Trump, Biden clash in final debate on COVID-19 response, health care, race

TRUMP'S CLAIM: “When I closed, he said, 'This is a terrible thing. You're xenophobic.' I think he called me racist, even, and -- because I was closing it to China. Now, he says I should have closed it earlier. It just -- Joe, it doesn't work."

FACT CHECK: While Trump claimed that Biden opposed his decision to ban most travel from China at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic and that he called the restrictions "xenophobic," the former vice president did not explicitly weigh in on the decision when it was announced on Jan. 31. He did call the president xenophobic minutes after the partial travel ban was announced, but did not call Trump a racist for the decision.

During a campaign event that same day in Fort Madison, Iowa, Biden discussed the growing concern over the COVID-19 outbreak and cautioned that Trump should let science "lead the way."

"In moments like this, this is where the credibility of a president is most needed as he explains what we should and should not do," Biden told the crowd at the event. "This is no time for Donald Trump's record of hysterical xenophobia ... and fear-mongering to lead the way instead of science."

The comments came just minutes after the White House announcement, so it was unclear if Biden was referring to the decision specifically, but the former vice president did tweet a similar sentiment the next day.

"We are in the midst of a crisis with the coronavirus," Biden posted. "We need to lead the way with science -- not Donald Trump's record of hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering. He is the worst possible person to lead our country through a global health emergency."

Throughout March, Biden used the word "xenophobic" in various speeches and tweets to criticize the president labeling COVID-19 as the "China virus."

Biden did acknowledge the travel restrictions put in place by the Trump administration in a March speech, noting they "may" slow the spread.

"Banning all travel from Europe or any other part of the world may slow it, but as we've seen, it will not stop it. And travel restrictions based on favoritism and politics rather than risk will be counterproductive," Biden said.

Biden's campaign did not explicitly discuss the vice president's view of the ban until April.

"Joe Biden supports travel bans that are guided by medical experts, advocated by public health officials and backed by a full strategy," Biden's deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield told CNN. "Science supported this ban, therefore he did too.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle

Welker turned her attention to the lingering stimulus discussions in Congress and asked Trump why he hasn't helped the millions of Americans who haven fallen into poverty, particularly minorities and women.

Trump laid the blame on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"But you're the president," Welker contended.

"Nancy Pelosi does not want to approve it. We are ready, willing and able to do something," Trump said.

Biden, however, noted that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he can not pass the stimulus bill because he doesn't have the votes.

When asked how he would work differently, the vice president said the Democrats have been pushing to pass the bill for the months.

"Look, they passed this act all the way back in the beginning of the summer. This is like -- it's not new. It's been out there," Biden said.

Biden said if he is elected he would pass Obamacare with a public option, deeming it "Bidencare," and outlining his plan.

"If you qualify for Medicaid and you do not have the wherewithal in your state to get Medicaid, you're automatically enrolled, providing competition for insurance companies," Biden said. 

"Secondly, we're going to make sure we reduce the premiums and reduce drug prices by making sure that there's competition that doesn't exist now, by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices with the insurance companies," he said. 

Biden said private insurance would be protected under his plan. 

"Thirdly, the idea that I want to eliminate private insurance -- the reason why I had such a fight for -- with 20 candidates for the nomination, was I support private insurance," Biden said. "Not one single person with private insurance would lose their insurance under my plan, nor did they under Obamacare."

"Lastly, we're going to make sure we're in a situation that we actually protect pre-existing conditions. There's no way he can protect pre-existing conditions. None. Zero," Biden said, as the Trump administration seeks to dismantle the entire Affordable Care Act which currently protects them.

Trump said earlier, "I'd like to terminate Obamacare, come up with a brand-new beautiful health care."

With unprecedented unemployment in the United States, where health care is inextricably linked to employment, and a coronavirus pandemic ravaging the globe, it's safe to say that on Nov. 3, health is on the ballot.

As it stands, more than 220,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. Another roughly 13 million are unemployed.

2:15

Trump vs. Biden on the issues: Health and COVID-19

An overview of the presidential candidates’ positions on various issues.

ABCNews.com

Health might be a political football in 2020, but it's also a deeply personal issue that affects every American voter. Given health's crucial significance this year, the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund polled 4,220 likely voters in battleground states between Aug. 25 and Sept. 20 on which health care issues mattered most to them, and which candidate -- Trump or Biden -- they thought would be more likely to address those health concerns.

Here's what the American public said about which health care issues they care about.

-ABC News' Erin Schumaker