I don't know about you, but I feel like I've been on election overload lately.
My inboxes are flooded with daily pleas for money from candidates -- some of whom I don't even know. The news media reports the same things over and over again. That guy on CNN in the khaki pants tweaks his electoral map data every other day. I've had to block some of my Facebook "friends" because the garbage they are posting raises my blood pressure.
Can we just get this election over with?
Whether you've decided to vote for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump or not, it's important that you don't waste your vote by not voting for either of them or voting for a third party candidate that has no chance of winning (here's why).
The presidential candidates have differing views on a variety of healthcare issues, which is nicely broken down by Kaiser Family Foundation. But only a few of them will have any immediate or lasting effects on healthcare and senior living design and construction.
The top two for me are access to care and public health. Let me break it down.
1. Access to Care
The Affordable Care Act passed by the Obama Administration in 2010 has expanded health coverage to millions of people, including expanding Medicaid and allowing young adults to stay on their parents' plans until age 26. It has also improved health equity for all Americans.
More people having access to affordable, culturally appropriate healthcare is a good thing.
The ACA's increased focus on preventative and outpatient care continues to have the biggest impact on healthcare facility design and construction, as the industry keeps building more flexible spaces for outpatient services, telemedicine, and rehabilitation.
It's less obvious how the ACA has affected senior living design and construction.
Medicaid expansion has given more low-income seniors access to long-term care, including home health care. But whether that has led to more design and construction -- or renovations -- is unclear.
But I could argue that the ACA has had almost as much impact on U.S. healthcare facility design and construction since the Hill-Burton Act was passed by the Truman Administration in 1945.
Harris: Will likely stay the course with the ACA, but proposes to build on provisions in the Affordable Care Act permanently expanding the ACA subsidies to increase enrollment.
Trump: Proposes changes to the ACA that would weaken pre-existing protections and reduce funding through a block grant to states. Also continues to say he's going to repeal the ACA and replace it with "much better healthcare," but has provided no specific plans.
2. Public Health
Climate change is considered the biggest threat to public health worldwide. It threatens our air, food, water, shelter, and security.
It's a scientific fact that greenhouse gas emissions are a major cause of climate change. Globally, the healthcare industry emits 4.4% of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide.
The ACA's focus on public health has indirectly encouraged the adoption of sustainable building practices in healthcare and senior living.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with the Biden Administration, started urging hospitals, health systems, and other industry stakeholders in 2022 to sign a Health Sector Climate Pledge.
The Inflation Reduction Act passed by the Biden Administration in 2022 also includes funding specifically for building material transparency and labeling to support the specification of low-carbon options.
While neither presidential candidate has released details on how they would handle climate change, how they feel about it and what they'd do are well-known.
Harris: Calls for urgent action on climate change. Would push for aggressive emissions reduction policies, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050. Advocates for transitioning to renewable energy sources and creating green jobs.
Wants to prioritize environmental justice, focusing on policies that support frontline communities. Would lead global efforts in climate action and support international agreements.
Trump: Doesn't believe in climate change. Would likely not prioritize emissions cuts and would emphasize economic growth, fossil fuel development, and deregulation. Probably would withdraw from or renegotiate involvement in international efforts on climate action.
Make An Informed Decision
Now I know none of us will vote just based on the candidates' positions on these two issues. But hopefully you'll do your research on all the issues that matter to you and make an informed decision before you vote.
My expectation is that we won't know who wins until several weeks after the election. So, fasten your seatbelts, people, 'cause we're in for a bumpy ride.
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Photo: ID 327432414 | Election © Palinchak | Dreamstime.com
