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HANOVER, N.H. — Well being care points are vital to Lana Leggett-Kealey, who works as a genetic genealogist. However on Tuesday, as she walked out of her polling place at an area highschool and right into a frigid New England morning, she mentioned she had one thing greater on her thoughts when she forged her vote.
“I need to ensure that we have now somebody competent within the White Home,” she mentioned. She wrote in President Joe Biden’s title on her poll in New Hampshire’s Democratic main.
The Inexpensive Care Act’s future is vital to Robert Stanhope, a retired invoice collector. He mentioned he additionally wrote in Biden, whose administration has labored to cut back prices below the ACA.
However that wasn’t his motivation for his early-morning go to to the polls. “I’m right here to maintain Trump out of workplace,” Stanhope mentioned.
Elaine Kozma, 73, of New London mentioned well being care points are vitally vital to her as a most cancers survivor. She mentioned she voted for Republican Nikki Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor, whom she thinks she will be able to belief greater than former President Donald Trump.
Voters casting their first ballots within the 2024 presidential election cycle on Tuesday framed well being care as a back-burner subject, capping years of political wrangling over Obamacare and a pandemic that strained the nation’s well being system.
In interviews with greater than 50 voters this week in New Hampshire — a state the place 95% of residents have health insurance, one of many highest charges within the nation — most individuals mentioned their vote was about Trump, like him or hate him. However well being care issues — about prices, entry, and, particularly amongst Democrats, abortion — weren’t removed from many citizens’ minds.
“I’ve two daughters and 5 sisters and a mother, so ensuring girls’s reproductive rights are protected is vital to me,” mentioned Rob Houseman, 60, a city official in Hanover. Nervous that Republicans will attempt to “weaponize well being care” as a substitute of making certain entry, he mentioned he voted for Biden.
Trump defeated Haley within the state’s GOP main, based on The Related Press. Biden, who didn’t seem on the poll because of disagreements over the first schedule, received the Democratic contest owing partly to a vigorous write-in marketing campaign.
Many against Trump cited issues about his health to guide, whereas most Trump voters who spoke with KFF Well being Information mentioned they supported him for 2 predominant causes: They hoped he would scale back unlawful immigration and decrease inflation.
Democratic voters had been extra possible than Republicans to quote heath care as a key subject within the election.
“Oh my, sure,” mentioned Ben Gilson, 90, a retired orthopedic surgeon. “Well being care is my No. 1 subject.”
Whereas he mentioned he has glorious protection and pays little in out-of-pocket prices, he worries many youthful individuals wrestle and desires to verify Obamacare is retained. One in every of Trump’s earliest guarantees throughout his 2016 marketing campaign was to repeal and substitute the ACA — a vow he has just lately revived in his newest try to win the White Home.
In New London, Kate Turcotte, a professor at Colby-Sawyer Faculty, mentioned she voted for Biden to maintain Trump out of workplace — and since she trusts Democrats extra to enhance well being protection and shield abortion rights.
She mentioned she additionally worries Trump will attempt to lower well being take care of essentially the most weak. “Well being care needs to be a proper, not a privilege,” she mentioned.
Trump voters steadily cited immigration as a high concern. Republicans have accused Biden of permitting report numbers of immigrants to cross into the U.S. from Mexico.
In Merrimack, Mary Clancy, 69, mentioned she was happy along with her Medicare protection and was voting for Trump primarily to safe the southern border.
Kathy Franqui, 54, of Merrimack, mentioned the border and immigration had been her predominant causes for voting for Trump. However she additionally mentioned Trump would scale back well being prices.
At a espresso store in Warner, Susan Hencke, 62, mentioned she pays $1,100 a month for medical health insurance. However she mentioned well being care was not among the many components figuring out how she would vote.
She mentioned having a president who will shield civil rights issues most to her. She was undecided about whom to assist.
Each she and her husband, who declined to present his title, mentioned they had been involved about abortion restrictions Trump could impose.
Sitting exterior the espresso store within the freezing climate was Artwork Sullivan, 75, of Hooksett, who mentioned immigration was his overriding subject within the election — and why he was voting for Trump.
Requested if he had been personally affected by immigration, he mentioned he was nervous his youngsters must shoulder the monetary burden of individuals coming into the U.S. with out authorization.
“The border is a shame,” mentioned Sullivan, who mentioned he’s a registered unbiased voter and sells swimming swimming pools.
Requested if well being care was one thing he thought of when evaluating candidates, he mentioned he had a Medicare Benefit plan that covers his payments and supplies entry to care.
DJ Annicchiarico, co-owner of United Shoe Restore in downtown Harmony, mentioned he’s a registered Democrat. However whereas he prefers Biden on well being points, he isn’t but persuaded to vote for him in November.
His predominant concern is inflation. He mentioned the ACA, which he described as a step in the suitable course, had helped decrease his insurance coverage premiums however hadn’t managed well being care costs. “One thing must be accomplished to rein in inflation,” he mentioned.
Annicchiarico mentioned he needs to see well being care costs regulated by the federal authorities and worries Trump would attempt to repeal the ACA. He famous entry continues to be a difficulty and mentioned getting a dermatology appointment for his daughter meant ready eight months.
Aalianna Marietta, 21, a university scholar, mentioned well being care was vital to her, notably abortion rights, so she can be voting for Biden. “I’m 100% pro-choice, and I can not see myself voting for somebody who’s racist and a misogynist,” she mentioned of Trump.
Deb Shope, 57, out strolling her canine in Lebanon, mentioned well being care is a high subject for her as a result of she works as a medical social employee and sees how vital good well being protection will be. She mentioned she was voting for Biden as a result of she appreciated how he has tried to assist individuals get protection and tackle their psychological well being care wants.
Shope mentioned it’s exhausting to look past how Trump acts as an individual. Requested if she is nervous about him getting reelected, she mentioned individuals shouldn’t fear about issues out of their management.
KFF Health News is a nationwide newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about well being points and is among the core working packages at KFF—an unbiased supply of well being coverage analysis, polling, and journalism. Study extra about KFF.
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