Health care spotlight: Trump's opioid focus vs. Haley's Medicare reform

Jeremy Yurow, USA TODAY
Updated ·1 min read
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Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Donald Trump will not appear on the same ballot this February. Haley will appear on the Presidential Preference Primary ballot while Trump will be on the Nevada Republican Party's 2024 Presidential Caucus ballot.
Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Donald Trump will not appear on the same ballot this February. Haley will appear on the Presidential Preference Primary ballot while Trump will be on the Nevada Republican Party's 2024 Presidential Caucus ballot.
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As the presidential primary season continues across the country, the spotlight falls on the contrasting stances of the leading Republican candidates, former President Donald Trump and former Governor Nikki Haley, on the critical issue of health care.

The GOP frontrunner whose tenure as president saw fervent attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare, has recently remained relatively reticent on the topic. Despite his initial endeavors to dismantle the ACA, Trump faced significant obstacles in Congress and ultimately failed to overturn the landmark legislation signed by his predecessor, Barack Obama.

Notably, Trump did take action to address the opioid epidemic during his presidency, increasing funding for substance use disorder treatment and declaring it a public health emergency. However, on the campaign trail for the 2024 election, Trump's focus has shifted towards combating the spread of fentanyl and targeting drug cartels, particularly those operating in Mexico.

More: Repealing the Affordable Care Act? What a second Trump term might mean for health care

Sandy Gennari, 65, of Waterford said she plans to vote for former President Donald Trump for the fifth time -- counting primaries and general elections -- in Michigan's Feb. 27 Republican primary.
Sandy Gennari, 65, of Waterford said she plans to vote for former President Donald Trump for the fifth time -- counting primaries and general elections -- in Michigan's Feb. 27 Republican primary.

In contrast, Nikki Haley, the former Governor of South Carolina, has steadfastly opposed the Affordable Care Act. During her gubernatorial tenure, she was among the few state leaders who refused to expand Medicaid benefits under the ACA.

On her campaign trail, Haley has pledged to uphold Medicare programs for individuals aged 40 and above while proposing reforms for younger generations. Central to her healthcare platform is a commitment to limit Medicare benefits for wealthier Americans and expand Medicare Advantage, a program facilitated by private companies but reimbursed by the government.

Trump's relative silence on the issue contrasts with Haley's firm stance against the Affordable Care Act and her proposals for Medicare reform.

More: Joe Biden and Donald Trump reignite Obamacare debate ahead of 2024 election

Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X @JeremyYurow

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Where do Trump and Haley stand on health care?