President-elect Joe Biden recommitted this week to pushing the health agenda he offered while campaigning, which includes creating a new “public option” insurance plan and lowering the age of eligibility for Medicare from 65 to 60. The election results suggest a different approach — focused on ideas with bipartisan appeal — might serve him better.
The Biden campaign assumed a victory in the presidential race would translate into a strengthened position for Democrats in Congress, and thus ease the way for ideas favored by party activists. It did not work out that way. The former vice president’s victory did not sweep others from his party into office. Republicans picked up seats in House and will hold at least 50 in the Senate (and perhaps 51 or 52). It will be a very heavy lift to pass a public option through through either chamber in this environment, and expanding Medicare to early retirees is a nonstarter.
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