The headlines on this election night ranged from “Democrats Take the House” to “Republicans make gains in the Senate.” All the partisan headlines and articles can be very confusing to the average voter, as both sides spent the night and the following days claiming victory.
However, what is not so confusing and what we do know is that health care was listed as the number one issue for a large percentage of the voters. Advertisements and political promotions surrounding health care were everywhere throughout the election season, which is likely part of the reason it was a topic that was top of mind in the election.
So what do those of us who regularly organize and deliver medical meetings do with this information? The best thing we can do is try to discern and unwind this rather confusing situation.
First, this seems to be the end of any immediate repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, and perhaps the beginning of its expansion. Voters in three predominantly red states – Idaho, Nebraska, and Utah – approved Medicaid expansion. These votes signal to politicians on both sides of the aisle that access to healthcare for under-served communities is a politically popular issue. The vote also cemented the exclusion for denials of insurance coverage based on preexisting conditions.
The Democrats taking the house gives the President the opportunity to take on drug pricing policy at a level that would have never been available with a Republican Congress in control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. With that, we should look for changes in our drug pricing policies in the coming years.
It’s also important to note that with the conclusion of the election, certainty reenters the marketplace. For the next two years, life science companies can plan their budgets knowing that there may be changes to drug pricing, but also possibly expanded insurance coverage. Any changes to legislation will require bipartisan consensus.
We can also expect to see continued emphasis on value-based reimbursement models, which will require significant education to implement.
The opioid crisis will continue to stay top of mind and any solutions meeting planners can provide to help educate clinicians will be warmly accepted.
In conclusion, when you are planning your upcoming events, consider what you can do to promote public health, both with medical products and lifestyle changes. It would also be smart to include information on access, and ultimately involve the patient as patients will continue to be a large voting bloc in the next election.