MADISON, Wis. – Vice President Kamala Harris, who campaigned on abolishing private health plans in 2019, charged Friday that it is former President Donald Trump who would “threaten” Americans’ health insurance.
“[Trump] intends to end the Affordable Care Act,” the Democratic nominee for president told Wisconsin voters during a rally in deep-blue Dane County.
“He’s basically saying he would threaten the health insurance of 45 million people in our country based on a concept,” Harris continued, referring to the GOP nominee’s Sep. 10 debate claim that he has the “concepts of a plan” that would replace the ACA, also known as Obamacare, but isn’t ready to present it.
Since replacing President Biden on the top of the Democratic ticket, Harris, 59, has campaigned on “expanding and strengthening the Affordable Care Act” – running away from her previous support for a “Medicare for all” single-payer healthcare system.
“The idea is that everyone gets access to medical care, and you don’t have to go through the process of going through an insurance company,” Harris said during her 2019 White House run, when asked at an Iowa town hall how her policy stance on healthcare would affect people who are satisfied with their private health insurance plans.
“Let’s eliminate all of that. Let’s move on,” she added.
An estimated 164.7 million people in the US held employer-sponsored health insurance in 2023, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation – plans that would’ve been abolished under Harris’ 2019 “Medicare for all” vision.
The Harris campaign packed more than 10,000 supporters into the Alliant Energy Center, just outside downtown Madison, for the raucous rally.
The area is known for its high voter turnout and strongly supported Biden (75.5%) over Trump (22.9%) in the 2020 election.
Heidi Rosenberg, a 61-year-old college instructor in Madison, told The Post that she believes Harris “in her heart” still supports free healthcare for all.
“Frankly, I think a lot of politicians — and she is not the first — would say healthcare free for all,” she said. “That’s the goal. But it’s not an achievable goal.”
“Keeping with Affordable Care Act is the most reasonable goal,” Rosenberg argued.
“I think we need to think about both and If you asked her [about free healthcare for all] I think in her heart she would say yes, but it’s not realistic at this point,” she added.
Mike Revello, a retired engineer, and Julia Revello, a retired educator, traveled from Chicago to attend the rally, and told The Post this is the first time they have actively supported a candidate for president.
“We’ve never done this before,” Mike said, noting that he and Julia are doing phone banks and sending postcards for the Harris campaign this cycle.
“It’s visceral,” he added, noting that his top issue is “good versus evil and selfishness versus selflessness.”
Julia’s top issues are “caring about people more than caring about yourself,” and reproductive rights.
“I cannot tolerate the thought of Donald Trump in office,” she told The Post.
When asked about Harris’ healthcare flip-flop, Mike said he doesn’t have a huge depth of knowledge about “Medicare for all” but likes “the fact government is negotiating with pharmaceutical companies.”
About a half dozen anti-Israel protesters attempted to shout down the vice president during her remarks but Harris powered through their chants, not stopping to acknowledge the ruckus in the stands.
The Post witnessed an event staffer forcefully ripping a banner that read “Fund housing not genocide” from two of the protesters.
The staffer, a woman, fell to the ground after winning the tug-of-war over the banner.
Security escorted those two disruptors, and others, out of the venue.
