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KFF is the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. Our mission is to serve as a nonpartisan source of information for policymakers, the media, the health policy community, and the public.

The upcoming election is looking more and more like a fork in the road for U.S. health policy. KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent and podcast host Julie Rovner and a panel of top policy experts and journalists discussed this pivotal moment in health care politics and took questions from the audience. 

The Southeast region of the U.S. is particularly vulnerable to severe tropical storms due to climate change, and its persistently high poverty rates inhibit residents’ ability to prepare for and recover from storms. Many of the states in the Southeast have not implemented the ACA Medicaid expansion, leaving lower income residents with more limited access to health care, which may lead to challenges addressing their health needs.

Presidential candidate Trump claims credit for SCOTUS’ Dobbs decision and says that as a result, the “states are voting.” States are making decisions on abortion policy, but it’s mostly been state legislatures, not voters. Few states with abortion bans have a process for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. In those states, lawmakers and anti-abortion activists have attempted to block abortion measures from qualifying for the ballot or put roadblocks in their place.

In his latest column, KFF President and CEO Drew Altman provides an early post-mortem on the role health played in the election, discussing the many ways it did play a role in the campaign — even if not a decisive one.

This fact sheet provides an overview of U.S. government global health policy and engagement.