Harris on June 17. Photo: Rod Lamkey/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Likely Democratic frontrunner Kamala Harris' health care views are not dramatically different than President Biden's, but she's expected to bring additional focus to abortion and other reproductive health issues.
Why it matters: Harris has already taken the lead on reproductive rights in campaign appearances — and is likely to promote the administration's historic Affordable Care Act coverage gains and efforts to lower drug prices.
Here's where she stands on key issues:
Universal coverage: Harris famously signed onto Sen. Bernie Sanders' Medicare For All bill when she first joined the Senate in 2017 but pulled back during her 2020 presidential bid.
- She released her own "Medicare for All" health care plan which attempted to straddle the line between Sanders and a public option and allow private insurers to offer their own Medicare plans that adhered to certain requirements.
- People under age 65 could buy into Medicare immediately, but the plan would have a 10 year phase-in to help lower the cost. Harris backed taxing the wealthy to pay for the plan.
- Possible Republican attacks on her health care background could portray Harris as supporting eliminating private insurance (something she indicated early in her presidential campaign but then walked back) and supporting Medicare for All.
- Harris' stand on universal coverage offers a preview of what could be a calibrated approach on health care issues, including a staunch defense of the Affordable Care Act.
Drug prices: During the presidential campaign in 2019, Harris endorsed the use of "march-in rights" to break the patent on certain drugs to help introduce competition and lower the price.
- She said this dramatic step would be done in "egregious" cases of "price-gouging," as CNN detailed at the time.
- Biden has taken some steps towards using march-in rights, including releasing a framework for when they can be used, but has not actually exercised the power on any drug.
- Like many Democrats, Harris has also touted the Inflation Reduction Act's ability for Medicare to negotiate drug prices and embraced the $35 insulin cost cap.
Abortion: During both the 2022 midterms and in this presidential election, Harris has taken the lead in pushing for abortion rights on the campaign trail.
- Key to her speeches on the subject is squarely putting the blame on former President Trump for appointing the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, calling the ensuing state restrictions "Trump abortion bans."
- She's also emphasized how abortion bans across the U.S. are causing a health care crisis, and specifically traveled to states with upcoming ballot measures to highlight the Biden-Harris campaign's support for abortion rights.
- The expectation is it will remain a cornerstone of her campaign messaging, as Democrats down the ballot hope the issue will energize turnout among women voters.
Maternal health: Harris has put a focus on improving maternal health care, dating back to her time as a senator.
- She led a "blueprint" on the issue as vice president, including moves like strengthening safety requirements for hospital obstetric services, and designating certain hospitals as "birthing friendly" to help women search for high-quality providers.
- As a senator, Harris sponsored the "Momnibus" legislation making a range of investments in maternal health.
Antitrust: During her time as attorney general of California, Harris was very active in pursuing antitrust health care cases.
- She was instrumental in putting together the landmark Sutter Health consolidation case which investigated whether market concentration affected prices.
- Harris also led California in joining a Department of Justice antitrust case that blocked the insurers Anthem and Cigna from merging.
