One way or another, it's almost over. It seems wrong to feel that way about the culmination of our nation's democratic process, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who's ready for the end of this election cycle.
As far back as July, Americans were already suffering from election coverage fatigue, evidenced by a Pew Research study. At that time, 59 percent of Americans said they felt exhausted by the amount of election coverage.
But fatigue might be the least of our election-related problems, at least according to Dr. Robert Glatter. In a recent Forbes column, he asks, "Is the election making you sick?" After all, he writes, prolonged stress, such as that caused by vitriolic political opinions and an unrelenting news cycle fueled by constant news alerts and tweets, can cause elevated blood pressure, a key factor in everything from strokes and heart attacks to hypertension.
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The solution? "If you are feeling overwhelmed by the 24/7 media blitz, it's recommended that you unplug to limit media exposure and help you decompress," he says. Now that's advice I can get on board with, even when it's not election season.
But it's one thing to tune out for a while and take a deep breath; it's another to disconnect completely. And it seems that a growing number of Americans could be doing just that. A September survey from Gallup found an increasing number of U.S. adults are unsure if they'll even vote for president this year. Just 69 percent of Americans rated their chances of voting as a "10" on a 1-to-10 scale, down from 76 percent in 2012 and 80 percent in 2008. And the lag is relatively bipartisan, which doesn't say a lot for either candidate's popularity, does it?
Speaking of the candidates, our November cover story takes a closer look at what the next president, whoever that might be, will mean for the future of health care. And for more industry insight, check out these thoughts from benefits professionals who took a crack at predicting how the election's outcome could affect our industry.
In a recent Twitter poll, we asked readers which candidate they trust more when it comes to health care reform. The majority (53 percent) touted Trump, while 28 percent backed Clinton and 16 percent said they didn't trust either. A separate survey of insurance and financial service professionals by the Woodbridge Group of Companies produced similar results, with 83 percent saying Trump is the best candidate for "fostering long-term growth and building a healthy U.S. economy." On the other hand, health care leaders heavily favor Clinton, who has received over $16 million during the election cycle from health care industry employees, more than eight times more than Trump.
The race is tight at the moment, although Clinton looks to have the upper hand; but if there's one thing this cycle has taught us, it's to never assume anything. But either way, there's a silver lining. Say it with me: It's almost over.
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Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson is the editor-in-chief of BenefitsPRO Magazine and BenefitsPRO.com. He has covered the insurance industry for more than a decade, including stints at Retirement Advisor Magazine and ProducersWeb.
