What’s at Stake for Latino Health in the Presidential Election

As a Latino and a native-Spanish-speaking primary care doctor, I’ve cared for a diverse group of patients for nearly three decades at Massachusetts General Hospital, including many Latinos and their families.

Known as the birthplace of health care reform, Massachusetts is recognized for its commitment to universal coverage, health equity, and high-quality care for all people. I’ve also traveled to states whose leaders have made different health policy decisions — including not expanding access to Medicaid or other forms of health care coverage. In many of those states, all people, but especially Latinos, are more likely to be uninsured, struggle to afford care, and have poorer health outcomes.

State policy matters, but policies implemented by the president and Congress impact families directly as well. So, let’s examine what’s at stake for Latino health in the November election. The facts are important.

The Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Expansion

Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law by former President Obama, the uninsured rate for Latino Americans has decreased from 33 percent to 18 percent — which means 9 million more Latinos now have insurance coverage in the U.S.

As a senator and vice president, Kamala Harris voted to protect and expand ACA access, including navigator programs that reach Latinos through community outreach, Spanish-language media, and in-person assistance.

Donald Trump repeatedly attempted to repeal the ACA when he was president. Trump worked to eliminate the ACA’s individual mandate, and the Trump administration reduced funding for Spanish-language advertising, navigator, and outreach programs.

In Medicaid, the Biden–Harris administration encouraged states to expand the program to cover more people and increased funding for housing and nutrition, while the Trump administration sought to limit federal spending and Medicaid eligibility.

Reducing the Cost of Prescription Drugs

All families are highly sensitive to prescription drugs costs. Recent research from the Commonwealth Fund shows Hispanic adults are more likely to delay or skip care due to affordability and are more likely to have medical debt.

While Hispanics generally have lower rates of cancer and cardiovascular disease than the population at large, they are 70 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, making the cost of insulin treatment crucial.

The Biden–Harris administration worked to negotiate lower Medicare drug prices and capped the cost of insulin at $35 per month. Harris has pledged to limit the annual cost of prescription medication for seniors to $2,000.

As president, Trump focused on ways the White House could make rules to lower drug prices; he approved the most-favored-nation rule, which would have tied U.S. Medicare drug prices to lower prices that countries pay overseas. The rule was later struck down by the courts.

Research Shows Women’s Health at Risk

Commonwealth Fund research raises concerns over the state of women’s health care and the ripple effects of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which has significantly altered access to reproductive health care.

We know that maternal health is threatened, especially in states that have implemented abortion bans. Patients in states like Florida — with a large proportion of Latino residents — who need pregnancy terminations are forced to travel to access care or continue life-threatening pregnancies.

Furthermore, the U.S. lags other wealthy countries on maternal health outcomes, with higher rates of death for Black and Latina mothers in states that have not expanded Medicaid access.

Trump restricted access to maternal care and family planning services and appointed three Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Harris has made restoring abortion access a centerpiece of her campaign. Harris and Biden have also advocated for protecting and expanding access to women’s health services, including abortion.

The health and well-being of Latinos — and all Americans — is not just tied to decisions made by patients and doctors like me, but more broadly to policies enacted from the White House, to Congress, to the governor’s office. I want these policies to be optimized for patients, so that no matter who you are or where you are from across our nation, you receive high-quality, equitable, affordable health care. That is what patients want as well.

I encourage voters to research these fundamental health care issues. Latinos, like all Americans, are aiming to realize the dream of health, happiness, and a promising future. Our November 5 elections will impact the future of those dreams for all generations to come, and the facts matter.