Donald Trump believes that if he keeps saying "socialism" enough, he can win the 2020 election on the issue of health care. Seriously.
Tim Murtaugh, Trump's campaign communications director told Reuters that "The president has taken the issue back. […] ]Democrats are] taking the Blue Cross card out of your wallet and making it worthless." Yes, because we are all so emotionally attached to our private health insurance, which for the average worker can change multiple times during their employment and which is costing them more out of pocket every year.
But back to all the Trump winning on health care. Experts are skeptical, Drew Altman, president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan healthcare advocacy group says that "The polls show very clearly that the Democrats have a very substantial advantage on health and all the health issues," but a staunch Medicare for All candidate could make it "play a little differently." The issues of abortion and protections with pre-existing conditions, however, will always bolster Democrats.
That's not going to stop Trump, who is still touting his promise to keep protections for people with pre-existing conditions at rallies. While he is suing his own government to have those protections in the Affordable Care Act declared unconstitutional. You really couldn't make 2019 up if you tried.
Never fear, though. "Trump said in a local media interview in Pennsylvania this week he would roll out a new healthcare plan soon. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the timing." Probably because the White House is not working on a new healthcare plan, and has no intention of doing so. But hope for a plan never dies. Case in point, Michael Steel, a former top aide to former Republican House Speaker John Boehner. He says "we’ll need our own conservative cost-containment plan to truly go on offense." Uh-huh. "And we don't have that yet." No, no you don't. Still. Since when your former boss was promising it eight years ago.