounts
Stakeholders Healthcare providers, insurers, Conservative groups, Republican
patient advocacy groups, lawmakers, some healthcare
Democrats industry stakeholders
Legislation Patient Protection and American Health Care Act
Affordable Care Act (ACA) (AHCA), Better Care Reconciliation
Act (BCRA)
Implementation Healthcare.gov, state Executive orders, regulatory
exchanges, Medicaid expansion, changes, attempts at legislative
insurance regulations, changes (unsuccessful)
individual mandate penalty
Evaluation and Reduced uninsured rate, Reduced enrollment in ACA
Impact increased access to preventive care, marketplace, increased
enhanced consumer protection healthcare costs for some
Based on the Agenda Comparison Grid above, we can observe several key differences between the Obama and Trump administrations regarding the healthcare issue.
Firstly, the Obama administration sought to expand access to affordable care through the ACA, primarily aiming to reduce the uninsured rate. In contrast, the Trump administration prioritized the repeal and replacement of the ACA, seeking to dismantle the law entirely.
Secondly, the policy instruments utilized by these administrations diverged significantly. The Obama administration implemented the individual mandate, expanded Medicaid, established the Health Insurance Marketplace, and provided subsidies to make healthcare more affordable for individuals. On the other hand, the Trump administration repealed the individual mandate, promoted short-term health plans, and encouraged the use of Health Savings Accounts.
Thirdly, the stakeholders involved in the healthcare debate differed between the two administrations. The Obama administration garnered support from healthcare providers, insurers, patient advocacy groups, Democrats, and other stakeholders who favored the ACA. In contrast, the Trump administration enjoyed support from conservative groups, Republican lawmakers, and some healthcare industry stakeholders who sought to repeal and replace the ACA.
Fourthly, the legislation enacted also varied significantly. The Obama administration successfully passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which served as the basis for their healthcare policy. Conversely, the Trump administration’s attempts to pass legislation to repeal and replace the ACA, such as the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), were unsuccessful.
Fifthly, the implementation strategies employed by these administrations differed. The Obama administration utilized Healthcare.gov, state exchanges, Medicaid expansion, and insurance regulations to implement their policies. In contrast, the Trump administration relied on executive orders, regulatory changes, and attempts at legislative changes (unsuccessfully).
Lastly, the evaluation and impact of these policies have shown contrasting outcomes. The Obama administration’s policies significantly reduced the uninsured rate, increased access to preventive care, and enhanced consumer protection. However, the Trump administration’s actions resulted in reduced enrollment in the ACA marketplace and increased healthcare costs for some individuals.
In conclusion, the Obama and Trump administrations adopted contrasting approaches to healthcare, with the former aiming to expand access to affordable care through the ACA and the latter seeking to repeal and replace the ACA. This analysis provides an overview of the key differences in their agendas, policy instruments, stakeholders, legislation, implementation strategies, and outcomes. Understanding these differences is crucial for policymakers and legislators when crafting and evaluating healthcare policies.