FT Health: Healthcare Trumped

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President Trump’s fight over healthcare is his first significant test in office. However his reforms are eventually enacted, some people will lose out. The showdown is a sobering reminder for policymakers around the world of the subject’s importance to voters.

Retaining Obamacare would be a political embarrassment for the president, even though his predecessor’s imperfect reforms have considerably extended healthcare coverage. The White House’s proposals risk leaving an additional 24m people uncovered and saving less money than claimed.

Hardline conservatives want to go further, giving more autonomy to individual states to define and cut back on essential cover. Centrists worry about the reduction of protection the proposals will entail — and how that could affect their own re-election prospects.

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The essential guide for decision makers in health — straight to your inbox every Friday

It would make sense to progress cautiously rather than rush through an alternative framework. As healthcare practitioners in other countries — not least the UK —The essential guide for decision makers in health — straight to your inbox every Friday

It would make sense to progress cautiously rather than rush through an alternative framework. As healthcare practitioners in other countries — not least the UK — know well, there is nothing worse than constant tinkering. know well, there is nothing worse than constant tinkering.