Trump unveils 'America First' healthcare agenda

Washington: US President Donald Trump has unveiled his 'America First' agenda for healthcare, a key topic for the November 3 election. While addressing an in Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday, the President claimed that his administration was "delivering better care with more choice, at much lower cost, and working to ensure Americans have access to the care they need", reports Xinhua news agency.

"In everything we do, my administration is fighting for the rights of American consumers, the wellbeing of American patients, and the health of the American people," he said. In a statement late Thursday, the White House said that Trump wants to improve access to direct primary care arrangements, cut red tape to enable patients to spend more time with their doctors, and invest in critical areas, including paediatric cancer, sickle cell disease, and Alzheimer's research.

During the address, the President also promised to send seniors $200 drug discount cards before the election to help cover prescription drug co-pays, adding that he would ban the practice of "surprise" medical billing if Congress doesn't enact a fix by year's end. Trump also went after 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Obamacare, which was signed into law by then President Barack Obama in 2010.

Trump has sought to repeal Obamacare, a promise during his 2016 campaign, despite strong pushback from Democrats. Biden, who was Obama's deputy when Obamacare took effect, accused Trump of "arguing to strip millions of Americans of health care in the middle of a pandemic" in a tweet on Thursday. Polls have showed a tight race between Trump and Biden in North Carolina, a battleground state.