WASHINGTON — Health care figured prominently in the first year of President Trump’s second term, and it’ll likely play an even bigger role leading up to the 2026 midterm elections.
The shift back to health care politics has been somewhat surprising. Although Republicans were expected to use Medicaid funding cuts to pay for their tax bill this year, it was not clear a year ago how crucial health care policy would become to Democrats’ campaign strategy.
The tax law cuts more than $1 trillion from health insurance spending over a decade, mostly from Medicaid, to help pay the projected $4.5 trillion cost of tax cuts, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article — plus daily intelligence on Capitol Hill and the life sciences industry — by subscribing to STAT+.
Already have an account? Log in