As of this morning (November 6th), the results of the 2024 general election are as follows:
- Donald Trump has again been elected to the presidency.
- Republicans will hold at least 52 Senate seats in the next Congress and Democrats at least 42. Of the six uncalled races, Democrats are currently leading in four and Republicans in two.
- Republicans are leading the race for the House, with victories or current leads in 221 House races compared to 214 for Democrats. However, it remains a possibility for Democrats to win a 218-217 majority, based in particular on election results in California that may take weeks to resolve.
While the implications of the election for federal health policy will undoubtedly be immense, they remain unclear. This is both due to the unsettled House races and to the vagueness of the 2024 Republican platform. Trump has said that he will no longer seek to fully repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and that Republicans will “protect Medicare,” but without further specifics. It is likely that at least some policy initiatives from the previous Trump administration will be revived, such as:
- Approval of Medicaid waivers instituting block grants and work requirements;
- Expansion of price transparency requirements;
- Loosening of restrictions on association health plans, short-term limited duration insurance (STLDI) plans, and other options not meeting ACA requirements; and
- The proposed Medicare Part B “Most Favored Nation” model for prescription drugs.
However, specific personnel choices within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and elsewhere will likely drive many important decisions. Like in previous cycles, SPG will produce a more detailed post-election analysis in the coming weeks, and discuss specific implications for clients in our upcoming calls. As always, please feel free to reach out to us at any time with questions or issues.