Congratulations, we made it! Election Day is here, at last. With 100 million of Americans reported to have voted before Tuesday, November 3, and large early morning crowds in socially distanced lines at the polling places, the U.S. is expected to reach record highs for voter turnout, despite pandemic concerns.

Many thanks to the state and local public officials and employees, and the army of volunteers that made casting our votes in this election both safe and convenient, including the newly available drive-by voting for people infected with COVID-19, which I happened to see this morning. The large number of cars lined up and volunteers in protective gear was a pleasant reminder of American’s shared commitment to democracy, and also, a sad reminder of COVID-19’s reach.

Again, health care registers as a top issue among voters. ACA rules that expand access to coverage and remove barriers to those with pre-existing conditions are valued by most people. Estimates find that 135 million Americans had some preexisting condition pre-pandemic; that number is likely to have grown as a result of COVID-19’s lingering symptoms. Fortunately, both presidential candidates have vowed to keep the ACA provisions which enable this. 

Gaining insight into the federal health policy agenda post-election will require additional days, weeks, and months. The outcome of the Supreme Court’s deliberation of California vs. Texas, a case challenging the ACA’s constitutionality, is expected mid-2021.

As an expansive piece of legislation, the ACA has enough provisions for most people to find things that they deeply appreciate and others that they strongly oppose. The list is long. What I find most often underappreciated about the ACA is the enormous amount of effort contributed by American employers toward its successful implementation. Just think about your HR team’s work agenda in the years preceding 2014. While collectively I do not know your opinions on its repeal – I expect few self-insured employers would wish for the ACA to be repealed, in its entirety, now that these health benefits changes have become the norm in your workplace. If you have an opinion to share, please reach out. In the meantime, we will be advocating for thoughtful and transparent policy deliberations, opportunities for public comment, and long lead times for the implementation of any changes.

Warm Regards,

Louise Y. Probst
BHC Executive Director