Hurricane Helene left parts of the U.S. South devastated, causing record-high flooding and destruction. With the one-two punch of Hurricane Milton, many residents evacuated the region. However, while humans can move to higher ground, marine life is stuck in the churning ocean. 

What happens to marine life during a hurricane?
Hurricanes can be incredibly damaging to aquatic ecosystems. As a storm grows, massive waves begin "tossing and mixing warmer surface waters with the colder, saltier water below," said the National Ocean Service. "The resulting currents can extend as far as 300 feet below the surface, wreaking deadly havoc on marine life." 

"Animals that are fixed to the ocean floor, like anemones and sponges, can die by being smothered in sand or hit by tumbling rocks. It's not fun for free-swimming animals, either, who can get caught up in undercurrents and tossed into rocks and other structures," said the Ocean Conservancy. Aside from physically jostling the ecosystem, the large waves "bring up colder waters from the deep — this water has less dissolved oxygen than surface water, causing animals to suffocate and die."

Hurricanes can also bring heavy rains, which bring excessive levels of fresh water into the salty ocean. This can "alter the salinity of the seawater, resulting in fish die-offs," said the Ocean Conservancy. On top of all that, damage on land can lead to pollution, debris and toxins running off into the ocean, which can also affect the health of marine life. 

What protections does aquatic life have?
While some of the effects can be dire, the ocean does have some defense mechanisms in place, like coral reefs. The reefs "function together as natural seawalls," said Vox, and therefore "help dampen waves and reduce flooding." However, waves that are too strong could cause damage to reefs.

There is also evidence to suggest that many marine animals can sense a brewing storm and move to deeper waters. "Scientists have hypothesized that lower barometric pressure, temperature changes in the water, and similar cues alert fish that a storm is imminent," said Insider.

Overall, hurricanes are natural disasters, meaning ecosystems are prepared to handle them. Fish populations tend to bounce back shortly after storms. The problem is that the ecosystems need time to recover, and as climate change increases storm frequency, it may be more than aquatic life can take.

During the recent televised debate between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris, Trump was unable to respond to moderators pressing him for details on his plan to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). "I have concepts of a plan," Trump said. 

Trump was telling the truth — neither he nor his party has released a health care plan since their efforts to repeal the ACA fell apart during his presidency. The Trump campaign appears to be gambling that voters would mostly prefer the status quo to any significant reforms. 

A focus on pharmaceuticals
Trump continues to promise lower Medicare drug prices, although details are sparse. His campaign has also pledged to tackle a shortage of certain drugs by bringing their production back to the United States. The campaign assails the "extreme national vulnerability caused by the lack of an adequate domestic manufacturing capability" and promises to ramp up domestic production. Trump is particularly critical of U.S. reliance on drugs exported from China. 

Vague promises about bigger changes
Apart from drugs and drug prices, the Trump campaign is not openly campaigning behind health care ideas. While Republican-aligned think tanks have offered proposals to reform the system, the party has been unwilling or unable to go on record with concrete specifics.

This uncertainty was reflected in remarks made by the GOP's vice presidential candidate, Sen. J.D. Vance, when speaking about health care during his Oct. 1 debate with Gov. Tim Walz. "You're not going to propose a 900-page bill standing on a debate stage," said Vance. Vance has additionally claimed it does not make sense to force younger, healthier people into the same risk pools as older Americans with more expensive needs. 

The Trump campaign says it will protect Medicare funding and Americans with preexisting conditions. However, critics have noted that Vance's comments about separating sick from healthy Americans sound like a return to the days before the Affordable Care Act was passed. The ACA "got rid of insurance companies' ability to deny coverage based on preexisting conditions," said The New Republic.