With over 177,000 deaths due to COVID-19, early reminders we should all get flu shots when the flu vaccine is ready and discussions about the safety of face-to-face education, our nation’s health is front of mind these days.

What are we hearing during the Republican Convention about their plans regarding health care? Remember all the promises the Republicans made about replacing the Affordable Care Act ever since it was enacted and how they had much, much better plans? And remember candidate Donald Trump’s many promises about how he would solve the health care “crisis?”

He said his health plan would be “a lot less expensive” for everyone and would provide “insurance for everybody” whether you could pay for it or not. He promised no cuts to Medicaid, no lines or waits and everyone would receive better medical care. Big promises about a really important issue — our health. After four years, he’s had time to act on those promises. 

So it’s fair to ask, how much of that wonderful future has Trump or the Republicans in Congress delivered? In a word: none. Even worse, Trump’s administration has attempted multiple times to weaken the Affordable Care Act and reduce coverage. In other words, Trump is using taxpayer money to try to make health care less accessible. Similarly, the Republicans in Iowa have weakened Medicaid by privatizing it. 

Donald Trump and Republican politicians have broken their promises about health care.

Please remember that when you vote in November.

Sue Ravenscroft is an emerita faculty member.