The people have spoken! Here are three of the biggest takeaways on healthcare from the midterm elections last Tuesday:
- Healthcare really matters to voters.
Twenty-six percent of voters said that healthcare was the most important issue in deciding their vote last Tuesday, making it the most important issue overall for voters this year (Associated Press). - Many campaigns made specific healthcare issues central to their message.
Healthcare was a key argument for many campaigns. Two issues that were highlighted were the attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and rolling back protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions. These resonated with voters the most. - Medicaid expansion had a big night.
Medicaid expansion was a big issue on election night. Voters in three traditionally conservative states – Idaho, Nebraska, and Utah – overwhelmingly approved ballot initiatives to expand Medicaid, signaling the popularity of the ACA-related initiative. Three more states – Kansas, Maine, and Wisconsin – elected governors who partially ran on their intention to push for expanding Medicaid.
All this is good news for proponents of affordable, comprehensive, high-quality healthcare. Our collective efforts made healthcare a major part of the debate in this election. We will continue to work together to ensure healthcare is protected and strengthened in the future.
