Candidates spar on health care as Georgia voters say it is a top concern

(The Center Square) – As both campaigns regroup after the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, Georgia voters have 55 days to decide which candidate they prefer.

Health care will be a deciding factor for many of those voters, as it regularly ranks as one of the top issues in Georgia more than in other battleground states.

On Tuesday night, both candidates laid out their dueling plans for the American people.

“Access to health care should be a right, not just a privilege of those who can afford it,” Harris said.

She falsely said Trump plans to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, also often referred to as Obamacare. Harris said she will strengthen it.

“Thankfully, as I’ve been vice president, we over the last four years have strengthened the Affordable Care Act,” Harris said. “Since I’ve been vice president, we have capped the cost of prescription medicine for seniors at $2,000 a year. When I am president, we will do that for all people.”

Trump pushed back, echoing what he said in North Carolina on the campaign trail – that he does not plan to get rid of the Affordable Care Act.

“We can do much better than Obamacare, much less money,” he said. “Obamacare was lousy health care … I had a choice to make when I was president. Do I save it and make it as good as it can be, or do I let it rot? And I saved it. I did the right thing.”

He added that, if elected, his administration would consider alternatives to the Affordable Care Act, if they would cost the American people less money.

Swing state voters were likely listening closely as they laid out their plans.

In six of seven battleground states polled, abortion and immigration are the second- and third-most commonly cited issues in each state. Georgians have health care third.

This was according to a Redfield & Wilton Strategies poll of 10 states it labels capable to swing the election. Sampling was Sept. 6-9. The pollster adds Florida, Minnesota and New Mexico to the consensus battlegrounds of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

When asked what issues will most affect how they will vote, the poll found that voters also said the cost of health care is the second-most “extremely” important issue.

In another poll from Fox News of Georgia, voters had health care almost tied with abortion and immigration for second, falling just 1% and 2% behind, respectively.

In the past, Harris has expressed support for getting rid of private health care options. She said she no longer believes that is a good option.

“I absolutely have supported over the last four years as vice president private health care options, but what we need to do is maintain and grow the Affordable Care Act,” Harris said.

While their platforms acknowledge a lot of the same problems like high health care costs, Trump and Harris have very different visions for how to solve that.

According to Trump’s platform, his administration is committed to “fight for and protect Social Security and Medicare with no cuts.”

It acknowledges that “health care and prescription drug costs are out of control.”

To solve this, “Republicans will increase transparency, promote choice and competition, and expand access to new affordable health care and prescription drug options.”

Harris’ platform promises to lower health care premiums for millions of Americans.

“As president, she’ll accelerate the negotiations to cover more drugs and lower prices for Americans,” her campaign website says. “As president, she’ll work with states to cancel medical debt for even more Americans.”