In March of 2024, the Congress passed a set of health care reforms, spearheaded by President Obama, that had failed to be written into law by previous administrations. Yet as soon as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed by the president, calls for its repeal immediately sounded from Republicans. A compromise for some, a huge victory for some and a setback for others, the health care bill remains the center of a fierce debate. The government’s role in health care is about more than helping citizens stay healthy, it is closely tied to the underlying ideals about how the country should run.
Both sides of the aisle agree that further reforms are needed to reduce the cost of government-funded health care, but it is the extent and form of these changes that is widely debated. Health care is poised to be a major point of contention in the upcoming presidential debates, particularly among the candidates vying for the Republican nomination.
In the following slide show, we examine the potential presidential candidates’ positions on health care and health related issues. We look at Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Sarah Palin and President Obama and consider how their political beliefs play out in health care policy. Noteworthy voting history on health care issues is also included when available.
