April 2024

This morning, Johnson & Johnson announced it raked in $21.4 billion this quarter – a 2.3 percent increase over last year. They make billions while charging Americans prices up to four times higher than in other countries, forcing patients to cut pills and skip doses to make ends meet. Johnson & Johnson is suing the Biden Administration to block Medicare from negotiating lower prices, protecting their profits by raising costs for seniors. 

• During the call, CEO Joaquin Duato bragged about the company’s “solid first quarter performance,” and lauded his company as an “innovation powerhouse.”
• Johnson & Johnson rewarded its shareholders by paying out $2.9 billion in dividends this quarter.
• Johnson & Johnson manufactures three drugs that were selected among the first ten drugs to have lower prices: Xarelto, Stelara, and Imbruvica. These three drugs alone brought in a combined $3.75 billion in sales this quarter, and the company has raked in around $117.5 billion collectively in sales from these drugs since their launch.
• Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, is suing the Biden administration to stop Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices for patients because it would endanger their massive profits. During the call, Johnson & Johnson said the program was “damaging to the health care innovation system,” despite maintaining that “we feel real confident about the state of our business” in light of having three of their drugs subject to lower negotiated prices. 
• Over 80 percent of voters support giving Medicare the power to negotiate, making it the most popular provision in the Inflation Reduction Act. 
• Johnson & Johnson announced the acquisition of medical device company Shockwave Medical for $13.1 billion and completed its acquisition of cancer biotech company Ambrx for $2 billion this quarter.

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:

FACT SHEET: Big Drug Companies Are In Court To Stop Medicare From Negotiating Lower Prices In Order To Protect Sky-High Profits

FACT SHEET: New Estimates Find That Medicare Negotiations Will Lower Drug Prices By Thousands of Dollars Every Year, Finally Limiting the Power of Big Drug Companies

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

Lowering the Cost of Drugs is the Top 3 Most Popular Parts of the Biden Budget

New polling from Navigator Research confirms President Biden’s proposed budget of lowering health care costs and making the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share is overwhelmingly popular, regardless of party. 

Two of the most popular parts of President Biden’s proposed budget are extending the $35 a month cap on insulin prices to Americans who need it, not just seniors (82%), and expanding the number of prescription drugs Medicare can negotiate lower prices for (83%). These build on popular reforms already passed in the Inflation Reduction Act. Not only are both reforms widely supported, but they have high levels of support with independents – 79% and 80%, respectively. In addition to those reforms that lower costs, Biden’s plan to close tax loopholes for companies like Big Pharma has strong support (77%). 

The policies outlined are in direct opposition to the Republican threats to defund Medicare and Medicaid and to repeal the Affordable Care Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

April marks the 7th annual Medicaid Awareness Month. Medicaid is an essential source of coverage for women and children. More than 18 million, or nearly 1 in 5, adult women are enrolled in Medicaid. Approximately 40 million, or half of all children in the U.S., are enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Medicaid coverage brings affordable care and financial security to women and families, and it helps narrow racial and rural disparities in health care. As the nation faces an unacceptably high and worsening rate of pregnancy-related death, Medicaid coverage is more important than ever to help pregnant women and new moms access the health care they need. 

Medicaid is a popular, lifesaving program, but Republicans want to cut it and rip coverage away from millions of hardworking families. Over 66 percent of Americans, including 55 percent of Republicans, have a favorable opinion of Medicaid. Voters agree that it is important to prevent harmful cuts to Medicaid that would reduce health care access. Yet the latest GOP scheme slashes trillions from Medicaid and would throw millions of people off their coverage through block granting and burdensome work reporting requirements. And as Medicaid transitions back to its pre-pandemic eligibility and enrollment rules, too many people, especially children are losing coverage because of the carelessness and callousness of certain Republican governors who are terminating coverage for people who may still be eligible. Republicans also won’t quit their mission to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid expansion, putting health care for millions of women and families in jeopardy.  

By The Numbers

• Medicaid Covers Nearly 18.5 Million Women Nationwide. 18.44 million adult women ages 19-64 rely on Medicaid for coverage.
• Most Women On Medicaid Are Working Or Have Caregiving Responsibilities. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the vast majority of women enrolled in Medicaid work, including mothers on Medicaid. In 2020, 93 percent of women enrolled in Medicaid were either working, going to school, at home caring for young children or relatives, or experiencing an illness or disability that does not permit them to work. 
• Medicaid Is A Major Source Of Coverage For Women Of Color. Due to systemic inequality that results in fewer women of color having access to employer-provided coverage, women of color are disproportionately likely to enroll in Medicaid. 31 percent of Black women and 27 percent of Hispanic or Latina women rely on Medicaid, compared with just over 16 percent of white individuals. Women of color experience higher rates of poverty than white women and remain less likely to have access to quality care.
• Medicaid Covers Nearly Half Of Women With Disabilities. Medicaid covers more than 44 percent of nonelderly women with mental and physical disabilities. As of 2019, Medicaid was the source of health coverage for one in four American women with mental illness.
• Over 50 Percent Of Children Are Enrolled In Medicaid And CHIP. Approximately 40 million children in the United States are enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP. 
• 1.6 Million People Would Gain Coverage If Remaining States Expanded Medicaid. Estimates from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that roughly 1.6 million people, including children, would enroll in Medicaid and CHIP if the remaining 10 states implemented expansion. These states are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming, and Wisconsin. 
• The Children’s Uninsured Rate In Medicaid Holdout States Is Double The Rate In Expansion States. In 2021, the child uninsured rate was 7.1 percent in holdout states, compared to 4 percent in states that adopted expansion. If holdout states expanded Medicaid, the number of uninsured children would drop by 7.3 percent. 
• Almost Half Of Births Are Covered By Medicaid. Medicaid covers over 40 percent of births in the United States. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, states were given the option to extend coverage to new mothers for one year postpartum, which improves maternal health outcomes. Congress subsequently made this option permanent as part of end-of-year legislation signed into law at the end of 2022. 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States Virgin Islands have extended postpartum Medicaid coverage for a full year, and Nevada and Idaho are planning to do so. Arkansas, Iowa, and Wisconsin have not extended postpartum coverage. 

Medicaid Coverage Benefits Mothers And Women Of All Ages

Medicaid Is The Largest Payer Of Reproductive Health Care Coverage. Medicaid covers nearly 17 million women of reproductive age, giving them access to reproductive health care services such as birth control, cancer screenings, and maternity care without cost-sharing. Medicaid’s reproductive health coverage is especially important in states that have further restricted access to abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

• Expanding Access To Care At Every Stage. There is an urgent need for quality, affordable health coverage prior to, during, and after giving birth. The United States continues to experience the highest rates of maternal mortality among wealthy nations, deaths that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show are largely preventable. While 48 percent of maternal deaths occur during pregnancy and delivery, more than half, 52 percent, occur in the year following the birth of a child. Recent CDC data show that 4 in 5 of maternal deaths are preventable. 12 percent of maternal deaths are deemed “late,” occurring between six weeks and one year following delivery, demonstrating the immense need for continuous health access and coverage for a minimum of one year following the birth of a child. The Biden-Harris Administration has established a pathway to coverage, providing states the opportunity to extend postpartum coverage under Medicaid from 60 days to 12 months following birth. Currently, 47 states have elected to extend Medicaid coverage for a full year postpartum.
• More Than Four In 10 Births Are Covered By Medicaid. More than 4 in 10 births were financed by Medicaid in 2022. Rates varied across the nation, with 61 percent of births financed by Medicaid in Louisiana, and 22 percent in Utah. Medicaid covers 65 percent of all births to Black mothers and 59 percent of all births to Latina mothers.
• Expanding Medicaid & Closing The Coverage Gap Is Critical To Improving Maternal Health. Women of color consistently experience higher rates of maternal mortality than white women, largely due to the intersection of health with race, gender, poverty, geography, and other social factors.
• Medicaid Helps Keep Families Out Of Debt. 41 percent of Americans reported having debt due to medical costs or bills. Since Medicaid was expanded by the ACA, the program has covered the medical expenses of millions more poor and near-poor adults than it did previously, helping prevent households from becoming poor because of medical spending.

Medicaid Improves Access To Care For Women. Women with Medicaid are far more likely to receive care than uninsured women. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, women with Medicaid coverage are less likely than women with private insurance to report delaying or forgoing care due to cost. Women with Medicaid coverage receive preventive care such as cancer screenings and well-women services at roughly the same rates as women with private coverage and at a higher rate than women without insurance. 

Medicaid Helps Pay For Long-Term Care, Relied On By Elderly Women. Medicaid pays for roughly half of the nation’s long-term services and supports. In 2019, women accounted for 59 percent of the 12.3 million dual-eligibles, or people who rely on both Medicare and Medicaid for coverage. Most dual-eligibles are elderly, and many need Medicaid coverage for their long-term care needs.

Medicaid Creates Jobs In The Health Industry, Which Is Overwhelmingly Female. Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that there are 15.5 million frontline health care workers — 77 percent of which are women — establishing Medicaid as a major job creator for women. 

Medicaid Coverage Has Long-Term Benefits For Children 

Research Shows Medicaid Prevents Child Deaths. A 2020 study found that children who received health insurance through Medicaid were less likely to die young, be employed in their adult life, and less likely to develop a disability as an adult. 

Medicaid Helps Children Stay Healthy, Leads To Long-Term Benefits For Children When They Grow Up. Medicaid eligibility during childhood lowers the high school dropout rate, raises college enrollment, and increases four-year college attainment. Medicaid for children also has a positive impact on employment opportunities later in life. For each additional year of Medicaid eligibility as a child, adults by age 28 had higher earnings and made $533 additional cumulative tax payments due to their higher incomes.

Thanks To Medicaid, Students Have Access To The Resources They Need To Focus In School. Medicaid’s Early Periodic Screening Diagnostic and Treatment benefit gives children under 21 years old access to comprehensive and preventive health services, such as yearly physicals, hearing, vision, and dental screenings, and physical, mental, and developmental disability treatments. The benefit also helps students gain access to medical supplies, such as hearing aids, glasses, and assistive technology, to help them succeed in school. 

The ACA’s Medicaid Expansion Helps Children Gain Access To Care

After the ACA expanded access to Medicaid, the children’s uninsured rate fell to an all-time low. Research confirms expanding access to Medicaid for parents has had ripple effects for their children. At the same time, the 10 states that continue to reject expansion are limiting children’s health care access: 

Medicaid Expansion Led To Gains In Coverage For Children As Well As Parents. Parents enrolled in Medicaid are more likely to access the support they need to be a healthy and effective parent. When parents gain coverage they are more likely to enroll the whole family, so the family will be protected from the economic strains of medical debt and lay the groundwork for optimal child development. Children of parents who are enrolled in Medicaid are more likely themselves to have coverage, due to parents having a more straightforward experience adding their children than if they have never signed up for coverage before. Medicaid for children will save families an estimated $1,222 per year per child when states implement 12-month continuous Medicaid and CHIP eligibility.

The Children’s Uninsured Rate In States That Have Rejected Expansion Is Twice The Rate In States That Expanded The Program — And That Gap Is Growing. The rate of uninsured children in states that have not expanded their Medicaid coverage grew at nearly three times the rate than that of states that have expanded Medicaid coverage. Texas and Florida, two non-expansion states, were responsible for 41 percent of coverage losses for children in a three-year period. 

When Parents Have Health Insurance, Children Are More Likely To Have Coverage. When parents are covered, their children are more likely to have access to health care and have long term benefits from that coverage. Adults who had health insurance as a child were more likely to have better health as adults, including fewer hospitalizations and emergency visits. Medicaid eligibility during childhood is also more linked to a higher likelihood of graduating from high school and college, as well as having higher wages in adulthood.

Protect Our Care will continue to host events and activities throughout Medicaid Awareness Month, which includes the following themes each week:

• Week 1: Republican threats to Medicaid. Week one will focus on how Republicans are actively seeking cuts to Medicaid while GOP leaders in 10 states continue to block Medicaid expansion. 
• Week 2: Medicaid helps people of color and rural Americans. Week two will highlight how Medicaid is a critical tool to expand access to coverage, which together with policies that address other social and structural determinants of health, narrow stark disparities in health care, improve families’ financial security, and make people healthier. 
• Week 3: Medicaid helps women and kids. Week three will bring attention to the vital role of Medicaid for mothers and children across the country.
• Week 4: Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities. The final week will focus on how Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities access lifesaving care. 

Trump Pledges Four More Years of Lies and Chaos in Our Health Care

Washington DC —  Yesterday, in a desperate attempt to cover up his abysmal health care record, Donald Trump denied that he wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — a direct contradiction of his own actions and words. In reality, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump sabotaged affordable health care and pre-existing condition protections while he was in office, and has renewed his calls to “terminate” the ACA at least seven times over the last several months. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement: 

“Trump can’t run from his health care record. But Trump knows he is out of step with the American people, so he is doing what he knows best: lying to the American people. Trump’s first goal as president was to repeal the ACA, and even when he failed, he spent his presidency sabotaging it until the bitter end. Trump’s disastrous health care record includes tirelessly working to repeal the ACA, deliberately sabotaging affordable health care, botching the nation’s COVID response, and upending women’s health care by overturning Roe v. Wade. The consequences of another Trump presidency would be devastating for American families’ health and financial security.”

Washington, D.C. — Today marks the first day of Black Maternal Health Week, a critical reminder that the U.S. is facing a devastating maternal health crisis. Women in America are dying at a higher rate than women in any other high-income country, and Black women are two to three times more likely than white women to die of pregnancy-related causes. Access to lifesaving care is increasingly more difficult as one-third of U.S. counties are considered maternity care deserts. Complications related to pregnancy led to over 700 deaths in 2022, most of them preventable.

While Democrats have worked tirelessly to improve the health of mothers and their families, Republicans are proposing to cut Medicaid and Marketplace coverage, which would throw millions of women off their health plans. The Biden-Harris administration is committed to blocking these proposals and is dedicated to expanding and improving maternal health care. The White House released the Biden-Harris Administration’s Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, a government-wide strategy to cut the rates of maternal mortality and morbidity and reduce disparities among maternal health outcomes. In addition, the administration has worked to expand the number of states offering or planning to offer a full year of postpartum Medicaid coverage from 13 states in 2021 to 47 states and the District of Columbia.

In recognition of Black Maternal Health Week, Protect Our Care Policy and Health Equity Senior Advisor Joi Chaney issued the following statement: 

“Black moms across the nation are facing a maternal mortality crisis that is heartbreaking and largely preventable. What’s worse, and more insulting, is that this crisis comes at a time when Republican attacks on reproductive health and abortion are at their height and reproductive freedom and justice is at its lowest in a generation. President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken action to improve maternal health outcomes for all women and close disparities for Black women and other women of color by lowering health care costs, expanding Medicaid coverage, diversifying the perinatal workforce, strengthening social and economic support for pregnant women and new parents, and supporting postpartum health, including mental health. They understand what it means to truly have family values, and that starts with prioritizing maternal health.”

While Republicans Propose Medicaid Cuts, Democrats Fight to Protect Affordable Health Care. 

Watch the video here.

Washington, D.C. — Protect Our Care released a new video in celebration of the seventh annual Medicaid Awareness Month this April. One in four Americans rely on Medicaid for access to health care. Medicaid coverage saves lives and improves health outcomes nationwide, serving people from all backgrounds, including children, mothers, people of color, working families, people with disabilities, rural Americans, and seniors. 

President Biden and Democrats in Congress have been champions for lowering health care costs and improving care for the American people. They have defended Medicaid from GOP attacks, created multi-billion dollar incentives for Medicaid expansion, stopped onerous work requirements, pushed for expanded postpartum coverage, and worked to minimize the impacts of Medicaid unwinding. The contrast with Republicans could not be clearer. Republican lawmakers continue to escalate their attacks against Medicaid and affordable health care. The latest GOP budget slashes trillions from Medicaid through block granting and calls for work reporting requirements and other bureaucratic measures designed to throw people off their coverage. GOP leaders in 10 states have also failed to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), blocking 1.6 million people from lifesaving coverage. 

Medicaid Awareness Month is a celebration of how this vital health care program has touched millions of families across the nation. Medicaid coverage improves people’s health, keeps hospitals open, increases families’ financial security, and saves lives. Yet Republicans want to slash Medicaid and throw millions of people off of their coverage. As we celebrate, let’s commit to protecting this lifesaving program from Republican attacks and strengthening it for generations to come.

Background:

FACT SHEET: Republicans Propose Budget That Will Raise Health Care Costs and Rip Coverage Away from Millions of Americans

FACT SHEET: Medicaid Is a Vital Source of Coverage for Communities Of Color

FACT SHEET: Medicaid Works For Rural Americans

Republicans in 10 States Are Blocking Medicaid Expansion, Jeopardizing Health Care and Increasing Health Care Costs for Rural Americans

This April marks the 7th annual Medicaid Awareness Month. About one in five – 66 million – Americans reside in rural areas across the United States and nearly 14 million are enrolled in Medicaid. Medicaid is a vital source of coverage for people across rural America, who are more likely to lack insurance, experience negative health outcomes, and have more barriers to accessing care. The Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Medicaid expansion has been a critical part of working towards the goal of closing gaps in health outcomes for rural Americans. Medicaid expansion saves lives, helps keep rural hospitals open, improves families’ financial security, and boosts local economies. The success of Medicaid expansion across the country demonstrates the need for the 10 holdout states to finally expand their Medicaid programs to the 1.6 million people in the coverage gap who have no option for health coverage. 10 percent of rural Americans are uninsured and would benefit from the long awaited expansion. 

However, Republican elected leaders in 10 states refuse to implement Medicaid expansion, blocking 1.6 million from the access to essential health care and financial security Medicaid provides. These holdout states, located in the southern and midwest regions of the U.S. with significant rural populations, are leaving over $13 billion in federal Medicaid funding on the table. In addition to blocking Medicaid expansion in 10 states, MAGA-Republicans want to cut trillions from Medicaid by introducing onerous work reporting requirements and radically restructuring the program through block grants. Donald Trump has promised to follow through on his plan to repeal the ACA, which would end Medicaid expansion and throw the entire health care system into chaos, risking coverage for at least 45 million Americans and ending protections for Americans with preexisting conditions. On the other hand, President Biden and Democrats in Congress have worked to protect and strengthen Medicaid by creating multi-billion dollar incentives for Medicaid expansion, stopping onerous work requirements, pushing for expanded postpartum coverage, and working to minimize the impacts of Medicaid unwinding. 

By The Numbers

• Millions Of Rural Americans Depend On Medicaid. Nearly 14 million Medicaid enrollees reside in rural areas.
• Medicaid Strengthens Health In Rural America. Overall, rural residents have worse health outcomes and tend to be older, poorer, and sicker than those in urban areas.
• Rural States Need Medicaid. Uninsurance rates in rural America are 2 to 3 percentage points higher than in urban areas. States that expanded Medicaid experienced a 7 point increase in insured rates after the passage of the Affordable Care Act.
• Medicaid Helps Keep Rural Hospitals Open. Since 2005, more than 150 rural hospitals have closed, including 20 closures in 2020 alone. Rural hospitals in Medicaid expansion states are 62 percent less likely to close. In 2024, over 400 rural hospitals are at risk of closing in the near future. When hospitals face financial hardship, obstetric services are among the first to be cut. Fewer than half of all rural counties in the United States had hospital-based obstetric care
• Rural Hospitals Strengthen Local Economies. Hospitals employ ten percent of total county employment. Rural areas with hospital closures experience economic downturns with a 14 percent reduction in country employment. 418 rural hospitals are at risk of closing, and estimated that if those hospitals shut down, over 90,000 health care jobs in rural communities would be lost.

How Medicaid Expansion Helps Rural Americans

Medicaid Expansion Saves Lives. Medicaid expansion has been proven to increase access to care, improve financial security, and save lives. A study published in the Lancet found that Medicaid expansion reduced all-cause of mortality. Mortality rates in rural areas are much higher than in urban areas due to a disparity in health care access and increased prevalence of fatal diseases, suicide, and overdoses. 

Medicaid Expansion Reduces Income Inequality And Medical Debt. Medicaid expansion reduces poverty and income inequality across the board by helping low income families access care without jeopardizing income that they may use for other basic living expenses. A 2019 Health Affairs study found that Medicare, Medicaid, and premium subsidies account for one-third of poverty reduction in households without a disability recipient. Medicaid has also been shown to reduce the prevalence of medical debt with nearly 80 percent of the counties with the highest medical debt being from states that haven’t yet expanded Medicaid. 

Medicaid Expansion Plays A Central Role In Fighting The Opioid Crisis. Rural America largely lacks the ability to treat substance use disorders with 65 percent of rural counties lacking the ability to prescribe buprenorphine, an effective drug used to treat opioid dependency. Starting in 2020, Medicaid began covering all medications, therapies, and counseling services that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat opioid use disorders. Medicaid covers an estimated four in ten people with an opioid use disorder. Medicaid expansion in the remaining 10 states is a necessary foundation to help low-income, rural families dealing with higher rates of substance use disorders. 

Medicaid Expansion Is A Lifeline For Rural Hospitals

In states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, rural hospitals are drowning under financial pressure. Low occupancy rates, high levels of uncompensated care, competition with other hospitals, and struggling local economies create a financial burden that rural hospitals face all over the country. Since 2010, 138 rural hospitals have closed, including 20 closures in 2020 and 8 in 2023. In 2024, over 400 hospitals are at risk of closure.

Medicaid Helps Rural Hospitals Stay Open. Rural hospitals in Medicaid expansion states are 62 percent less likely to close. The two most common types of supplemental Medicaid payments are disproportionate share hospital payments, that pay hospitals for uncompensated care for Medicaid and uninsured patients, and upper limit payments, which supplement the gap between fee-for-service Medicaid base payments and the amount that Medicare covers. Some states are also testing the use of global hospital budgets to increase care and improve health outcomes in rural hospitals.

Closure Of Specialized Care And Obstetrical Services. Some hospitals opt to close specific services or facilities that cause patients in rural areas to have to travel further for specialized care. On average, when a rural hospital closes patients have to travel over 20 miles further to access inpatient or emergency care. A 2021 study found that fewer than half of all rural counties in the United States had hospital-based obstetric care. When hospitals face financial hardship, obstetric services are among the first to be cut. Black and Native American women in rural areas are particularly at risk. Black and Native American women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.

Medicaid Expansion Boosts State Budgets. Medicaid expansion generates enough savings that it is well worth the initial cost, eventually helping boost states budgets. Expansion allows states to access federally matched funds for some people covered by traditional Medicaid. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) provides states with additional funding from the federal government. From 2022 to 2025, the states that haven’t yet expanded Medicaid would gain $90 billion in federal matching funds in addition to $17.6 billion in ARP bonus payments and $6.6 billion from higher state and local tax revenue.

Rural Hospitals Are Large Employers In Their Communities. For rural areas that often have high unemployment rates, hospitals contribute significantly to local economies by employing large numbers of people with relatively high-paying jobs. Rural hospitals typically account for about 5 percent of a rural county’s total employment. Beyond just being a source of jobs, hospitals tend to pay higher wages than other rural industries. Hospital employees with an associate’s degree are paid an average of 21 percent higher than the rest of the population.

Rural Hospitals Boost Local Economies. Besides hospitals providing higher paying jobs in the health care sector, rural hospitals also stimulate the local economies of other industries. Hospitals purchase goods or services from local private businesses which helps stabilize and reinforces the local economy. In turn, strong private sector employment allows for more tax dollars for public goods, such as education and safety services.

Protect Our Care will continue to host events and activities throughout Medicaid Awareness Month, which includes the following themes each week:

• Week 1: Republican threats to Medicaid. Week one will focus on how Republicans are actively seeking cuts to Medicaid while GOP leaders in 10 states continue to block Medicaid expansion. 
• Week 2: Medicaid helps people of color and rural Americans. Week two will highlight how Medicaid is a critical tool to expand access to coverage, which together with policies that address other social and structural determinants of health, narrow stark disparities in health care, improve families’ financial security, and make people healthier. 
• Week 3: Medicaid helps women and kids. Week three will bring attention to the vital role of Medicaid for mothers and children across the country.
• Week 4: Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities. The final week will focus on how Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities access lifesaving care. 

While President Biden and Democrats Fight to Protect and Expand Medicaid, Republicans Return to Some of Their Oldest Schemes to Cut the Program 

This April marks the 7th annual Medicaid Awareness Month, an important time to bring attention to the communities who rely on Medicaid to stay healthy. Generations of structural racism have resulted in people of color experiencing lower rates of health coverage, worse health outcomes, and staggering health inequities. As a result, Medicaid coverage remains a critical source of coverage and financial security, especially for Black, Latino, and Indigenous families in America who experience poverty at a higher rate than white Americans and remain less likely to have access to quality care – an important driver of health. These groups also face higher rates of chronic conditions that make access to affordable health coverage even more essential.

This Medicaid Awareness Month, Medicaid is under attack by Republicans. The latest GOP scheme slashes trillions from Medicaid through block granting and work reporting requirements and other paperwork and red tape designed to throw people off their coverage. GOP leaders in 10 states have also failed to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), blocking 1.6 million people from affordable coverage. Donald Trump has promised to follow through on his plan to repeal the ACA, which would end Medicaid expansion and throw the entire health care system into chaos. The consequences of the GOP war on Medicaid would be particularly devastating for communities of color. President Biden and Democrats, on the other hand, are continuing to fight to address health disparities, expand access to coverage, lower health care costs, and protect Medicaid for years to come.

By The Numbers

• 1 In 5 Medicaid Enrollees Are Black. As of 2022, Black Americans make up 13.6 percent of the U.S. population, but about 20 percent of Medicaid enrollees. 
• 1 in 3 Native American And American Indian People Are Enrolled In Medicaid. According to the 2021 census, 4.3 million people identified as Native American and American Indian. Nearly 27 percent of this group is enrolled in Medicaid. 
• 30 Percent Of Medicaid Enrollees Are Hispanic/Latino. Hispanic/Latino people make up 18.9 percent of the U.S. population, but nearly 30 percent of Medicaid enrollees. 
• 15 Percent Of Asian Americans Are Enrolled In Medicaid. Roughly 6 percent of the American population identify as Asian American equating to about 21 million people.
• More Than 30 Percent Of Native Hawaiian And Other Pacific Islanders (NHOPI) Are Covered By Medicaid. That’s about 207,000 out of 690,000 NHOPI people.
• More Than 1.6 Million People Could Gain Coverage If Holdout States Accepted Expansion. If Republicans did the right thing and expanded Medicaid in the remaining holdout states, more than 1.6 million uninsured adults could gain coverage; people of color make up 61 percent of this group, or roughly 1.3 million people. 

Research Confirms Medicaid Improves Coverage, Health, And Economic Equity

Reduced Racial/Ethnic Disparities In Coverage. Increasing Medicaid access is the single most important action available to expand coverage and address access to quality care as a driver of health. This together with additional actions to address other social and structural determinants of health can reduce racial/ethnic disparities in the American health care system. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) led to historic reductions in racial/ethnic disparities in access to health care, but gaps in insurance coverage narrowed the most in states that adopted Medicaid expansion. 

Closing The Coverage Gap Is Essential For Addressing Health Disparities. Research confirms that Medicaid expansion saves lives and drastically reduces racial/ethnic health coverage disparities. The majority of people in America who would gain coverage if the remaining 10 holdout states expanded Medicaid are people of color. States that expanded their Medicaid programs saw a 51 percent reduction in the gap between uninsured white and Black adults after expansion, and a 45 percent reduction between white and Hispanic/Latino adults. Despite Medicaid expansion’s proven role in reducing racial/ethnic disparities in health care access and improving health outcomes, Republicans have spent years undermining the expansion of Medicaid, blocking millions from coverage. Currently, an estimated 1.5 million uninsured adults are locked out of coverage in the 10 holdout states refusing Medicaid expansion, with people of color comprising 61 percent of those who would gain coverage if these 10 states expanded Medicaid. 

Medicaid Is Essential For Children Now And In The Future. Children of color disproportionately rely on Medicaid coverage, making robust Medicaid access a critical racial/ethnic justice issue for American children. Children of color make up nearly 52 percent of all American children, but nearly 67 percent of the children on Medicaid. This coverage not only provides health coverage in the immediate term, but also provides significant long-term benefits, such as being less likely to be hospitalized and more likely to graduate high school and college.

Medicaid Coverage Is Critical To Improving Maternal Health. The United States is only one of two nations that has reported an increase in maternal mortality since 2000, including increases over the past three years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 80 percent of these deaths are preventable. Women of color consistently experience higher rates of maternal mortality than white women, with the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities finding this to be the result of a combination of factors, including life-long toxic stress resulting from racism and the impacts of structural racism in the health care system. 30 states have expanded postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full year, covering more than 460,000 individuals. In the 10 states that have refused Medicaid expansion, eight had more than 40 percent of births covered by Medicaid. Medicaid covers 65 percent of all births to Black mothers and 65 percent of women of reproductive age living in the coverage gap are women of color. 

Reduced Racial/Ethnic Disparities In Rural Access To Care. 24 percent of rural Americans identify as a person of color. Rural Americans of color face a greater health disparity than their white counterparts due to barriers to health care access, reporting not having primary care providers, forgoing care due to cost, and having fair to poor health status. States that have expanded Medicaid have improved rural hospital financial performance and lower likelihood of hospital closures. When Arkansas and Kentucky accepted Medicaid expansion, adults in those states became more likely to have a personal doctor, obtain care for ongoing conditions, and have a yearly medical check up.

LGBTQI+ People of Color Have Seen Reduced Health Disparities. Due to both systemic factors as well as complex familial dynamics, the LGBTQI+ community is much more at risk of poverty and uninsurance than cisgender heterosexual Americans. Because of this, Medicaid has become a lifeline for the LGBTQI+ community, especially people of color. Around 46 percent of Black LGBTQI+ Americans and 43 percent of Latino LGTBQI+ Americans with incomes below 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Line qualify for Medicaid. As well, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) LGBTQI+ Americans are over two times as likely to have Medicaid as their primary insurance compared to cisgender heterosexual AAPI individuals.

Medicaid Improves Financial Security For Families. The racial/ethnic wealth gap in America is staggering. According to data from the US Census Bureau, in 2020, the annual median household income for white Americans was nearly $20,000 higher than for Hispanic/Latino households and nearly $30,000 higher compared to Black households. As a result, policies to boost financial well-being undoubtedly help people of color. The bottom 10th percentile of earners In Medicaid expansion states saw a 22.4 percent boost in their income, compared to 11.4 percent in non-expansion states. Over the past decade, research has shown the gap in medical debt between Medicaid expansion and holdout states has grown approximately 30 percent. In 2020, Americans living in holdout states carried an average of $375 more in medical debt than their counterparts in expansion states.

Medicaid Reduces Poverty And Inequity. Poverty can produce negative long-term consequences for children and adults alike. Medicaid has long been considered one of the most effective anti-poverty programs in the nation, and its expansion has significantly improved health outcomes for people of color. In a nation where Americans are one medical bill away from being pushed into poverty, Medicaid serves as a lifeline not only for health care, but for economic stability. A January 2021 study from Health Affairs found that the ACA helped reduce income inequality across the board, but much more dramatically in Medicaid expansion states.

Medicaid Helps Those Dealing With Behavioral Health Conditions. States that have expanded Medicaid have added behavioral health benefits, including mental health and substance use disorder care, that particularly benefit beneficiaries of color who have disproportionately been affected by these conditions. 28 percent of Black people and 27 percent of Latinos suffer from a mental health or substance use disorder. Medicaid is the single-largest payer for mental health services in America. 40 percent of adults on Medicaid are living with a serious mental health or substance use disorder.

Protect Our Care will continue to host events and activities throughout Medicaid Awareness Month, which includes the following themes each week:

• Week 1: Republican threats to Medicaid. Week one will focus on how Republicans are actively seeking cuts to Medicaid while GOP leaders in 10 states continue to block Medicaid expansion. 
• Week 2: Medicaid helps people of color and rural Americans. Week two will highlight how Medicaid is a critical tool to expand access to coverage, which together with policies that address other social and structural determinants of health, narrow stark disparities in health care, improve families’ financial security, and make people healthier. 
• Week 3: Medicaid helps women and kids. Week three will bring attention to the vital role of Medicaid for mothers and children across the country.
• Week 4: Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities. The final week will focus on how Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities access lifesaving care. 

“Lynn” and “Lowering Drug Costs” Highlight the Inflation Reduction Act’s Drug Pricing Provisions, Recognize Health Care Champions in Congress, and Urge Them to Continue to Fight for Lower Drug Costs 

Watch the New Ads Here. 

Washington, D.C. — Today, Protect Our Care is releasing a new round of advertisements as part of the $5 million+ campaign announced in March to promote the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act’s provisions to lower drug costs, recognize health care champions, and urge them to continue the fight to lower health care costs. Polling shows that health care consistently ranks as a top economic concern for Americans. One ad features Lynn, a senior who will benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act’s lower drug prices, and another puts a spotlight on the benefits passed in the Inflation Reduction Act.

The program will continue focusing on the following districts: Yadira Caraveo (CO-08), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Susan Wild (PA-07), Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Susie Lee (NV-03), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Pat Ryan (NY-18), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), and Gabe Vasquez (NM-02). Each of these members have championed the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to cap the price of insulin at $35/month and give Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. Congress is now considering a plan to lower costs even more by expanding those reforms to the broader health insurance market, not just seniors. The ads urge the members to continue to lead the fight for lower drug costs by passing H.R. 4895, the Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act. 

“We are continuing the work to educate Americans about how their members of Congress have delivered lower health care and prescription drug costs,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “The Inflation Reduction Act is bringing real relief to millions of families, and it is critical the American people take advantage of these savings. We urge these members of Congress to continue this work and lead the fight for reforms like the Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act so more families can afford their medications.”

The seven-figure ad campaign began on Monday, March 11, with the new ads beginning on Thursday, April 4. The campaign will reach people through broadcast, cable and satellite television, OTT/streaming, YouTube, Hulu, and more. The program will also include on-the-ground events and organizing to make sure people in these communities know about these reforms. 

Links to each of the new ads can be found below:

Yadira Caraveo (CO-08)
Hillary Scholten (MI-03) 1
Hillary Scholten (MI-03) 2
Susan Wild (PA-07)
Matt Cartwright (PA-08)
Susie Lee (NV-03)
Steven Horsford (NV-04)
Pat Ryan (NY-18)
Frank Pallone (NJ-06)
Gabe Vasquez (NM-02)

Sample Ad Script for CO-08:

Lynn: When I was diagnosed with Afib, I was shocked at how expensive my medication was. Just seems like you’re at the mercy of whatever drug companies want to charge. Finally, Congress did something about it.

Narrator: Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo is standing up to drug companies, supporting the plan to let Medicare negotiate lower drug prices, and capping out-of-pocket costs for seniors.

Lynn: Lowering drug costs goes a long way for us.

Narrator: Tell Congresswoman Caraveo to keep fighting for lower health care costs.

Sample Ad Script for NV-04:

Narrator: You’ve worked hard your whole life. You shouldn’t have to worry about affording the medicine you count on so Congressman Steven Horsford did something about it, passing the Inflation Reduction Act to cap the price of insulin at just $35 a month, Medicare will now be given the power to negotiate lower drug prices, and drug companies are now penalized if they try to raise prices faster than the rate of inflation. Tell Congressman Horsford to keep fighting for lower health care costs.

President Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders joined forces at the White House Wednesday to celebrate the progress made on lowering drug costs on inhalers and insulin. At the event, Democratic leaders highlighted lower prescription drug savings for 27 million people across the country who have asthma. The vast majority of Americans will pay no more than $35 for an inhaler at the pharmacy thanks to the work of Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Additionally, the Inflation Reduction Act capped seniors’ insulin costs at $35 per month, prompting some companies to extend these savings to the entire market. This marks the latest of Democratic achievements to rein in big drug company greed and lower prices for the American people. 

President Biden also laid out a vision for the future of American health care, highlighting priorities to extend savings put in place by the Inflation Reduction Act to everyone. In addition to insulin caps, the landmark law caps seniors’ total out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 per year, stops price hikes outpacing inflation, makes vaccines available for free, and lowers premium costs for people purchasing coverage on their own. Right now, the Biden administration is negotiating with drug companies for lower prices under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Negotiation Program. 

HEADLINES

Reuters: Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders Push Companies To Cut Cost Of Asthma Inhalers, Prescription Drugs. “President Joe Biden hosted a White House event with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on Wednesday to tout their fight against high prescription drug prices and push companies to cut the cost of inhalers for asthma sufferers. […] The Biden administration has sought to crack down on what it calls falsely claimed patents in an effort to increase competition to lower inhaler costs. The president also highlighted successful efforts included in 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act that placed a $35 cap on insulin. He also pushed to increase the number of Medicare drugs the federal government can negotiate with pharmaceutical companies from 10 to 50. Part of 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act allows Medicare to negotiate prices for prescription drugs that had been particularly expensive for the federal healthcare insurance program that covers millions of Americans aged 65 and older, as well as the disabled.” [Reuters, 4/3/24]

AP News: Biden And Sen. Bernie Sanders Join Forces To Promote Lower Health Care Costs, Including For Inhalers. “President Joe Biden teamed up with Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday to promote his administration’s efforts to lower the cost of inhalers and other health care needs, as the White House continues its effort to highlight Biden’s legislative achievements to voters ahead of the November elections. […] Both men touted the lower health care costs that come through the Democrats’ sweeping climate, health care and tax package that Biden signed into law in 2022. It caps various health care costs for those on Medicare, including $35 a month for insulin and $2,000 a year for prescription drugs. No Republican lawmakers voted for the law.” [Associated Press, 4/3/24] 

Spectrum News: Biden, Bernie Sanders Tout Efforts To Lower Health Care Costs After Inhaler Producers Announce Price Cap. “The president used the gathering to make the case that companies are using patents to hinder the ability for generic alternatives, that often cost less, to enter the market — a move he argues keeps prices high and stifles competition. The Biden administration recently has sought to crack down on the issue, with the Federal Trade Commission late last year announcing it was challenging more than 100 patents on inhalers, epinephrine autoinjectors and other products.” [Spectrum News, 4/3/24]

CBS News: Biden Touts Inhaler Price Drops With Bernie Sanders: “Finally, Finally We Beat Big Pharma.” “Sen. Bernie Sanders and President Biden joined forces Wednesday at the White House, championing the progress they’ve made on lowering the cost of inhalers and other expenses for Americans with asthma. Mr. Biden and Sanders also called on Congress and pharmaceutical companies to do more to curb prices. […] Americans pay more for prescription drugs than people in any other advanced company in the world, typically two to three times more, Mr. Biden and Sanders said. One company charges customers $9 for inhalers in Germany, and $286 in the U.S., Mr. Biden said — more than 30 times more. More than 27 million people in the U.S. suffer from asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.” [CBS News, 4/3/24]

ABC News: Bernie Sanders, Biden Share Plan To Cut ‘Outrageous’ Health Care Costs. “Among the accomplishments highlighted by Biden and Sanders were the Inflation Reduction Act provisions capping insulin costs at $35 for Medicare patients and out-of-pocket spending on brand-name drugs for Medicare beneficiaries to $2,000 yearly. They also touted the ability of Medicare, for the first time, to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies on the price of certain prescription drugs. […] Still, both Biden and Sanders said more work needs to be done. They advocated for expanding Medicare’s price negotiations to 50 drugs (the first 10 drugs subject to negotiations were unveiled last year) and for capping out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs to $2,000 for all Americans.” [ABC News, 4/3/24]

The Hill: Biden, Sanders Tout Drug Pricing Action. “Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) joined President Biden at the White House Wednesday to tout progress they’ve made at lowering drug costs, especially for common medicines like inhalers and insulin. […] Biden talked up his efforts to cap the costs of insulin at $35 a month for people on Medicare, as well as requiring drug companies to negotiate prices with Medicare for the first time ever. He credited Sanders with helping to shepherd drug pricing legislation through Congress. Earlier this year, Sanders and several Democratic colleagues criticized four major inhaler manufacturers — AstraZeneca, GSK, Teva Pharmaceuticals and Boehringer — for having significantly higher prices in the U.S. than elsewhere. Since then, one inhaler manufacturer has nixed patents, and three of the largest inhaler manufacturers said they plan to cap the cost of inhalers for many patients at $35 a month. Biden pledged to build on his current measures, including a shared goal with Sanders of capping health care costs at $2,000 annually for all Americans, not just those on Medicare.” [The Hill, 4/3/24]

The Washington Post: Bernie Sanders Joins Biden In Touting Lower Prescription Drug Costs. “Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) joined President Biden on Wednesday to tout an initiative that Democrats believe will be key this election year: lowering the cost of prescription drugs. The event took place at the place at the [sic] White House, but the issue is one that Democrats hope will resonate on the campaign trail.” [The Washington Post, 4/3/24]

The Washington Times: Biden Enlists Bernie Sanders To Highlight Democratic-GOP Contrasts On Health Care. “‘We are sick and tired of paying, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs,’ Mr. Sanders said at the White House. ‘The Biden administration and Democrats in Congress are beginning to make some progress.’ Mr. Biden‘s marquee drug-price legislation offered seniors on Medicare a $2,000 annual cap on prescription costs and a $35 limit on monthly insulin in the Inflation Reduction Act. But Democrats want to grant the benefits to all Americans. The president also wants to let Medicare negotiate up to 50 drugs per year, an expansion of a signature program that will negotiate down the cost of at least 10 drugs starting in 2026 before expanding to 15 drugs and, incrementally, more drugs in successive years. ‘I think we should be more aggressive,’ Mr. Biden said. Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders tried to draw a contrast with former President Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The Republican Study Committee, a major bloc of House Republicans, released a fiscal 2025 budget plan that would attack Obamacare and convert Medicare into a premium-support model. Mr. Biden said he is pushing to extend supersized subsidies that made Obamacare more popular and drove record signups, yet expire at the end of 2025.” [The Washington Times, 4/3/24]

CNN: Four Years After Being Rivals, Joe Biden And Bernie Sanders Partner To Push For Lower Prescription Drug Costs. “Sanders has long decried the high prices Americans pay for drugs, grilling pharmaceutical company executives and releasing a multitude of bills to bring down medication costs. He even led a caravan to Canada in 2019 to give people with diabetes access to less expensive insulin. Biden sought to align himself with the outspoken senator, saying Wednesday that the two have fought against high drug prices for 25 years and ‘beat Big Pharma finally.’ […] Trump has talked about dismantling the Affordable Care Act if he were to win a second term, even as the landmark health care law signed by President Barack Obama in 2010 has proven to be popular among most Americans, including Republicans. Both Biden and Sanders also called out congressional Republicans for voting against the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, which gave Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices and capped the monthly cost of insulin at $35 and the annual out-of-pocket costs for drugs at $2,000 for Medicare enrollees. Biden also slammed Republicans on Capitol Hill for limiting the law’s provisions those [sic] covered by Medicare, rather than extending them to those with private insurance.” [CNN, 4/3/24]

USA Today: Biden Teams Up With Progressive Former Rival Bernie Sanders To Slam Trump Over Health Care. “President Joe Biden teamed up Wednesday with one-time political rival Bernie Sanders to hammer Republicans on prescription drug costs. The independent U.S. senator appeared with Biden at the White House for an event with healthcare advocates that focused on lowering the costs cost [sic] of inhalers to $35 a month, along with other Democratic efforts to expand access to health care. […] Biden sought to bring attention to actions he has taken with the help of congressional Democrats to lower prescription drug costs at the event with Sanders, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The president is now pushing for a $2,000 cap on drug costs and $35 insulin for every American, not just seniors.” [USA Today, 4/3/24]

COMMENTARY 

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT): “Earlier today, I went to the White House because @POTUS and I had some good news to share on the fight to lower prescription drug costs in this country. But let me be clear: The fight does not stop here.” [@SenSanders, X, 4/3/24]

Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI): “When I said I’d fight to lower health care costs for Wisconsin families, I meant it. I’m proud that after my investigation into the high cost of inhalers, three of the biggest inhaler manufacturers have capped their inhaler prices at $35/month!“ [@SenatorBaldwin, X, 4/3/24] 

President Biden: “$35 a month insulin for seniors. $35 inhalers for asthma. $2,000 a year cap on prescription drugs for seniors starting next year. With Senator Sanders’ help, we’re showing how health care should be a right – not a privilege – in America.” [@POTUS, X, 4/3/24]

President Biden: “Inhalers cost less than $5 to make. But drug companies charge Americans up to $600 to increase their profits. My Administration has been cracking down on Big Pharma – and now, three of the four largest inhaler manufacturers are capping out-of-pocket costs at $35.” [@POTUS, X, 4/3/24]