October 2023

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25 AT 2 PM CT // 3 PM ET***

While the Biden Administration Fights for Wisconsinites to Save Money on their Medications, Republicans Want to Raise Health Care Costs

Milwaukee, WI – On Wednesday, October 25 at 2:00 PM CT, 3:00 PM ET, U.S. Representative Gwen Moore (WI-04) and Milwaukee area health care advocates will join Protect Our Care Wisconsin to discuss how Medicare negotiations will lower prescription drug costs for Wisconsinites. The Biden administration announced the first 10 drugs that will have lower prices negotiated by Medicare under the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed by Democrats last year. Earlier this month, all 10 companies entered into agreements with Medicare to kickstart the negotiation process to lower costs for seniors.  

Speakers will discuss what this means for Wisconsinites and how lowering the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs remain central to the Inflation Reduction Act’s popularity, and the importance of protecting these policies. 

This event comes as Republicans and drug companies are trying to derail health care policies that will bring down costs. Pharmaceutical companies are suing the federal government to protect their massive profits by halting the measure passed in the Inflation Reduction Act that empowers Medicare to negotiate drug prices while Republicans are attempting to repeal it. President Biden and Democrats in Congress are already working to expand these cost savings to more Americans, no matter what age they are or how they get their health insurance. If the GOP gets their way, they would throw millions of people off of Medicaid, keep drug costs high for seniors, and make health care coverage more expensive for families purchasing coverage on their own through the Affordable Care Act. 

WHO: U.S. Representative Gwen Moore & Milwaukee area health care advocates

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHEN: Wednesday, October 25, 2:00 PM CT // 3:00 PM ET

WHERE: Register to join the Zoom event (Registration required)

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Novartis announced it raked in $11.78 billion this quarter – a $1.29 billion increase over last year – during their earnings report today. While they make billions, Americans pay exorbitantly high prices for prescription drugs. Novartis opposed the Biden administration reforms that lower prescription drug prices. 

• During the call, CFO Harry Kirsch bragged about the company’s enormous growth saying, “core operating income is up 21 percent in quarter three… mainly driven by sales and savings from the ongoing [increasing] productivity.” 
• Novartis announced that it has initiated the $15 billion stock buyback it announced in July 2023.
• Novartis is suing the Biden administration to stop Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices for patients because it would endanger their massive profits. 
• Drug companies charge Americans prices up to four times higher than prices in other countries, forcing patients to cut pills and skip doses to make ends meet. 
• Over 80 percent of voters support giving Medicare the power to negotiate, making it the most popular provision in the Inflation Reduction Act. 

The Inflation Reduction Act brings down prescription drug costs for everyday Americans, especially seniors, by capping the price of insulin at $35 per month and providing free vaccines including shingles, giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, and limiting the amount people have to pay each year for prescription drugs to $2,000 annually starting in 2025.  

Read more:

REPORT: Why Medicare Needs the Power to Negotiate for Lower Drug Costs: The Five Drugs That Tell the Story

FACT SHEET: Big Drug Companies Are in Court to Stop Medicare Negotiation and Protect Their Sky-High Profits

New Navigator polling reveals that voters view lowering drug costs as President Biden’s top accomplishment. The poll specifically named giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug costs and capping insulin costs for seniors at $35 per month, which were both included in the Inflation Reduction Act. These policies enjoy widespread, bipartisan support: according to Navigator, “lowering prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices is President Biden’s most supported accomplishment, earning support from over three in four Americans (77 percent), including 71 percent of independents and 64 percent of Republicans.”

Protect Our Care recently launched the Medicare Autumn campaign to educate seniors about new benefits that will help them save on their prescription drugs thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress. Read more here.

In addition to finding broad support for President Biden’s action to lower drug costs, the poll also found that Americans are hearing most about this accomplishment when compared to other policy achievements. A majority of Americans (57%) have heard of his success in lowering drug prices through Medicare negotiation and capping insulin costs.

Protect Our Care launched a new campaign, “Medicare Autumn,” to educate seniors on how Medicare is better than ever. Thanks to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program included in the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare now has the ability to negotiate drug prices to lower costs for seniors on Medicare. The Biden administration recently announced the first round of high-cost drugs whose prices will come down from negotiation. This includes some of the highest-priced prescription drugs used to treat conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, chronic kidney disease, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis – many of which disproportionately impact women, communities of color, and people in rural areas. 

For too long, Americans have been paying three to four times more than people in other countries for the prescription drugs they depend on, forcing people to choose between filling a prescription or filling their refrigerator. Giving Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies will help bring the price of medicines in the U.S. more in line with what other countries pay.

The impact of lower prescription drug costs thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act will be felt by people across the country. Negotiating lower prices on certain popular high-cost drugs will help:

• 3,505,000 Americans who pay an average of $441 out-of-pocket per year for Eliquis, sold by Bristol Myers Squibb, to treat blood clots.
• 47,000 Americans who pay an average of $921 out-of-pocket per year for Enbrel, sold by Amgen, to treat arthritis and psoriasis. 
• 521,000 Americans who pay an average of $357 out-of-pocket per year for Entresto, sold by Novartis, to treat heart failure. 
• 639,000 Americans who pay an average of $260 out-of-pocket per year for Farxiga, sold by AstraZeneca to treat diabetes.
• 763,000 Americans who pay an average of $121 out-of-pocket per year for Fiasp/NovoLog, sold by Novo Nordisk, to treat diabetes. 
• 22,000 Americans who pay an average of $5,247 out-of-pocket per year for Imbruvica, sold by AbbVie, to treat blood cancers. 
• 885,000 Americans who pay an average of $270 out-of-pocket per year for Januvia, sold by Merck, to treat diabetes. 
• 1,321,000 Americans who pay an average of $290 out-of-pocket per year for Jardiance, sold by Boehringer Ingelheim, to treat diabetes. 
• 20,000 Americans who pay an average of $2,058 out-of-pocket per year for Stelara, sold by Johnson & Johnson, to treat psoriasis and Crohn’s disease.
• 1,311,000 Americans who pay an average of $451 out-of-pocket per year for Xarelto, sold by Johnson & Johnson, to treat blood clots.

Drug Price Negotiation Improves Other Medicare Benefits. As a result of Medicare negotiation negotiations, Americans with Medicare will have access to innovative, life-saving treatments at lower prices, translating into lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs for older Americans and producing savings that are being used to improve benefits, including: 

• a new $35 cap on monthly insulin prescriptions; 
• free recommended vaccines;
• a $2,000 annual cap on prescription drug costs taking effect in 2025.

The First 10 Drugs Are Just The Beginning. Negotiations will occur over the coming year and new, lower prices will be announced by September 1, 2024, and take effect in 2026. The first ten drugs that will see lower prices are responsible for about 20% of total Medicare Part D prescription drug costs every year. The companies that market them have made more than $493 billion in revenue from these drugs. Medicare will negotiate lower prices for an additional 15 drugs for prices effective in 2027, and by 2029, Medicare will negotiate lower prices for 20 drugs per year. And President Biden and Democrats in Congress are already working to expand these cost savings to more Americans, no matter what age they are or how they get their health coverage. 

Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Is Overwhelmingly Popular. Negotiating lower prices is overwhelmingly popular across the country, yet big drug companies are suing the federal government to protect their massive profits by halting the program. A recent Hart Research poll shows that 96 percent of Americans agree that lowering drug prices “is an important way to help people afford the cost of living,” and nearly three-quarters of Americans favor Medicare negotiation. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies’ arguments against negotiation are overwhelmingly rejected by the American people.

Big Drug Companies Are Threatening To Keep Drug Prices High Through The Courts. Drug company giants including Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson-owned Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, and Novartis, as well as mega lobbying groups PhRMA and the US Chamber of Commerce, have sued the federal government in an effort to stop Medicare from negotiating for lower prescription drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries. If the big drug companies get their way patients will pay more so the drug companies can make more money:

• GONE: Medicare’s power to negotiate lower prices for the most popular and expensive prescription drugs. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare is set to begin negotiating prices for 10 of the top 50 most expensive Part D drugs in 2026, adding another 15 drugs in 2027 and 2028, and another 20 in 2029 and subsequent years.
• GONE: $98.6 billion in Medicare savings over the next decade from the drug negotiation program, which translates into savings for patients and taxpayers.
• GONE: Lower Part D premiums and lower out-of-pocket drug costs for certain Medicare beneficiaries who rely on qualifying drugs.

The plaintiffs assert several sweeping claims, including under the First Amendment, the Fifth Amendment, and the Eighth Amendment across the lawsuits, but experts agree that these meritless arguments are merely an attempt to maintain the status quo where drug companies can protect their massive profits by charging whatever they want at the expense of patients and taxpayers.

Lieutenant Governor, HHS Regional Directors, State and City Officials Will Headline Events in Four States to Educate Seniors About Lower Vaccine and Drug Prices

Watch All Tour Stops Live Here.

Washington, D.C. — On the first week of the “Medicare is Better Than Ever” tour, Protect Our Care’s Medicare-A-Van will make stops in four states to educate seniors across the nation about new Medicare benefits thanks to legislation signed into law last year by President Biden. Headlining events are Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, HHS Regional Directors Dara Kass and Michael Cabonargi, New York State Senators John Mannion and James Skoufis, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, Syracuse City Council President Helen Hudson, and Westchester County Executive George Latimer. 

As seniors begin to enroll in their 2024 Medicare plans, they could save thousands of dollars on their vaccine and prescription drug costs, with even more savings down the road. Over three weeks, Protect Our Care will travel to more than 10 states, make more than 25 stops, and travel over 7,000 miles. The tour will highlight the new cost-saving benefits for seniors on Medicare in the Inflation Reduction Act, including: 

• Medicare negotiation for lower drug prices 
• A $35 monthly cap on insulin 
• Free shingles and other essential vaccinations
• $2,000 out-of-pocket caps on prescription drugs beginning
• Drug companies can no longer raise prices faster than the rate of inflation

For more information on why “Medicare is Better Than Ever,” read more here. 

MONDAY

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK:
WHO:
State Senator John Mannion
Syracuse Common Council President Helen Hudson
Alex Marion, Syracuse City Auditor-Elect
Bill Spreter, President of the NYS Chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans

WHERE: Syracuse City Hall, 233 E Washington St, Syracuse, NY 13202

WHEN: Monday, October 23, 2023, at 10:00 AM ET

NEW WINDSOR, NEW YORK:
WHO:
State Senator James Skoufis

WHERE: Marasco Senior Center at the New Windsor Town Hall Complex, 555 Union Ave, New Windsor, NY 12553

WHEN: Monday, October 23, 2023, at 3:00 PM ET

TUESDAY

WESTCHESTER, NEW YORK:
WHO:
County Executive George Latimer
HHS Regional Director Dara Kass

WHERE: Theodore D. Young Community Center, 32 Manhattan Ave, White Plains, NY 10607

WHEN: Tuesday, October 24, 2023, at 11:45 AM ET

SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA:
WHO:
Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti
Lori Hart, owner of Sheeley’s Drug Store
Barbara Richel, storyteller 

WHERE: Sheeley’s Drug Store, 539 Linden St, Scranton, PA 18503

WHEN: Tuesday, October 24, 2023, at 4:00 PM ET

WEDNESDAY

HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA:
WHO:
Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis
Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams
County Commissioner George Hartwick
State Representative Patty Kim
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Senior Advisor Kristi Martin

WHERE: Heinz-Menaker Senior Center, 1824 N 4th St, Harrisburg, PA 17102

WHEN: Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET

THURSDAY

FLINT, MICHIGAN:
WHO:
HHS Regional Director Michael Cabonargi
Jim Malinowski, President & CEO of Genesee Health Plan
Alyson Ramos, Regional Coordinator of Valley Area Agency on Aging

WHERE: Brennan Senior Center, 1301 Pingree Ave, Flint, MI 48503

WHEN: Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 10:30 AM ET

LANSING, MICHIGAN:
WHO:
HHS Regional Director Michael Cabonargi
Sue Thuma, Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program Coordinator of Tri-County Office on Aging
Raj Wiener, storyteller

WHERE: Michigan State Capitol, 100 N Capitol Ave, Lansing, MI 48933

WHEN: Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 1:30 PM ET

FRIDAY

MADISON, WISCONSIN:
WHO:
HHS Regional Director Michael Cabonargi
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Senior Advisor Kristi Martin
Sandy Drew, storyteller

WHERE: Goodman Community Center, 214 Waubesa St, Madison, WI 53704

WHEN: Friday, October 27, 2023, at 11:00 AM ET // 10:00 AM CT

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN:
WHO:
HHS Regional Director Michael Cabonargi
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Senior Advisor Kristi Martin
Nancy Koch, storyteller

WHERE: Washington Park Senior Center, 4420 W Vliet Street, Milwaukee, WI 53208

WHEN: Friday, October 27, 2023, at 3:00 PM ET // 2:00 pm CT

Seniors Will Save in 2024 Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act: Lower Drug Costs, Monthly Insulin Cost Cap, and Free Vaccines 

Medicare open enrollment began on October 15 and runs through December 7. Millions of seniors will begin selecting their coverage for 2024. It is important that seniors understand the savings available to them as they make decisions about enrolling in a Medicare plan.

As Medicare beneficiaries review plans for 2024, seniors will see new benefits thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to drive down drug costs. As they did during the 2023 Medicare open enrollment, seniors will see lower premiums for prescription drug coverage. As of January 1, 2023, critical vaccines are now free, monthly insulin costs are capped at $35 per prescription, and drug companies cannot take advantage of seniors by raising drug prices faster than the rate of inflation. Additionally, in the years ahead, Medicare beneficiaries will see lower drug prices across the board thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act’s provisions to give Medicare the power to negotiate and cap out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 a year. This translates to thousands of dollars in savings for millions of seniors and people with disabilities nationwide. 

BY THE NUMBERS: Seniors Will Pay Less for Health Care

The Inflation Reduction Act is drastically reducing the cost of prescription drugs for the more than 50 million Americans enrolled in Medicare’s Part D drug benefit, reducing racial, income, and geographic disparities in health care, and saving lives. Seniors will no longer have to choose between paying for the drugs they need and other essentials like food and housing.

By the Numbers:

• Over 50 million Medicare beneficiaries no longer face big drug companies’ outrageous price hikes that exceed inflation. 
• All Medicare Part D beneficiaries have access to covered vaccines, such as shingles and pneumonia, at no cost.
• No Medicare beneficiary pays more than $35 a month for an insulin copay.
• Over 50 million Medicare Part D beneficiaries will have out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs capped at $2,000 per year beginning in 2025. 
• Lower prices are being negotiated for the first 10 drugs selected for the Negotiation Program, with more drugs to be named each year. The first ten drugs are Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and Fiasp/NovoLog.
• Premiums for the average Medicare Part D plan are decreasing by 1.8 percent in 2024.

The Inflation Reduction Act Lowers Prescription Drug Prices

Medicare Negotiation For Lower Drug Prices. The Biden administration is implementing the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program which is supported by over 80 percent of Americans — the most popular provision in the Inflation Reduction Act. In August, the first round of high-cost drugs that will be negotiated was announced: Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and Fiasp/ NovoLog. These high-cost drugs treat conditions like cancer, diabetes, and blood clots. The first ten drugs selected for negotiation are taken by nearly 9 million people on Medicare, who spent $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs last year alone.  The negotiated prices will be effective starting in 2026. 

Game-Changer For Insulin-Dependent Seniors. In 2020, there were more than 3.2 million insulin users with Medicare, with nearly 1.7 million purchasing their insulin without low-income subsidies. On average, seniors with Medicare Part D or B who are not receiving subsidies pay an average of $572 every year for this life-saving medication — an unthinkable sum for many on fixed incomes. Patients who suffer chronic complications can expect to pay upwards of an additional $650 per year. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, insulin copays for people on Medicare are capped at $35 per prescription each month. A recent study showed that 1.5 million people on Medicare would have saved an average of $500 in 2020 from the $35 insulin copay cap.

Ends Outrageous Price Increases For Seniors. The Inflation Reduction Act penalized drug companies for raising drug prices faster than the rate of inflation starting at the beginning of 2023. An analysis by KFF showed that half of all drugs covered by Medicare had list price increases exceeding the rate of inflation in 2020. For example, Humira, a medication commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, is one of the nation’s highest revenue-generating drugs, raking in $21 billion in sales in 2019. AbbVie, Humira’s manufacturer, has hiked the price of Humira 27 times, including in January 2021 when it raised its cost by 7.4 percent. Over the past 20 years, price increases for brand-name drugs in Medicare Part D have risen at more than twice the rate of inflation. 

Free Shingles Vaccinations. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, 50.5 million seniors are eligible for no-cost shingles vaccinations. In 2020, nearly 4 million Medicare beneficiaries received the two-part shingles vaccination. With a single shot of Shingrix costing $212, seniors on Medicare Part D are saving over $400 on average on vaccinations in 2023. The high out-of-pocket cost of the shingles vaccine has been a key factor in low vaccination rates, especially among Black and Latino communities. This extends an important affordable preventive service to seniors on Medicare; Americans with private insurance could already typically receive shingles vaccinations at no cost.

Protect Our Care’s “Medicare-A-Van!” Will Travel Across 10+ States, Make Over 25 Stops and Cover Over 7,000 Miles in Four Weeks Starting October 23

Washington, D.C. — Alongside the Medicare Autumn campaign, Protect Our Care’s Medicare-A-Van is hitting the road to educate seniors across the nation about new benefits thanks to legislation signed into law last year by President Biden. As seniors begin to enroll in their 2024 Medicare plans, they could save thousands of dollars on their prescription drug costs, with even more savings down the road. The multi-state “Medicare is Better Than Ever” educational van tour will highlight all of the new cost-saving benefits for seniors in the Inflation Reduction Act, including: 

• Medicare negotiation for lower drug prices 
• A $35 monthly copay cap on insulin 
• Free shingles and other essential vaccinations
• $2,000 out-of-pocket caps on prescription drugs beginning in 2025
• Protections from drug company price hikes thanks to increased inflationary rebates

Right now, the Biden administration is in the process of lowering prices for the first round of prescription drugs under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, and those prices will take effect in 2026. The first ten drugs selected for negotiation are taken by nearly 9 million people on Medicare, who spent $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs last year alone. This new program will lower prices for some of the highest-priced prescription drugs on the market used to treat conditions like diabetes, heart failure, blood clots, and autoimmune disorders. 

“As seniors go to enroll in their 2024 Medicare plans, they need to know Medicare is stronger than ever before. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, people on Medicare could save thousands of dollars on their prescription drugs,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “All of these cost savings are a historic victory over big drug companies who fought tirelessly to protect their sky-high profits while charging seniors up to four times more for their prescriptions than people in other countries. Now seniors can have some peace of mind knowing Big Pharma’s broken system is finally coming to an end.” 

Protect Our Care’s Medicare-A-Van will make stops in: 

Syracuse, New York on Monday, October 23, 2023
New Windsor, New York on Monday, October 23, 2023
Westchester, New York on Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Scranton, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Flint, Michigan on Thursday, October 26, 2023
Lansing, Michigan on Thursday, October 26, 2023
Madison, Wisconsin on Friday, October 27, 2023
Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Friday, October 27, 2023
Harrisonburg, Virginia on Monday, October 30, 2023
Roanoke, Virginia on Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Raleigh, North Carolina on Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Greensboro, North Carolina on Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday, November 2, 2023
Macon, Georgia on Friday, November 3, 2023
Phoenix, Arizona on Monday, November 6, 2023
Tucson, Arizona on Monday, November 6, 2023
Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Reno, Nevada on Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Sacramento, California on Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Los Angeles, California on Thursday, November 9, 2023
San Diego, California on Thursday, November 9, 2023

Across the country, health care experts, lawmakers, and advocates are celebrating the Inflation Reduction Act’s provisions to drive down health care costs for seniors. From New York to Nevada, op-eds from 10 states across the nation make clear that Americans of all walks of life need relief from the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, and the Inflation Reduction Act’s health care measures must be protected and expanded.

This week, Protect Our Care launched its new Medicare Autumn campaign to educate seniors on how Medicare is stronger than ever thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. As seniors go to make choices about their Medicare plans during open enrollment, they will see new benefits including $35 monthly insulin caps, free shingles shots and other recommended vaccinations, protections from outrageous drug company price hikes, and $2,000 out-of-pocket caps on prescription drugs beginning in 2025.  As part of Medicare Autumn, Protect Our Care’s Medicare-A-Van will be hitting the road for a 10+ state tour, “Medicare is Better Than Ever.” Read more about the campaign here. 

HEADLINES:

(WI) Wisconsin Examiner: The Inflation Reduction Act Is Only One of Many Ways in Which the Biden Administration Is Moving America Forward on Health Care. “We were excited to stop by La Crosse and Green Bay Wisconsin to share this great news, and thank Sen.Tammy Baldwin, and Reps. Gwen Moore and Mark Pocan for their votes for lower drug prices and better care as well as Gov. Evers’ championing of Medicaid expansion in Wisconsin. […] More work needs to be done, so that everyone in America can get the care they deserve. Wisconsin’s state legislators need to act now to finally expand Medicaid for working families! But we need to recognize the gains we’ve made so far.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 8/16/23]

(NH) New Hampshire Bulletin: One Year Ago, the Inflation Reduction Act Became Law. “I’m thrilled to be traveling coast to coast on a national bus tour with Protect Our Care to celebrate that achievement, and to share the news about all the changes to our health care system in the past few years under the Biden administration. […] We live in a country where too many still can’t afford or can’t access the care they need. But under the leadership of President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress, we continue to make progress. […] Support health care champions that will continue to push for lower costs and better care, while protecting the care we have today.” [New Hampshire Bulletin, 8/17/23]

(PA) Beaver County Times: Let’s Keep Pennsylvania’s Progress Moving Forward. “In celebration of these achievements, I recently joined Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour in Uniontown to demonstrate how these important changes are already driving down healthcare costs by thousands of dollars a year — with even more savings on the way. […] We must continue to do everything we can to drive down the cost of health care and prescription drugs, as President Biden is doing in D.C. with the Inflation Reduction Act and as the Shapiro-Davis Administration is doing in Harrisburg.” [Beaver County Times, 8/27/23]

(NY) amNY: I Know How Tough It Can Be to Access the Quality Healthcare That We All Deserve. “I work as a Licensed Practical Nurse at a safety net hospital in eastern Brooklyn. As an 1199SEIU union delegate, I hear stories day in and day out about people coming into the emergency room or clinics with uncontrolled diabetes. […] Thanks to the work of President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Democrats in Congress, we finally have a federal partner in this fight. […] In celebration of these achievements, I recently joined Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour for stops across New York […] to spotlight how these important changes are already driving down health care costs by thousands of dollars a year.” [amNY, 8/28/23]

(MN) Minnesota Reformer: Dems Are Right to Keep Pushing on Affordable, Accessible, Quality Health Care. “Health conditions like diabetes put me and millions of other Americans at the mercy of greedy insurance companies and Big Pharma. In the late 1990s, a vial of insulin cost $25. Nothing has changed, yet today that same medication is $340. We live in the wealthiest country in the world, yet we’ve priced people out of lifesaving medications. Fortunately, we’re reclaiming some of that power. Thanks to the work of President Biden and Democrats in Congress, seniors are finally starting to get lower drug costs they deserve. […] In celebration of these achievements, I recently joined Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour in St. Louis Park. I joined elected champions and other advocates to share how these important policy changes are driving down health care costs — with even more relief on the way.” [Minnesota Reformer, 9/11/23]

(WI) Up North News: On the Road Again: The ‘Better Care, Lower Costs’ Bus Tour Talks Up the Legacy of the Inflation Reduction Act. “Health care advocates, patients, and elected supporters of the bill from across Wisconsin joined together to herald the success of the law as Protect Our Care’s “Care Force One” traversed the state. […] Under other provisions of the law, seniors’ drug costs will soon be capped at $2,000 annually, and Medicare is finally able to negotiate for lower drug prices using its bulk purchasing power—just like you and I do when we shop at Sam’s Club or Costco. […] Unfortunately, there was not a single Republican vote for this progress in Congress. Not one. In either house. Now, big drug companies and those same Republicans appear intent on unwinding the progress that has been made.” [Up North News, 9/13/23]

(NY) Syracuse Post-Standard: The Savings From Medicare Negotiation Will Give Families Like My Own Breathing Room to Pay For Other Essentials Like Groceries, Gas and Housing. “I am one of the people who will save hundreds of dollars each month thanks to this historic announcement. I take two of the drugs on the list — Januvia and NovoLog — to help manage my type 2 diabetes. My husband, David, also takes Januvia. In the past year and a half, our prescriptions have skyrocketed from $100 monthly to between $350 and $450, leaving us to make tough financial decisions. […] My husband and I often have to defer paying our bills, whether it’s our water bill or our electric bill, because we need those medications. […] This makes a world of a difference for those of us who live on fixed incomes and struggle with rising costs.” [Syracuse Post-Standard, 9/15/23]

(AZ) Arizona Mirror: Prescription Drugs Don’t Work if People Can’t Afford to Take Them. “In celebration of these achievements, the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans recently joined Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour in Tempe to demonstrate how these important changes are already driving down health care costs by thousands of dollars a year — with even more savings on the way. We discussed how so many of our seniors are already feeling relief from the direct impact these historic health care measures have on their lives. U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Phoenix, discussed his role in helping to pass the Inflation Reduction Act and how he has been supporting President Biden as the administration takes action to eliminate surprise medical bills and expand protections for people with pre-existing conditions like asthma, cancer, and diabetes.” [Arizona Mirror, 9/18/23]

(MI) The Detroit News: Independent Board Would Lower Drug Costs in Michigan. “We know we can’t rely on prescription drug companies to lower prices. That has been the status quo for too long, and it’s become clear we need a large-scale change if we want to truly address exorbitantly priced prescription drugs. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act provided real relief for Michiganians on Medicare costs, including a $35 cap on insulin per dose and a $2,000 limit on out-of-pocket costs that starts in 2025. And recently, Biden announced 10 costly drugs that Medicare is now empowered to negotiate to reduce prices.” [The Detroit News, 9/22/23]

(PA) Morning Call: Letting Medicare Negotiate Drug Prices Will Help Millions of Americans. “It’s unacceptable that the price of a medication got in the way of what my doctor recommends. Soon, when Medicare negotiations are in effect, I will be one of the people who will not only save money, but more importantly, will no longer put my health at risk due to price considerations. […] As a result of the drug industry’s endless pursuit of ever-increasing profits, people in America pay an average of three to four times more for their prescriptions than people in other countries. Meanwhile, high drug prices have kept too many Pennsylvanians from the health care they need.” [Morning Call, 9/26/23]

(NV) Las Vegas Sun: My Health Depends on Members of Congress Standing Up to Companies That Put Outrageous Profits Over People. “If I didn’t have health insurance, the cost of medication to control my psoriatic arthritis would be more than $5,000 every month, which is more money than I make. Even with my health insurance, my copay is $350 per month and still unaffordable to me. […] Even with my health insurance and a good-paying job, the cost of managing my health is expensive. If they’re successful, Republicans in Congress would make managing my health even more expensive. Nevadans like me depend on quality, affordable health care to live healthy, secure lives, and the Inflation Reduction Act is a historic step forward to lowering costs.” [Las Vegas Sun, 9/24/23]

(NY) Long Island Herald: It’s Time for Long Island’s Congressional Representatives to Decide Who They Truly Represent. “As president of the Long Island chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans, an organization fighting to protect the rights of seniors, Social Security and Medicare, I know what’s important to me: quality, affordable health care, a reliable safety net, and a responsible government that tries to do right by its citizens and not special interests. […] When D’Esposito, Santos, LaLota and Garbarino ran for Congress, I don’t remember hearing them say anything about cutting senior citizens’ access to health care in their campaign speeches. So why were they following the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz down the shutdown path?” [Long Island Herald, 10/5/23]

(NC) Franklin Times: Inflation Reduction Act — Aging with Dignity. “North Carolinians depend on quality, affordable health care to live healthy, secure lives, and the Inflation Reduction Act is a historic step forward to lowering costs. Nearly 1.2 million North Carolinians on Medicare will save approximately $400 annually thanks to this legislation, and big drug companies finally have an important check on their power. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid have been lifesavers for millions of Americans for generations. I am thankful for what is to come for Medicare benefits. This progress must continue. We cannot allow others to repeal any of the good work that has been done.” [The Franklin Times, 10/12/23]

(NV) Nevada Current: The Inflation Reduction Act Will Rein in Drug Company Price Gouging. Finally. “After years of working at the DMV, I’m enjoying my retirement here in Nevada with my husband, who retired after serving as a Commercial Enforcement Trooper with the Nevada Highway Patrol. But like so many seniors and retirees, I can’t help but worry about the skyrocketing and unpredictable cost of prescription drugs. As we age, I know our medical needs could increase and take an even larger bite out of our retirement income and savings. That’s why I’m relieved to finally see Congress take action to lower drug prices and rein in drug corporations’ price gouging in Medicare.” [Nevada Current, 10/13/23]

(VA) Dogwood: Virginia General Assembly Must Build on the Cost Savings of the Inflation Reduction Act. “Virginians are seeing the progress of the IRA—and now it’s time for legislators here in Virginia to take the next steps on health care costs and clean energy to multiply those benefits. Thanks to the IRA, health care costs are coming down. Over 300,000 of our friends and neighbors across Virginia are saving an average of $850 through the continuation of subsidies for health insurance plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Big Pharma is also being held accountable for out-of-control prescription drug prices through new penalties for drug manufacturers that increase the price of their products faster than inflation. That is a huge win for the 1 in 4 people in Virginia who report skipping or rationing their prescriptions due to costs.” [Dogwood, 10/17/23]

With the House GOP in utter chaos after failing to elect a Speaker once again, Republicans are desperately rallying behind interim Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC). Just like Kevin McCarthy and Jim Jordan, Patrick McHenry has a long history of fighting to raise health care costs and rip away critical protections from the American people. Patrick McHenry is completely out of step with the American people on health care. 

Since taking office in 2005, McHenry has opposed the Affordable Care Act since its inception and has been a key player in efforts to rip away protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. He was instrumental in shepherding former president Trump’s repeal attempt through the House, he’s supported cuts to Medicare and Social Security for over a decade, threatening the health and well-being of our nation’s seniors, and he supports a nationwide abortion ban. On top of McHenry’s abysmal health care record, he spent the last four years fighting legislation to lower drug costs in order to keep Big Pharma’s profits high. Under Rep. McHenry’s leadership, Republicans will undoubtedly return to their radical agenda of opposing the Affordable Care Act, slashing Medicare and Medicaid, and hiking drug and health insurance costs.

Patrick McHenry’s record is clear: he has always supported higher prices for prescription drugs and higher premiums for people who buy health insurance on their own. McHenry opposed the Inflation Reduction Act and has a history of siding with the drug industry and health insurance companies. He’s tried to slash the Affordable Care Act & Medicaid, which seniors, communities of color, and people with disabilities count on. If McHenry got his way, drug companies would make even more record-breaking profits but working people would pay more for health care.

If Patrick McHenry got his way:

• Medicare would be banned from negotiating lower prices for prescription drugs
• Insulin prices would not have been capped at $35/month for seniors
• Seniors would have to pay more than $2,000 a year out-of-pocket for prescriptions.
• Drug companies would be able to once again raise prices faster than the rate of inflation without penalty.
• Health care coverage for about 23 million people would have been eliminated by 2026
• People with pre-existing conditions could again be denied coverage or charged higher prices
• …. and so much more 

THE DETAILS: Patrick McHenry Voted For Higher Premiums And Prescription Drug Costs

2021: Patrick McHenry, And Every Republican In Congress, Voted Against The Inflation Reduction Act. McHenry joined every Republican in Congress in voting against the Inflation Reduction Act, which “requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate the prices of certain prescription drugs under Medicare beginning in 2026,” and “requires drug manufacturers to issue rebates to the CMS for brand-name drugs without generic equivalents under Medicare medical services that cost $100 or more per year per individual and for which prices increase faster than inflation.” [HR 5376, Roll Call Vote #420, 8/12/21] 

• McHenry Has Ties To Drug Industry Special Interests. McHenry has significant ties to the pharmaceutical and drug manufacturing industry, having pocketed just over $69,900 from the industry during the 2022 midterm election cycle while his opponent received just $250. Big drug companies fiercely lobbied against the Inflation Reduction Act, which included provisions allowing the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate prescription drug prices for Medicare.

What The Inflation Reduction Act Means For America:

• The Inflation Reduction Act will save 19 million seniors an average of $400 per year when the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs goes into effect in 2025. 
• Nearly 2 million people have continued to save an average of more than $800 per year from reduced health insurance premiums.
• Insulin co-payments were capped for the 4 million Medicare beneficiaries who use insulin.
• Millions of people with Medicare are receiving recommended vaccines at no cost.

2021: Patrick McHenry, And Every Republican In Congress, Voted Against the American Rescue Plan. McHenry joined every Republican in Congress in voting against the American Rescue Plan, which “provide[d] health insurance premium assistance for individuals who become eligible for, and elect to enroll in, the COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) continuation coverage program,” increased the rate of “the refundable tax credit for coverage under qualified health plan”, and “ma[de] individuals who received unemployment compensation in 2021 eligible for cost-sharing subsidies for health care expenses under qualified health insurance plans.” [HR 1319, Roll Call Vote #72, 3/10/21] 

What The American Rescue Plan Meant For America:

• Saved families an average of $2,400 a year on their health insurance premiums.

• Ensured all Americans never pay more than 8.5 percent of their household incomes towards an ACA Marketplace premium.

• Eliminated premiums for people earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level who buy their coverage on the ACA Marketplace.
• Extended the premium tax credit to 3.1 million Americans.

2019: Patrick McHenry Voted Against HR3. McHenry joined all but two House Republicans in voting against the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (HR 3), which would have lowered the cost of prescription drug prices by “empowering the federal government to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers.” HR 3 would have required the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate maximum prices for insulin, new and existing single-source brand-name drugs without generics, the top drugs expensed through Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and would have set price ceilings at 120% of the average price in similar countries or 85% of the price for domestic manufacturers. [HR 3, Roll Call Vote #682, 12/12/19]

What HR 3 Meant For America:

• HR 3 would have established a fair price negotiation program including an out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare Part D beneficiaries.
• The bill would have protected tens of millions of Americans enrolled in Medicare from excessive price increases.
• Drug prices would have fallen significantly for people in America.

Patrick McHenry Opposes The ACA And Its Protections For 1 in 2 Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions

McHenry Voted Against Legislation To Protect Patients With Pre-Existing Conditions – After Saying Those With Pre-Existing Conditions Should Have Protections. In October 2018, McHenry said Congress should “ensure those with pre-existing conditions have continued access to medical care.” But less than a year later, McHenry voted against the Protecting Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions Act of 2019, which would have ensured affordable, robust coverage for patients with pre-existing conditions and blocked future administrations from skirting Affordable Care Act coverage requirements. [H.R. 986, Roll Call Vote #196, 5/9/19]

 Patrick McHenry Has Opposed The Affordable Care Act Since Its Inception. Since taking office in 2007, McHenry has been a relentless opponent of the Affordable Care Act, including voting against initial passage of the law and sponsoring at least six attempts to repeal or substantially alter the law. In 2017, he said he has been committed to repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act “since it became law.” McHenry has continued to oppose the law even after Trump’s repeal attempt failed. In 2018, he said the Affordable Care Act hurt the health care industry and drove up prices, and suggested that he would “tackle health care” as part of addressing the federal deficit.

2017: Patrick McHenry Was Instrumental In Shepherding Trump’s Disastrous ACA Replacement. In 2017, McHenry was part of the frantic Republican attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and rip away health coverage and protections for pre-existing conditions for millions of Americans. He served as Chief Deputy Whip for the Republican caucus at the time and was crucial in garnering support for the legislation. As reporters noted, “it appears McHenry spent a lot of time bringing congressmen around to back the bill…McHenry worked the floor frantically in the week leading up to the vote.” McHenry also worked closely with the Trump administration on the repeal effort, and said he was “proud to have worked closely with President Trump and his Administration to pass this law.” He later voted for the passage of the American Health Care Act, justifying his vote by telling his North Carolina constituents that the Affordable Care Act “made healthcare worse” – even as voters in his district expressed support for the law. In a press release addressing the vote, McHenry declared: “This is the beginning and more work must be done.” [HR 1628, Roll Call Vote #256, 5/4/17] 

• Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy Praised McHenry For Getting ACA Repeal Through The House. During a CNN interview, McCarthy told reporters, “And I will tell you, being the whip, really isn’t one person. The deputy whip should get a lot of credit as well. Patrick McHenry. Steve Scalise never gave up. Answered every question. And the team between Scalise and McHenry I would take.” [CNN, 5/4/17]

 What Did AHCA Mean for America?

• Approximately 1 in 2 people in America with pre-existing conditions would have lost protections for coverage.
• 23 million people would have lost coverage under this bill by 2026
• The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the American Health Care Act would have raised premiums by 20 percent.
• The negative economic impact of the American Health Care Act would have caused 1.8 million people to lose their jobs by 2022.

2015: Patrick McHenry Voted For A Total Repeal Of The ACA. McHenry voted for HR 596, an act “to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.” The bill also ordered House committees to develop a replacement that would “provide people with pre-existing conditions access to affordable health coverage,” but provided no specifics. [HR 596, Roll Call Vote #58, 2/3/15] 

2010: Patrick McHenry Voted Against the ACA & Supported Efforts To Overturn The Law In Court. McHenry voted against HR 3590, also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, in March 2010. After the bill’s passage, he supported efforts to overturn the law in court. [HR 2590, Roll Call Vote #165, 3/21/10] 

Patrick McHenry Wants To Slash Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

Patrick McHenry Is A Cheerleader For The Push To Cut, Partially Privatize Medicare And Social Security. McHenry has long defended GOP plans to cut Medicare and Social Security. He’s a member of the Republican Study Committee, which released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and raise premiums for many seniors while partially privatizing the program. In 2012, McHenry voted to raise the retirement age to 70 and supported a budget attempting to end Medicare and shift costs to seniors.

2017: Patrick McHenry Voted To Cut Medicare By $473 Billion. McHenry voted for the FY 2018 budget resolution, which included $473 billion in cuts to Medicare over 10 years. [H Con Res 71, Vote #557, 10/5/17] 

2017: Patrick McHenry Voted To Slash $1.3 Trillion From Medicaid. McHenry voted for the FY 2018 budget resolution, which cut funding for non-Medicare health programs, most notably Medicaid, by 1.3 trillion, a 20 percent cut over the course of 10 years, increasing to a 29.3 percent cut by 2027. [H Con Res 71, Vote #557, 10/5/17] 

2017: Patrick McHenry Voted For Trump’s AHCA, Which Cut $880 Billion From Medicaid. McHenry voted for AHCA, which included $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid. [HR 1628, Roll Call Vote #256, 5/4/17 

• Vox Called AHCA A “Sneaky” Reversal Of The Medicaid Expansion. “Medicaid, a government program that simply compensates health care providers at stingy rates, is much cheaper than private insurance. So the ACA’s authors chose to expand it to cover all families with incomes below 138 percent of the poverty line, rather than shelling out the money it would have cost to have the government pay for them to buy private insurance. The AHCA reverses this expansion. But to avoid the criticism that the law throws poor children off their health insurance, it reverses it in a somewhat sneaky way. Rather than taking Medicaid away from families who have it, it simply caps new enrollments in Medicaid so no new poor families can sign up. But the way this cap works, you can’t get back on Medicaid if you go off of it. So a poor family that gets a raise and becomes non-poor for a year will lose access to Medicaid permanently.” [Vox, 5/9/17]

New Medicare Autumn Campaign Coincides with Medicare Open Enrollment and Includes Nationwide Events, a Multi-State Tour, Digital Ads, and Themed Weeks

Watch The Full Event Here

Washington, DC — Today, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) headlined an event to launch Protect Our Care’s new Medicare Autumn campaign educating seniors on how Medicare is stronger than ever thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. During the event, speakers discussed how over the next several weeks, 65 million people will select their Medicare plans and see new benefits that could save them thousands of dollars on their prescription drug costs.

As part of Medicare Autumn, Protect Our Care’s Medicare-A-Van will be hitting the road for a 10+ state tour, “Medicare is Better Than Ever,” educating seniors across the nation. The campaign will include virtual and in-person events with members of Congress, senior HHS officials, storytellers, and experts following weekly themes in addition to social media content, paid digital ads, and new research.

Signed into law by President Biden last year, the Inflation Reduction Act introduced a $35 cap on monthly insulin copays, free shingles and other recommended vaccinations, protections from drug company price hikes, and $2,000 out-of-pocket caps on prescription drugs beginning in 2025. Critically, the law also gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. Right now, the Biden administration is negotiating lower prices for the first round of prescription drugs under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, and those prices will take effect in 2026. This new program will lower prices for some of the highest-priced prescription drugs used to treat conditions like diabetes, heart failure, blood clots, and arthritis.

“Last year, Democrats and President Biden took on Big Pharma and won,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “Now, millions of seniors on Medicare have their insulin capped at $35 per month and are able to receive critical vaccines for free. Seniors will begin to see lower out-of-pocket costs, and Medicare will negotiate the price of prescription drugs. Our historic legislation is lowering costs and making a difference for millions of people.”

“Big Pharma has been making money hand over fist,” said Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09). “We have been spending up to four times as much for the same exact drug as other countries, for no reason except that Big Pharma could charge what they wanted. But now Medicare can finally begin negotiating for lower drug prices. We have made tremendous progress and it is going to mean so much to seniors across America.” 

“On my 68th birthday, I woke up with shingles and it was nothing to sneeze at,” said Linda Hamacher, a patient storyteller from Michigan. “But I didn’t realize that you still need the shingles vaccine even if you’ve already had shingles. Now seniors can get it without worrying about the cost and when you get older, these kinds of illnesses can be devastating and even deadly. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act more seniors are getting the care they deserve when they need to, not just when they can afford to.”

“The Inflation Reduction Act is providing a lifeline for my husband and me,” said Dawn LaGuerre, a patient storyteller from New York. “The cost of my medication has increased from $100 a month to up to $350 a month. We have to make very hard choices on what bills we’re going to pay and have fallen behind on some, including our mortgage. I have had to decide between eating or getting that NovoLog shot. It provides hope knowing that President Biden and Democrats in Congress are protecting health care and voting for a better quality of life for me. Medicare being given the power to negotiate with Big Pharma allows us the freedom to dream again.”

“Medicare is stronger than ever. As seniors make their Medicare enrollment choices for 2024, it is critical for them to know how they can save big on their prescription drugs thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act,” said Leslie Dach, chair of Protect Our Care. “The new provisions could save Medicare enrollees thousands of dollars a year, with even more savings to come in 2025. However, we cannot lose sight of the ongoing threats to Medicare. Between court battles and legislative attacks, big drug companies and their allies want to move backwards and raise costs on seniors while lining the pockets of wealthy executives. It is critical that seniors know who is on the side of the American people and who is working overtime to support special interests.”

Medicare Autumn will include the following themes each week:

• Week 1: Medicare Is Better Than Ever: President Biden and Democrats in Congress delivered long-overdue relief to seniors by finally lowering prescription drug prices. 
• Week 2: Medicare Negotiation: Medicare now has the power to negotiate lower drug prices for some of the costliest drugs used to treat conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. 
• Week 3: Insulin Cost Cap: 1.5 million Americans on Medicare now pay no more than $35 per month for their insulin copays. 
• Week 4: Free Vaccines: Everyone on Medicare can now access free vaccinations, including for shingles, which impacts as many as one in three Americans. 
• Week 5: Protections From Price Hikes: People on Medicare are now protected from drug companies’ egregious price hikes thanks to increased inflation rebates.
• Week 6: $2,000 Out-Of-Pocket Cost Cap: Soon, everyone on Medicare will pay no more than $2,000 per year on their prescription drugs, saving seniors an average of nearly $400.
• Week 7: Threats To Medicare: Some members of Congress are fighting to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s prescription drug savings while big drug companies are in court to stop Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices.