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July 2021

protectourcare
In Capitol Hill

Democrats’ Budget Agreement Includes Historic Health Care Investments That Will Transform the Lives of Millions of Americans

This week, Senate Democrats unveiled a $3.5 trillion proposed FY2022 Budget Resolution framework that would make historic investments in Americans health care. The proposal, which has the strong support of President Biden, lowers the cost of prescription drugs, expands Medicare benefits to include vision, dental and hearing, closes the Medicaid coverage gap, and extends the premium reductions under the American Rescue Plan so millions of people can continue to afford their coverage. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:

“After years of Republican efforts to rip away health care, the health care principles outlined in the Senate Democrats’ budget resolution framework represent a huge milestone in the fight for affordable care. Under the leadership of President Biden, Congress has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to meaningfully improve the health and well-being of millions of Americans, and as we come out of this pandemic, improving access to care could not be more urgent. This framework demonstrates that Democrats are committed to delivering on their promises for the American people. Well done.” 

BY THE NUMBERS

  • 53 percent of American adults, or roughly 130 million people, take prescription drugs in the U.S. and stand to benefit from legislation to lower drug prices. 
  • Nearly 38 million traditional Medicare enrollees would gain vision, dental, and hearing coverage. 
  • More than 2 million uninsured people stuck in the coverage gap would get access to quality, affordable insurance.
  • 4.2 million uninsured people would gain coverage if the American Rescue Plan’s subsidies are made permanent, and millions more would continue to save on health care costs.
protectourcare
In News

U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock, Georgia Health Care Advocates, Storytellers, and Protect Our Care Discuss Senator Warnock’s Medicaid Saves Lives Act

Call Comes After New Report Outlines Urgent Need for Federal Approach to Provide Relief to Millions of People Who Have Been Locked Out of Coverage

Listen to the Call Here

Atlanta, GA — Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined Georgia health care advocates and storytellers and Protect Our Care to discuss the Medicaid Saves Lives Act — the Senator’s historic legislation to create a federal program to extend coverage to millions of people stuck in the coverage gap in states that have refused Medicaid expansion.

An estimated four million uninsured adults could gain coverage if the remaining holdout states adopted expansion. Importantly, people of color make up nearly 60 percent of this group. In Georgia, 275,000 adults in the coverage gap would be eligible for coverage through Medicaid expansion.

“Expanding Medicaid is the single most effective solution to closing our state’s coverage gap. I introduced the Medicaid Saves Lives Act to make this solution real,” said U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock. “Expanding Medicaid in Georgia would extend health care coverage to nearly 500,000 low income Georgians, improve health outcomes, create tens of thousands of jobs, and bolster our rural hospitals. I’m going to keep pushing as hard as I can to pass this critical provision in the next economic package.”

“The Medicaid Saves Lives Act would build a bridge over the coverage gap, allowing 2.2 million Americans to newly and meaningfully take part in our health care system,” said Laura Colbert, the Executive Director, Georgians for a Healthy Future. “This move would reduce racial disparities in health care, prevent cancer deaths, improve maternal health outcomes, and strengthen economies across the South. All of these benefits will accrue to a greater extent in rural communities.”

“I am proud and thankful for Senator Warnock’s leadership in introducing the Medicaid Saves Lives Act. Closing the Medicaid coverage gap will profoundly improve health care access in this country, said Nedra Fortson, a nurse practitioner who runs a free health care clinic in Albany, Georgia. “At Samaritan Clinic, we have seen these Coverage Gap scenarios play out over the past 14 years, but the Medicaid Saves Lives Act gives me hope that soon our communities will be able to expand the health care access that we desperately need.”

“Waiting for Georgia and the eleven other states that have refused to expand Medicaid to do the right thing is no longer a viable option,” said Protect Our Care Georgia State Director Joe Binns. “Senator Warnock and Congressional Democrats are stepping up to the plate, and leading with a bold new approach for the federal government to close the expansion gap, and Congress must take action now to make it a reality. Georgians, and millions of uninsured people across the country have waited long enough.”

You can listen to the call audio here, and learn more about how the Medicaid program can save lives and improve health outcomes in Georgia by reading this new report from Protect Our Care.

protectourcare
In News

More Than Two Million People Have Gained Coverage Thanks to President Biden’s Special Enrollment Period

Two Million People Have Signed Up for ACA Coverage Since February

Washington, DC — Today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that two million Americans have signed up for insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces since President Biden opened a special enrollment period in February. Importantly, many of these enrollees have been able to take advantage of the dramatic savings under the American Rescue Plan, with more than a third of new and returning enrollees selecting plans for $10 or less per month. Americans can continue to enroll in ACA coverage through August 15. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“Two million more Americans have health care because Joe Biden is our president. The message is clear: after years of Republican attacks on our health care, Democrats are committed to expanding and improving care for all Americans. Now, Congress has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build on the success of the ACA and lower the cost of prescription drugs, expand Medicare benefits, and close the Medicaid coverage gap. These essential measures are included in the agreement made by Senate Democrats on the forthcoming budget resolution and have strong support from President Biden — a true health care champion. As we recover from the coronavirus pandemic, it is imperative that we make health care better, more accessible and more affordable for all Americans.” 

protectourcare
In Capitol Hill

NEW REPORT: Closing the Medicaid Coverage Gap in Georgia

New Report Outlines Urgent Need for Federal Approach to Provide Relief to Millions of People Who Have Been Locked Out of Coverage

Report Comes After Sen. Warnock Released Bold Legislation for the Federal Government to Close the Coverage Gap

Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Care is releasing a report on the impacts of the Coverage Gap in Georgia, one of 12 states that refuse to expand Medicaid. Americans with low incomes should not be forced to go without health coverage simply because they live in a state that has refused Medicaid expansion. According to the report, nearly 646,000 Georgians could gain coverage if Medicaid were expanded.

However, despite hundreds of billions of dollars in financial incentives in the American Rescue Plan, state leaders continue to stand in the way of expansion, leaving hundreds of thousands of Georgia families without access to quality, affordable care. 

In response to Republican inaction in states like Georgia, President Biden and Congressional Democrats are working to bypass state governments who refuse to do the right thing. Just this week, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced legislation creating a federal solution to finally expand Medicaid coverage to millions of people stuck in the coverage gap.

The POC report comes after leaders of the Congressional Tri-Caucus, which includes the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), joined more than 60 of their colleagues on a letter advocating for closing the coverage gap through the American Families Plan.

“For too long leaders in Georgia and the other non-expansion states have put politics over people, refusing to strengthen public health by expanding Medicaid. And this robust report details how the nearly 275,000 Georgians who are in the coverage gap and the 500,000 Georgians who would be eligible for Medicaid have paid the highest price for these decisions,” Senator Reverend Warnock said. “This timely report underlines the urgency with which Congress must act to ensure hardworking people with low-incomes have access to affordable health care, and I’m going to keep pushing the Senate hard to include my legislation to close the coverage gap and provide affordable health care to millions of Georgians and Americans in the next recovery package.”

“Waiting for the Republican leaders in Georgia and the 11 other states that refuse to expand Medicaid to change course is no longer a viable option,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “By refusing to expand Medicaid in their state, Georgia Republican lawmakers are denying coverage to their most vulnerable populations, including thousands of Georgians of color. Despite the overwhelming benefits of Medicaid expansion, and even with the additional incentives included in the American Rescue Plan, Republicans have put politics over people by continuing to reject the program. Senator Warnock and Congressional Democrats are now leading with a bold new approach for the federal government to close the expansion gap, and Congress must take action now to make it a reality.”

Read the new report on closing the coverage gap in Georgia here.

Read the previous reports on Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina. Texas, and Wisconsin.

protectourcare
In News

Senate Democrats Introduce “Medicaid Saves Lives Act” To Close The Coverage Gap and Extend Coverage To Millions of Americans

Yesterday, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) along with Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation to create a federal program extending coverage to millions of people stuck in the coverage gap in states where Republicans have refused to adopt Medicaid expansion. For years, Republican lawmakers have waged a war against Medicaid expansion despite overwhelming evidence that it reduces racial disparities in health care, strengthens economies, and saves lives. And despite robust incentives included in President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, Republicans in 12 states have refused to act, underscoring the need for a federal solution. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“Closing the Medicaid coverage gap is a no-brainer for lawmakers looking to profoundly improve health care access in this country. This legislation demonstrates Democrats’ commitment to expanding coverage to millions of people and builds momentum as Congress debates closing the gap in forthcoming infrastructure legislation. We commend Senators Warnock, Ossoff and Baldwin for stepping in after Republican politicians failed to do the right thing for their constituents.” 

COVERAGE

AP: Senators Seek Medicaid-Like Plan To Cover Holdout States. “The bill would mandate a new health insurance plan that looks just like Medicaid offered to residents in holdout states. The plan would require no premiums and only small copayments, while those costs can be much higher for individuals on the marketplace. People can enroll in Medicaid year-round, while marketplace enrollment is typically only in the fall, or when someone’s circumstances change.” [7/12/21]

  • The Bill Would Provide Premium Free Health Access. “The plan would require no premiums and only small copayments, while those costs can be much higher for individuals on the marketplace. People can enroll in Medicaid year-round, while marketplace enrollment is typically only in the fall, or when someone’s circumstances change.” [AP, 7/12/21]
  • The Proposal Would Require No State Contributions. “Sponsors say coverage is already paid for because the original Affordable Care Act included money for all 50 states. States normally shoulder 10% of the cost, but the bill would require no state contributions.” [AP, 7/12/21]
  • The Bill Also Improves Expansion Incentives For States To Expand On Their Own. “The plan also would boost incentives for holdout states to expand on their own. It would raise the federal share of state-federal Medicaid spending by 10 percentage points this coming decade.” [AP, 7/12/21]

The Hill: Senate Democrats Call For Medicaid-Like Plan To Cover Non-Expansion States. “The legislation would mandate the creation of a federal Medicaid “look-alike” program administered by the federal government. It would provide the same essential benefits of Medicaid, and would not charge any premiums or large copayments.” [7/12/21]

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tammy Baldwin Co-Sponsors Bill To Expand Medicaid To Wisconsin And 11 Other Republican-Controlled States. “Baldwin and Georgia’s Democratic U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff introduced a bill Monday to provide health coverage to an additional 4 million Americans — including about 90,000 Wisconsinites — who live in states that did not fully expand Medicaid…the Medicaid Saves Lives Act would direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to create ‘a federal Medicaid look-alike program, which would provide the same full, essential benefits of Medicaid, but run and administered at the federal level’.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/12/21]

Wisconsin Examiner: Baldwin, Georgia Senators Propose Federal Alternative For States That Refuse Medicaid Expansion. “The new federally funded and administered program would provide the same benefits as Medicaid expansion offers, but without state involvement. The legislation also would include a financial incentive for states to expand their Medicaid program.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 7/13/21]

WRDW: Warnock, Ossoff Push Medicaid-like Plan For Low-income Americans. “The Medicaid Saves Lives Act would direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to create and run a federal Medicaid look-alike program [that] would mirror the full, essential benefits of Medicaid. The legislation would also add to the significant financial incentives included in the American Rescue Plan for states to expand Medicaid, giving these states an additional and extended federal medical assistance percentage increase.” [WRDW, 7/13/21]

protectourcare
In Fact Sheet, House Democrats

NEW REPORT: How High Drug Prices Hurt Hispanic and Latino People In the U.S.

Protect Our Care Releases New Report As Part of Lower Rx Summer

Today, Protect Our Care is releasing a new report as part of Week 6 of Lower Rx Summer underscoring how high drug costs hurt Latinos and Hispanic people. Throughout the week, Protect Our Care will host events and release additional research showing the urgency for reform to bring down drug prices for people of color. 

In June, Protect Our Care announced Lower Rx Summer as part of The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices. Lower Rx Summer consists of themed weeks of action to demonstrate the urgent need for legislation to lower drug prices principally by giving Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for all Americans. 

Remaining Theme Weeks for Lower Rx Summer

Week 6 (July 12): How High Drug Prices Hurt People of Color

Week 7 (July 19): How High Drug Prices Hurt Small Businesses

Week 8 (July 26): How High Drug Prices Hurt Children

Week 9 (August 2): Expanding Medicare Benefits—Hearing, Vision, And Dental

Racial inequity is pervasive within the American health care system, and high prescription drug costs are no exception. Nearly 30 percent of individuals taking prescription medication struggle to afford the cost, with the burden most severely impacting those who make less than $40,000 a year and have medication costs over $100. These factors disproportionately impact Hispanic and Latino individuals, who are more likely to require medications for chronic health conditions and earn household median incomes nearly $20,000 less than non-Hispanic white counterparts, resulting in reduced ability to pay at the pharmacy counter. 

“Structural racism has led to Hispanic and Latino people being disproportionately burdened by high drug prices in the United States,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “It is unconscionable that millions of people can’t afford the drugs they need to survive. Bringing down the cost of drugs is an essential step in addressing racial inequities in health care and helping communities recover from the pandemic. It’s time for lawmakers to put an end to Big Pharma’s greed and give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices.”

In 2019, the House of Representatives passed the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), historic legislation that would lower drug prices for all Americans. H.R. 3 would save patients over $150 billion and reduce the price of the costliest drugs by as much as 55 percent. 

Not only does giving Medicare the power to negotiate help patients at the pharmacy counter, but it would save the federal government $500 billion, which could be reinvested to strengthen health care. These savings could help lower premiums, expand coverage, and strengthen Medicare benefits to include hearing, vision, and dental. As the nation recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, ensuring access to affordable health care, and specifically prescription drugs, has never been more critical. 

KEY POINTS

  • Income and health coverage inequity disproportionately harm Hispanic and Latino people. Hispanic and Latino individuals are more likely to have a lower median income and live in a state without Medicaid expansion, compared with their white counterparts. These disparities have profound impacts on health outcomes for Hispanic and Latino people that result in reduced ability to access lifesaving drugs with tragic results.
  • Hispanic and Latino people are regularly forced to navigate chronic health conditions with reduced access to needed drugs. Compounding social, economic, and political forces make Hispanic and Latino individuals more likely to suffer from ongoing health issues and be faced with outrageous medication prices. Inequitable drug access due to cost, creates additional medical problems that disproportionately impact Hispanic and Latino individuals. 
  • Drug pricing reform is crucial in addressing racial health disparities. Hispanic and Latino individuals are significantly more likely to be uninsured than their white counterparts, pushing up the cost of prescription drugs in a country that is already paying nearly three times what individuals in other countries are spending on the same drugs. Wealth and health disparities perpetuated by systemic racism increase the strain of drug costs for Hispanic and Latino people.

Read the new report on how high drug costs hurt Hispanic and Latino people here.

protectourcare
In Capitol Hill

Protect Our Care Praises Senator Warnock’s Legislation To Close The Medicaid Coverage Gap

Senator Warnock’s Legislation Would Expand Coverage To Millions, Including 2.4 Million People of Color

Washington, DC — Today, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced legislation creating a federal solution to expand Medicaid coverage to millions of people stuck in the coverage gap in 13 states where Republicans have refused to expand Medicaid. Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach praised the legislation in a statement:

“Medicaid expansion reduces racial disparities in health care, creates healthier communities and strengthens economies. It is the single most important thing Congress can do to address the racial inequities laid bare by the pandemic. If we fail to expand Medicaid, we fail millions of people,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Congress must close the coverage gap once and for all. People of color, women, children, older adults, people with disabilities and so many more will benefit from this legislation, and we commend Senator Warnock’s leadership in ensuring better access to care.” 

protectourcare
In Fact Sheet

NEW REPORT: How High Drug Prices Hurt Black Americans

Protect Our Care Releases New Report As Part of Lower Rx Summer

Today, Protect Our Care is kicking off Week 6 of Lower Rx Summer with a report underscoring how high drug costs hurt Black Americans. Throughout the week, Protect Our Care will host events and release additional research to demonstrate the urgency for reform to bring down drug prices for people of color. 

In June, Protect Our Care announced Lower Rx Summer as part of The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices. Lower Rx Summer consists of themed weeks of action to demonstrate the urgent need for legislation to lower drug prices principally by giving Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for all Americans. 

Remaining Theme Weeks for Lower Rx Summer

Week 6 (July 12): How High Drug Prices Hurt People of Color

Week 7 (July 19): How High Drug Prices Hurt Small Businesses

Week 8 (July 26): How High Drug Prices Hurt Children

Week 9 (August 2): Expanding Medicare Benefits—Hearing, Vision, And Dental

Racial inequity penetrates every corner of the American health care system, and high prescription drug prices are no exception. Nearly 30 percent of individuals taking prescription medication struggle to afford the cost, with the burden most severely impacting those who make less than $40,000 a year and have medication costs over $100. These factors disproportionately impact Black Americans, who are more likely to require medications for chronic health conditions, while simultaneously earning household median incomes nearly $30,000 less than white counterparts, resulting in reduced ability to pay at the pharmacy counter. 

“Structural racism has led to Black Americans being disproportionately burdened by high drug prices in the United States,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “It is unacceptable that millions of people can’t afford the drugs they need to survive. Bringing down the cost of drugs is an essential step in addressing racial inequities in health care. It’s time to put an end to Big Pharma’s greed and give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices.”

In 2019, the House of Representatives passed the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), historic legislation that would lower drug prices for all Americans. H.R. 3 would save patients over $150 billion and reduce the price of the costliest drugs by as much as 55 percent. 

Not only does giving Medicare the power to negotiate help patients at the pharmacy counter, but it would save the federal government $500 billion, which could be reinvested to strengthen health care. These savings could help lower premiums, expand coverage, and strengthen Medicare benefits to include hearing, vision, and dental. As the nation recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, ensuring access to affordable health care, and specifically prescription drugs, has never been more critical. 

KEY POINTS

  • Black people are disproportionately harmed by income and health coverage inequity. Black Americans are more likely to have a lower median income and live in a state without Medicaid expansion, compared with their white counterparts. These disparities have profound impacts on health outcomes for Black people that result in reduced ability to access lifesaving drugs and a tragic decrease in life expectancy.
  • Black Americans are regularly forced to navigate chronic health conditions with reduced access to needed drugs. Compounding social, economic, and political forces make Black people more likely to suffer from ongoing health issues and be faced with outrageous medication prices. Inequitable drug access due to cost, creates additional medical problems that disproportionately impact Black people. 
  • Drug pricing reform is crucial in addressing racial health disparities. Black Americans are significantly more likely to be uninsured than their white counterparts, pushing up the cost of prescription drugs in a country that is already paying nearly three times what individuals in other countries are spending on the same drugs. Wealth and health disparities perpetuated by systemic racism increase the strain of drug costs for Black people.

Read the new report on how high drug costs hurt Black Americans here.

protectourcare
In News, Capitol Hill

HEADLINES: House Report Highlights Drugmaker Greed, Need for Congressional Action to Lower Drug Costs

Yesterday, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform released a report detailing how large pharmaceutical corporations have used skyrocketing drug prices to line the pockets of CEOs and investors, while spending billions less on research and development. Specifically, between 2016 and 2020, 14 leading drugmakers spent $577 billion on stock buybacks and dividends—$56 billion more than what was invested in research and development over the same period. One company, Amgen, spent nearly six times more on executive pay, buybacks, and dividends than it did on research and development in 2018. If allowed to continue on this trajectory, these 14 corporations are projected to spend $1.15 trillion on buybacks and dividends between 2020 and 2029 — more than twice of what H.R. 3 is projected to save over the same period. 

The report also revealed that when these drugmakers did invest in research and development, many spent large portions of their budget developing methods to suppress generic and biosimilar competition that would make life saving drugs more affordable for the American people. 

This Oversight Committee’s report underscores the urgent need for Congress to take action now to  pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices.. 

HEADLINES:

STAT News: House Democrats Say Pharma Stock Buybacks And Dividends Exceed R&D Spending. “Assuming the same rate of spending going forward, the drug makers are projected to spend $1.15 trillion on buybacks and dividends from 2020 through 2029. This would exceed by more than twice the amount that the Congressional Budget Office projected would be saved over the same period by a House bill – called H.R. 3 – that would allow Medicare to negotiate prices for certain drugs.” [STAT News, 7/8/21]

Kaiser Health News: Drugmakers’ Spending on Stock, Dividends and Executive Pay Exceeds Research, Democrats Say. “Contrary to pharmaceutical industry arguments that large profits fund extensive research and innovation, the major drug companies plow more of their billions in earnings back into their own stocks, dividends and executive compensation. And they can do it largely because Congress has imposed few restrictions on their pricing in the United States — including in the Medicare program, which is not permitted to negotiate drug prices.” [Kaiser Health News, 7/9/21]

The Hill: House Report: Drug Companies Spent More On Buybacks, Dividends Than Research. “Democrats sought to push back on the pharmaceutical industry’s argument that the bill would harm innovation, saying that drug companies could simply cut back on payouts to shareholders, rather than cutting research and development.” [The Hill, 7/8/21]

Bloomberg: Pelosi Slams Drugmaker Buybacks, Wants Price Cuts In Bill. “The House Democratic bill would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, and then force drug companies to lower the prices they charge private insurers or impose huge fines on the companies. Pelosi said she wants it to be part of a special budget bill.” [Bloomberg, 7/8/21]

Fierce Healthcare: House Dems’ Report Slams Drugmaker Stock Buybacks As Pelosi Presses To Give Medicare Negotiating Powers. “Democratic leadership slammed drugmakers’ most common defense that pricing reforms will lead to fewer new innovations. ‘How can pharma say with a straight face after spending $577 billion on buybacks and dividends in the last five years that lowering drug prices for Americans will have to come at the expense of research and development?’ said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.” [Fierce Healthcare, 7/9/21]

Endpoints News: Pelosi Threatens To Slide Drug Pricing Reform Into Biden’s Budget Bill, Rejects Industry Pushback That Innovation Would Suffer. “From 2016 to 2020, the companies spent $56 billion more on stock buybacks and dividends — $577 billion — than on R&D, the report found. The projected number of spending on buybacks from 2020 to 2029 is $1.15 trillion for the same 14 companies.” [Endpoints News, 7/9/21]

protectourcare
In House Democrats

New Poll Shows Strong Support for Medicare Negotiation Across Key House Districts

76 Percent of Voters in Key Districts Support Giving Medicare the Power to Negotiate for Lower Drug Prices for All Americans

Washington, DC — A new PPP poll on behalf of Protect Our Care released today shows that voters in 10 key congressional districts whose representatives indicated in a recent letter that they may oppose the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) overwhelmingly support giving Medicare the power to lower prescription drug prices for all Americans, and they reject the argument that Medicare negotiation would slow down innovation.

The districts surveyed were: Cardenas (CA-29), Correa (CA-46), Peters (CA-52), Murphy (FL-07), Mrvan (IN-01), Auchincloss (MA-4), Gottheimer (NJ-05), Rice (NY-4), Schrader (OR-05), and Strickland (WA-10). In response to the poll’s findings, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“This poll confirms what we already know to be true: drug prices in this country are out of control, and Americans are demanding change. Voters across the political spectrum want Medicare to have the power to negotiate for lower prices and are willing to make their elected officials pay at the ballot box if they fail to act. Voters also overwhelmingly reject Pharma’s big lie that giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices will harm innovation.” 

See the full PPP memo and toplines. 

Key Findings:

  • Voters of all political party affiliations agree that prescription drug prices are too high in this country: 88% of Democrats, 89% of independents, and 79% of Republicans think prices are too high.
  • A majority of Republicans (54%) and almost three-quarters (73%) of independents support giving Medicare negotiating power to lower drug prices, along with nearly all (90%) of Democrats.
  • Voters reject the argument that allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices would slow down innovation. Fewer than 1 in 10 voters support this argument. By a margin of 70% (77-7%), voters would rather “allow Medicare to negotiate with drug companies” than are concerned that it will “undercut drug companies’ ability to innovate and develop new drugs.”
  • Members of Congress risk losing support from voters of all political affiliations if they oppose allowing Medicare to have the power to negotiate for lower drug prices. A third (33%) of Republicans, almost half (45%) of independents, and 60% of Democrats say they would be less likely to vote for them.
  • A large majority (71% of all voters and 72% of voters over the age of 65) strongly support making sure Americans do not pay more for the same prescription drugs than people pay in other countries.
  • A further 70% of all voters and 75% of voters older than 65 strongly support using the savings from lower drug prices to provide hearing, dental, and vision coverage to people on Medicare as well as lower health insurance premiums for millions more.
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