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What will Trump say about health care?

The Republican convention in Cleveland this week will be Donald Trump’s chance to explain the policies he would pursue if he became president. In one important area, health care, he has yet to send much of a signal as to what those policies would be, although he has said he has a plan that will be “unbelievable.”

The Republican convention in Cleveland this week will be Donald Trump's chance to explain the policies he would pursue if he became president. In one important area, health care, he has yet to send much of a signal as to what those policies would be, although he has said he has a plan that will be "unbelievable."

However, on a few health care issues, Trump has been fairly specific. And some of his positions echo those of another leading politician – Hillary Clinton.

On soaring drug prices, Trump wants to let the government negotiate prices directly with pharmaceutical companies and let Americans reimport drugs from countries with lower costs. Those are Clinton's positions exactly.

Funding to fight the Zika virus has been held up in Congress because some Republicans want to include a provision cutting funds for Planned Parenthood. Clinton supports Planned Parenthood. What does Trump think of the organization? He has praised it for providing health services to millions of women.

Trump also calls for health care coverage for every American, a prime element in Clinton's approach. And he agrees with Clinton on the need for increased price transparency and stronger deterrence against fraud and abuse.

Of course, Trump and Clinton differ over the Affordable Care Act. Clinton wants to expand it, and Trump wants to repeal it. But Trump has provided few details of what he would put in its place. The main clue is that his plan would rely on free market principles.

Perhaps, Trump will reveal some of the fine points of his Obamacare replacement plan this week. Might we discover that he agrees with Clinton on many of those, as well?

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