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In House Democrats, Capitol Hill, News

House Democrats to Reintroduce Bill to Lower Drug Prices, Stand Up to Big Pharma

Washington, DC — According to reports, House Democrats will once again introduce historic legislation to lower prescription drug costs. The bill will give Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices so that every American can pay less for the drugs they need. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“This legislation addresses one of the biggest economic and health concerns Americans face — skyrocketing prescription drug prices. The single most effective way to lower drug prices is to give Medicare the power to negotiate on behalf of all Americans. Americans shouldn’t have to pay three times as much for drugs as people in other countries and shouldn’t have to choose between taking their medicine and buying their groceries. Republicans refused to even allow a vote on this bill on the Senate floor, but now with Democrats in charge of the Senate and the House, and Joe Biden in the White House, Americans can finally get relief from Pharma’s outrageous prices.”

BACKGROUND:

The Time To Act Is Now: Lower Drug Prices For All Americans

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In Capitol Hill

Health Care Champions Andrea Palm and Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Show Exceptional Qualifications During Senate Finance Committee Hearing 

Washington, DC — Today, the Senate Finance Committee held confirmation hearings for two critical Biden administration health care nominees: Andrea Palm as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and Chiquita Brooks-LaSure as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator. Both nominees demonstrated their exceptional qualifications for their posts and their deep commitment to health care. In response, Protect Our Care Chair and former Senior Counselor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“With his selection of Andrea Palm and Chiquita Brooks-LaSure for key health care roles in his administration, President Biden is assembling the best possible team to deliver on the health care needs of Americans.

“During the Obama administration, I had the opportunity to work closely with Andrea Palm, and I know she will make an outstanding Deputy Secretary of HHS. She is a public servant through and through, and in Wisconsin she did an extraordinary job handling the pandemic by respecting the science and the facts, making the right decisions, and telling the truth to the people she served. She knows the issues and has the experience necessary to deliver for the American people.

“Chiquita Brooks-LaSure will make an excellent CMS Administrator. Her deep knowledge of the issues and her commitment to the mission of CMS make her an ideal pick. She has the experience necessary to hit the ground running as the head of CMS, and she will use that experience to lower the cost of health care, make sure more Americans get the health care they need, and address the racial inequities that permeate our health care system.”

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In Capitol Hill

Andrea Palm Has the Experience and Qualifications Needed to Be Deputy Secretary of HHS

This week, the Senate Finance Committee will consider President Biden’s nominee for Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, Andrea Palm. Palm has the experience and qualifications needed to be an outstanding Deputy Secretary of HHS. Her leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic has led Wisconsin to one of the best vaccination rates in the country, saving countless lives. Palm has support from a diverse group of stakeholders, including the Wisconsin Hospital Association and large private sector health care employers in the state.  

Experience

  • Palm served as Secretary-Designee for the Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services from 2019 to 2021 and led the state’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. 
  • Palm served in a variety of senior roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including as Senior Counselor to the Secretary (2014-2017), Chief of Staff (2013-2014), Counselor to the Secretary for Science and Public Health (2011-2013), and as Acting Assistant Secretary for Legislation (2009-2010)
  • Palm holds an undergraduate degree in human services studies from Cornell University and attended graduate school at Washington University in St. Louis.

Leadership In Wisconsin

  • Palm led Wisconsin to one of the best vaccination rates in the country, reducing disparities in access and saving countless lives. 
  • Five large employers in Wisconsin, including the health software company Epic, are backing Palm’s confirmation, saying that she partnered effectively with the private sector and “led with facts, strength, and transparency.” 
  • In a letter of support Children’s Wisconsin said Palm’s tenure in Wisconsin was “characterized by strong collaboration, partnership and communication.” The hospital called her handling of the Covid-19 “skillful,” “effective,” and “nimble” and cited her “unwavering commitment to advancing the health of Wisconsin residents and strong management skills” as major assets for the Department of Health and Human Services.  
  • Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers called Andrea Palm “a public servant through and through.” “She’s been a critical part of our administration and a consummate professional who has done an extraordinary job helping lead our state during an unprecedented public health crisis, said Evers. “I know she will continue to serve our country just as she has our state — with empathy, kindness, and tenacity. I wish her our very best as she leaves us to take this new opportunity.”

Experts And Stakeholders Know That Andrea Palm Is A Superb Choice For HHS Deputy Secretary 

  • Former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius relied on Andrea Palm as her chief of staff. Sebelius has said that Palm “knows every piece of the department” 
  • Former HHS Deputy Secretary Bill Corr said Palm’s experience with Wisconsin’s GOP-led legislature shows she can navigate Washington’s policy fights. “The fact that she’s had so much opposition, and she’s still managed to organize and deliver so much in Wisconsin says legions about her leadership ability and addressing the public’s needs, and not getting caught in the political games,” Corr said.
  • The Wisconsin Hospital Association supports Palm’s nomination, citing her work fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and reforming Wisconsin’s Medicaid telehealth laws. In a supportive letter the WHA wrote “Andrea’s health care policy expertise, combined with her ability to build a strong team, create partnerships and collaborations and manage multiple complex and challenging tasks simultaneously make her well-suited for her new role as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.” 
  • The American Hospital Association is also backing Palm’s nomination because she has “spent her entire career improving our health care system and ensuring Americans have access to health care.” According to the AHA, “The state of Wisconsin faced many challenges during the pandemic; however, under Ms. Palm’s leadership, the state was able to meet the health care needs of the state’s urban, suburban and rural communities.” 
  • The CEO of Wisconsin’s Advocate Aurora Health called Palm “a reliable and thoughtful partner when it came to helping our frontline providers obtain critical supplies of vaccines, test kits and other important tools to help fight the pandemic” and expressed confidence that she will be “a highly effective leader at HHS and will support the Department’s critical mission.” 
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In Capitol Hill

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Has the Experience and Qualifications Needed to Be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

This week, the Senate Finance Committee will consider President Biden’s nominee for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. Brooks-LaSure has the experience and qualifications necessary to be an outstanding Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and will be the first African American woman to serve in the role. Brooks-LaSure has decades of experience in health policy, including serving as a key implementer of the Affordable Care Act at the Department of Health and Human Services and working to draft the law as a Congressional aide. Brooks-LaSure has drawn support from a wide variety of health stakeholders, including the American Hospital Association and the American Association of Medical Colleges. 

Experience

  • Brooks-LaSure currently serves as Managing Director at Manatt, a national professional services firm. She also serves on the board of FAIRHealth, a nonprofit working to increase health care cost transparency. 
  • Brooks-LaSure served in multiple senior health policy roles in the Obama administration. As deputy director for policy at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and at the Department of Health & Human Services as director of coverage policy, she led the agency’s implementation of ACA coverage and insurance reform policy provisions.
  • Brooks-LaSure served on the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means’ Democratic staff, where she worked on the Affordable Care Act and the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) of 2008.
  • Brooks-LaSure earned an A.B. in Politics from Princeton University and a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University. 

Focus On Equity And Expansion

  • Brooks-LaSure is very active on issues related to the expansion of health care coverage and is “a thought-leader on ways to expand coverage through the ACA and novel state-based innovations.” Brooks-LaSure recently authored a paper for Health Affairs defending the ACA’s record in increasing health care coverage, noting that coverage for the poor “remains the most significant unfinished business of the ACA,” which she said is the result of states declining to expand Medicaid. 
  • Brooks-LaSure has shown a strong personal interest in issues like maternal health and co-authored a paper for State Health and Value Strategies arguing that Medicaid has a pivotal role to play in improving national health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women. In another 2020 article on maternal health disparities, Brooks-LaSure emphasized that key challenges facing many pregnant women are complex and changing benefits eligibility and maintaining continuity of coverage, “This is clearly an area where states can help make sure that the various groups that help people enroll in coverage today are funded and be aware of this issue.” 
  • In a 2019 Ways and Means Committee hearing on universal health care, Brooks-LaSure testified on inequities in the health care system. She cited maternal mortality statistics, indicating “African American women, regardless of insurance status, are four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women.” In her view, the COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated underlying “cracks in our health system,” that could be corrected by Medicaid expansion, saying poor individuals have “no access to coverage because their states have not expanded Medicaid.”

Stakeholders From Across The Health Care Community Know That Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Is A Superb Choice For CMS Administrator

  • The American Hospital Association supports Brooks-LaSure. “America’s hospitals and health systems applaud the nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to serve as the next administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,” AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said in a statement “her previous experiences as a senior CMS and HHS official who helped implement the Affordable Care Act and her work on the House Ways and Means Committee gives her a deep understanding of the importance of health care coverage and protections for consumers. She is well equipped to lead CMS and we look forward to working with her to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and advance the health of all our patients and communities.”
  • AdvaMed, the world’s largest trade organization representing medical technology companies supports Brooks-LaSure’s nomination saying, “We congratulate Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on her nomination to lead CMS and we look forward to working closely with her if confirmed by the Senate. Her strong experience at both HHS and CMS has prepared her well for this important role.”  
  • Stakeholders from across the hospice and serious illness care community applaud Brooks-LaSure’s nomination. “C-TAC is pleased to see that Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, a health policy expert and veteran of CMS, has been chosen to lead the agency,” said Coalition to Transform Advanced Care Executive Director Jon Broyles. “We are thrilled that Chiquita Brooks-LaSure has been nominated to lead CMS. She understands the inner workings of government and has a deep appreciation for health advocacy,” said National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization President and CEO Edo Banach. “Chiquita Brooks-LaSure would bring solid experience to a very difficult job,” said National Association for Home Care & Hospice President Bill Dombi. “Over the years, she has demonstrated a high degree of capability and the versatility to handle the wide range on matters that occur in Medicare and Medicaid.”
  • Long term care providers support Brooks-LaSure’s appointment. “Never has there been a more crucial time to serve as the head of CMS, with so much at stake for our vulnerable patients and those who care for them,” the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living said in a statement. “We look forward to an open dialogue with Brooks-LaSure, so that we can foster a collaborative relationship with all stakeholders about how to support long term care providers in keeping residents safe as well as offering the highest quality care.  LeadingAge added that it’s “looking forward to working with her.” 
  • The American Association of Medical Colleges supports Brooks-LaSure’s nomination saying that she has “been a strong, persistent, and effective voice in support of increasing patient access to vital health care, and her detailed understanding of Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as well as her commitment to health equity, makes her a welcome partner in academic medicine’s work to improve the health of people everywhere.” 
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In Capitol Hill

Protect Our Care Applauds Senator Baldwin, Stabenow, and Casey’s No Junk Plans Act

Washington, DC — Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), along with U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Bob Casey (D-PA), introduced the “No Junk Plans Act.” This legislation would overturn a Trump-era rule that expanded junk insurance plans. Senator Casey released an oversight report in October of 2019 which found that misleading advertisements through online search engines are also helping to funnel individuals into “junk” health insurance coverage. Often, these ads portray the junk coverage as comprehensive, or attempt to trick consumers into thinking that they link to a government site like Healthcare.gov. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“Protect Our Care applauds Senators Baldwin, Stabenow, and Casey for their leadership on the No Junk Plans Act and wholeheartedly endorse this important bill. This legislation protects consumers from enrolling in misleading junk plans that skirt vital consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act and do not provide the care people need. As we continue to battle the coronavirus, it’s more important than ever that Americans have comprehensive coverage that includes protections for people with pre-existing conditions. With the expansion of low or no cost coverage under the American Rescue Plan, these junk plans not only provide less coverage, but may cost more than coverage currently available on the marketplace.”

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In News, House Democrats, Capitol Hill, Stories

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Protect Our Care Mark the 11th Anniversary of ACA

ACA Provides Critical Health Care Protections, Is Invaluable Lifeline for Americans During the Pandemic

Watch the Event Here

Washington, DC — On the 11th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) joined Protect Our Care and a health care storyteller from Georgia for an online event about how the health care law has benefitted millions of Americans since its passage, and the work still needed to ensure all Americans have access to affordable, quality health care. During the event, speakers covered the historic nature of the ACA, its impact on Americans’ lives, and how the law is stronger than ever after the enhancements passed in the American Rescue Plan, which further expand coverage and lower costs.

“For eleven years, the landmark Affordable Care Act has expanded coverage, lowered costs and secured lifesaving protections for hard-working families,” said House Speaker Pelosi. “Today, the ACA stands as a great pillar of economic and health security for the American people, alongside Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Democrats will continue to work For The People to build on the Affordable Care Act to lower health costs and prescription drug prices for all Americans. On this anniversary, Democrats renew our commitment to strengthen and expand the ACA’s lifesaving protections – because quality, affordable health care must be a right, not a privilege, for all.”

“Today, on the 11th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, we can proudly say our health care law is better and stronger than ever!” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “The ACA has meant the difference between life and death for millions of people across the country. Because Democrats fought for this law, Americans can’t be denied coverage or dropped by their insurance company if they have a pre-existing condition. Democrats are building on the strong foundation of the ACA with the American Rescue Plan, which includes the most significant health care expansion in a decade, and we will continue working to ensure every American has access to quality, affordable health care.”

“Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer worked tirelessly to pass and protect the Affordable Care Act — and now the American Rescue Plan. Democrats passed the American Rescue Plan without a single Republican vote even though the law enjoys overwhelmingly bipartisan support among voters,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “The American Rescue Plan is the boldest expansion of health care in a decade and has historic provisions to reduce premiums for millions of Americans, including those who lost their jobs during the pandemic, and invest in addressing racial disparities in our health care system. The Affordable Care Act and the American Rescue Plan are changing people’s lives by making sure they can get the health care they need, and Protect Our Care looks forward to working with Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer to pass legislation that reduces prescription drug costs and further expands coverage.” 

“For the past 11 years, the ACA has been a tremendous lifeline for me because I’ve lived the last decade and then some with several pre-existing medical conditions that range across the spectrum of autoimmune illnesses, and President Biden signing the American Rescue Plan has given me new hope,” said Himali Patel, a Georgia small business owner negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “With the American Rescue Plan, getting the coverage I need through the Affordable Care Act is going to be even less expensive than it was before. My premiums are going down to almost zero.”

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In House Democrats, Capitol Hill

U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Ron Wyden, U.S. Representative Frank Pallone Discuss the American Rescue Plan’s Expansion of the ACA, Health Care Priorities

Listen to the Call Audio Here

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, and U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee joined Protect Our Care today to discuss the impacts of the American Rescue Plan and its expansion of the Affordable Care Act. The American Rescue Plan contains the most significant health care reform since the law was passed 11 years ago. The chairs also discussed the need for Congress to take further action to lower costs, expand coverage, address inequities in care, and tackle the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs. 

“This pandemic is the biggest health care crisis in a century, which is why the American Rescue Plan included the biggest expansion of health care since the Affordable Care Act. There is still plenty of work ahead to fully end this pandemic, to rebuild our nation stronger and fairer, and to finally ensure health care in this country is truly a right and not a privilege. But it’s worth recognizing the work we just did—the American Rescue Plan we just passed—will make a real difference in millions of lives. After four years of fighting off health care attacks, I’m glad to say we are finally building on the progress of the past with bold steps to expand quality, affordable health coverage, and we are not done yet,” said U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chair of the Senate HELP Committee.

“I am thrilled to continue working with Protect Our Care on legislation that sends help to Americans instead of fighting Republicans who tried to take that help away. The American Rescue Plan is the boldest economic relief package in memory: it sends relief payments to families in Oregon and nationwide, cuts child poverty in half, and boosts the take home pay of millions of essential workers like grocery store clerks and home health aides. Moving forward, I am committed to bold action on prescription drugs to help Americans who are getting clobbered at the pharmacy counter. And Congress must build on the work to expand health care coverage and improve affordability that was passed as a part of the American Rescue Plan,” said U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee. 

“When President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law last week it was the largest expansion of health care coverage since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. It is a relief to finally see legislation being enacted that expands health care and lowers costs for families after a decade of constant Republican obstruction and sabotage. I’m looking forward to continuing to build on this early momentum in the months to come as we look to continue to strengthen the Affordable Care Act,” said U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, Jr., Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“The American Rescue Plan is the boldest expansion of health care in a decade and coincides with the anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Over the last year, the ACA has served as a lifeline to Americans battling the COVID-19 pandemic, and there’s never been a more urgent time to build on the law’s success. The American Rescue Plan is a huge step forward in expanding coverage and lowering health care costs, but there is still more work to be done to make these historic changes permanent, be sure that states expand Medicaid, and tackle skyrocketing prescription drug prices,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. 

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In House Democrats, Capitol Hill, News

NEW ADS: Protect Our Care Launches Digital Ad Campaign on American Rescue Plan Votes

Campaign Includes 30 Ads in 19 States Praising Democrats and Holding Republicans Accountable

WATCH HERE: Democrats Voted for The American Rescue Plan

WATCH HERE: Republicans Voted Against The American Rescue Plan

Washington, DC — Protect Our Care launched a new digital ad campaign today to hold legislators accountable for their historic votes on the American Rescue Plan. The American Rescue Plan works to get the virus under control and restore our economy by providing $1,400 checks and other financial relief for children and families, getting vaccines in the arms of Americans and reducing health care costs. 

According to a recent report from the Associated Press, under this plan “Several million people stand to save hundreds of dollars in health insurance costs, or more.” Kaiser Health News found that this plan has “some of the most significant changes to insurance affordability in more than a decade.”

The ads will run in-district so constituents know where their elected officials stand on this monumental health care vote. 

Ads about support of the American Rescue Plan will be running in: U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Representatives Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Carolyn Bordeaux (D-GA-07), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-08), Andy Kim (D-NJ-03), Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08), Conor Lamb (D-PA-17), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-07), Colin Allred (D-TX-32), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), and Kim Schrier (D-WA-08). 

Ads about opposition to the American Rescue Plan will be running in: U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) and U.S. Representatives David Valadao (R-CA-21), Mike Garcia (R-CA-25), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27), Don Bacon (R-NE-02), John Katko (R-NY-24), Steve Chabot (R-OH-01), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24). 

“Facing this pandemic, no one who voted against the American Rescue Plan can hide from their vote, and no one who voted for it should be shy about screaming it from the rooftops. The American Rescue Plan is absolutely critical in pulling our country out of this pandemic and getting it under control. Democrats are delivering lower health care costs, expanding coverage and addressing racial disparities so people can get the health care they need to defeat this pandemic,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Protect Our Care is making sure people know which of their elected officials voted for shots in arms, cash in the pockets of Americans, and reducing health care costs — and which ones voted to prolong the pandemic and leave their constituents without the relief they need.”

Example (AZ) Script for Positive Accountability Ad (:30): 

Americans are fighting every day against this pandemic. 

Small businesses. Jobs. Time with family. Lives. All lost. 

Thankfully, your Senator Mark Kelly just voted for the American Rescue Plan.

For 1,400 dollars in relief for families.

For a surge in distributing the vaccine.

For expanding health care and lowering costs so less people get sick.

Americans want to get control of this virus. 

He voted to have our back. 

Call Senator Kelly: Tell him to keep fighting for our families.

Example (WI) Script for Negative Accountability Ad (:30): 

Americans are fighting every day against this pandemic. 

Small businesses. Jobs. Time with family. Lives. All lost. 

But Senator Ron Johnson just voted against the American Rescue Plan.

Said no to 1,400 dollars in direct relief for families.

Said no to a surge in vaccine distribution.

Said no to lowering health insurance premiums and expanding care. 

Americans want to get control of this virus. 

Senator Johnson voted to prolong it. 

Call and tell him to STOP playing politics with our lives.

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In House Democrats, Capitol Hill, News

NEW TV AD: One Year Into COVID Shutdown, President Biden Has Put America on Clear Path to Ending the Pandemic With Passage of American Rescue Plan

After President Trump’s Failed Leadership Led to 500K Dead, Millions Infected and Economic Turmoil, President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Puts Country on Clear Path Out of Crisis

Watch Here

Washington, DC – Protect Our Care is releasing a new TV ad today on the anniversary of the Coronavirus pandemic shutdown contrasting President Biden’s bold action to get direct relief to Americans, lower health care costs and get the economy back on track with the failures of the Trump administration. 

The ad titled “One Year: Turning the Page,” compares the disastrous leadership of the Trump administration and Republicans, whose policies led to millions of cases and hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths, with the steady hand of President Biden, who, along with Democrats, are leading us out of this crisis. 

“One year into the worst public health crisis in a generation, President Biden and Democrats in Congress are taking aggressive steps to end this pandemic by passing the American Rescue Plan and delivering direct relief, vaccines and health care benefits to Americans,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Elections matter and Americans are seeing the benefits of President Biden’s leadership. By electing President Biden and delivering Democrats the House and Senate, Americans made clear they were tired of the failed leadership of President Trump and Republicans who exacerbated this crisis by refusing to listen to experts, ignoring science and making reckless decisions that led to an economic disaster and hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths. With President Biden and Democrats in charge, we have leaders who are stepping up to get vaccines in people’s arms, cash into families’ pockets, reduce health care costs and kids back to school.” 

“After a year of failed leadership and reckless policies, you would think Republicans in Congress would want to prove they actually wanted to help their constituents out of this crisis, but by voting against direct checks and health care benefits, it’s clear they do not,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Every single Republcian will now have to defend their vote against the American Rescue Plan and explain why they voted to extend the suffering caused by this year-long crisis instead of joining Democrats and President Biden to bring it to an end. Republicans in Congress were the worst enablers of the Trump Administration’s dangerous actions that exacerbated the pandemic, and they will continue to pay a heavy price for their failed leadership.”

Ad script: 

2020.

The year we lost hugs.

Family dinners.

Couldn’t visit our loved ones in nursing homes.

Watched as nearly 500,000 Americans were lost.

Because Donald Trump and Republicans refused to take this seriously… Ignored the scientists… And failed to combat the virus.

It didn’t have to be this way. 

Thankfully, America is turning the page.

President Biden is getting  this virus under control and getting America back on track.

… more shots in more arms… 

schools and small businesses safely re-opening… 

making health care more affordable for millions…

and jumpstarting our economy so we can build back better and stronger than before.

The fight isn’t over yet. But for the first time in a year, we’re on the right track.

And America is coming back.

Thank you President Biden.

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In Administration, House Democrats, Capitol Hill

Senate Passes American Rescue Plan Improving Health Care and Providing Essential Pandemic Lifeline for Americans

Historic Legislation Contains Most Significant Health Care Reform in a Decade

Washington, DC — Today, the Senate passed the American Rescue Plan, providing desperately needed pandemic relief and historic measures to strengthen the Affordable Care Act. The American Rescue Plan includes key health care provisions that will lower health care costs, expand coverage, and address inequities in care. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“After shameless obstruction from Republican Senators, Senate Democrats did what needed to be done to fight the pandemic and restart our economy. The American Rescue Plan is a historic improvement to the American health care system. It will lower health insurance premiums for millions, get more Americans covered, and help address racial inequities. After a decade of Republicans waging a war on the Affordable Care Act, President Biden and Democrats are delivering on their promises to lower health care costs and expand coverage. The American Rescue Plan has overwhelming bipartisan support in red states and blue states, and it will get vaccines in people’s arms, cash into families’ pockets, and kids back to school. Republicans have shown they have no positive ideas and are willing to play games with people’s lives and livelihoods in the middle of a pandemic.” 

BACKGROUND:

The American Rescue Plan Will Expand Coverage, Dramatically Reduce Health Care Costs For Americans

As part of the American Rescue Plan, Democrats included major provisions to lower health care costs and expand coverage, building on the strong foundation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This legislation will lower premiums for people purchasing coverage through the ACA marketplaces and expand access to financial assistance for more middle-class families. Additionally, the American Rescue Plan includes robust financial incentives for the 14 states that have not yet implemented Medicaid expansion. 

Making health insurance more affordable and accessible is especially important as the country continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic and millions have lost their jobs and their health insurance. Measures to increase affordability also reduce racial disparities in health care access. Despite significant progress after the implementation of the ACA, Black and Hispanic adults are more likely than white adults to have low incomes and face financial barriers to receiving care.

Lower Costs: 

Increasing financial assistance on the ACA marketplaces means more people will be able to get the affordable coverage they need during the pandemic. Similar legislation previously passed by the House would lower costs for more than 10 million Americans and provide affordable options for uninsured Americans at a time when access to health care is paramount. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 1.3 million uninsured people will gain coverage as a result of these provisions alone. 

  • Guarantee coverage that costs less than 8.5 percent of income. This legislation lowers the cost of premiums for Americans purchasing coverage through the ACA marketplaces, ensuring enrollees have the option to purchase health care for less than 8.5 percent of their income for the next two years. 
  • Make coverage more affordable by temporarily expanding the eligibility for premium tax credits above 400 percent of the federal poverty level — roughly $51,000 for a single person or $105,000 for a family of four. Under current law, families earning just above 400 percent of the federal poverty level spend an average of 15 percent of their incomes on health insurance. According to estimates from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: 
    • The average 45-year-old earning $60,000 will save $86 in monthly premiums. 
    • A 60-year-old couple with a household income of $75,000 will save $1,389 in monthly premiums. 
    • A family of four with a household income of $120,000 will save $595 in monthly premiums. 
  • Improve affordability for low- and middle-income Americans by increasing the size of the tax credits for all income brackets for the next two years. This means a typical family of four with a household income of $75,000 will save $248 on monthly premiums, while a single adult earning $30,000 will save $110 per month. 
  • Eliminate premiums in the exchanges for people earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level (roughly $19,000 for a single person and $39,000 for a family of four) and for those receiving unemployment insurance in 2021. 

Expanded Coverage:

In addition to providing affordable coverage options for millions of uninsured Americans through the ACA, the American Rescue Plan provides robust financial incentives for the 14 states that have not yet implemented Medicaid expansion. Research confirms that Medicaid expansion increases access to care, improves financial security, and leads to better health outcomes. Medicaid expansion has played a vital role in reducing racial disparities in health care access and has served as a critical safety net during the pandemic. 

An estimated four million uninsured adults — including 640,000 frontline workers— could gain coverage if the remaining holdout states adopted expansion. Importantly, people of color make up nearly 60 percent of this group. 

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