This overview is excerpted from Manatt on Health, Manatt’s subscription service that provides in-depth insights and analysis focused on the legal, policy and market developments. For more information on how to subscribe and to activate a complimentary one week trial to Manatt on Health, please reach out to Barret Jefferds.
On November 5, President Donald Trump won a decisive victory to return to the White House as the nation’s 47th president, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. Republicans also won back the majority in the Senate; though, certain election results have yet to be confirmed—such as control of the House and the size of the Republican Senate majority. Regardless of those outcomes, the Republicans’ victory in the White House and Senate stand to reshape the trajectory of the nation’s health care system.1
Health care was not a dominant Trump campaign issue. As a result, the president-elect has indicated relatively little about his health policy priorities for his second term. However, other conservative publications, such as the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 and the America First Policy Institute’s Health Care Agenda, indicate potential Republican priorities. While the president-elect sought to distance himself from these principles at points throughout the campaign, both were drafted by policymakers close to President Trump who are expected to play roles in his Administration.
Republicans in both the House and Senate will hold leadership elections on November 13. Once the leadership structures solidify, the path forward for the remainder of the Congress may become clearer. The lame duck Congress will need to address government funding before December 20 and decide whether any additional policies will accompany any government funding legislation.
[1] According to the Associated Press, as of 5pm ET on November 11, Republicans hold 53 seats and Democrats hold 46 seats in the Senate, with races in 2 states—Nevada and Arizona—still yet to be called. Control of the House remains unclear, with 18 races still yet to be called. However, Republicans currently have the edge in the House 214-203.
For more information on how to subscribe and to activate a complimentary one week trial to Manatt on Health, please reach out to Barret Jefferds.