News

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 26 AND THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021***

THIS WEEK: Members of Congress and Health Care Storytellers Call for Congressional Action to Lower Prescription Drug Prices

Washington, DC — On Wednesday, May 26 and Thursday, May 27, U.S. Representatives Tim Ryan (D-OH-17), Susan Wild (D-PA-07), and Chris Pappas (D-NH-01) along with health care advocates and storytellers will join Protect Our Care for events to emphasize the impact of high prescription drug prices and to call for Congress to take action on this urgent issue.

In 2019, House Democrats passed the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), bold legislation to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug costs — the single most effective measure to bring down drug prices. In April, House Democrats reintroduced this legislation, giving Congress another opportunity to lower prescription drug costs and meet the demands of voters.

Protect Our Care recently launched The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices with an ad running on television nationally and digitally in 12 key states to demonstrate the urgent need for comprehensive legislation to lower drug prices.

WEDNESDAY

NEW HAMPSHIRE

WHO:
U.S. Representative Chris Pappas (D-NH-01)
Eva Castillo, New Hampshire Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees
Lucy C. Hodder, Director, Health Law and Policy UNH School of Law
Bruno Soares, health care advocate

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Wednesday, May 26 at 11:00 AM ET

OHIO

WHO:
U.S. Representative Tim Ryan (D-OH-17)
Caylan Fazio, health care advocate
Lourdes Barroso de Padilla, advocate with personal and family story

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Wednesday, May 26, at 3:00 PM ET

 

THURSDAY

PENNSYLVANIA

WHO:

U.S. Representative Susan Wild (D-PA-07)
Mitch Lenett, health care advocate
Jean Konz, health care advocate
Adriana Nunez Gutierrez, health care advocate

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Thursday, May 27, at 4:30 PM ET

Washington, DC — Today, in a bipartisan vote, the Senate voted to confirm Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Brooks-LaSure has decades of health policy experience and will be the first African American woman to serve in the role. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is a highly-qualified leader with the experience that will make her an outstanding CMS Administrator. She played a key role in drafting and implementing the Affordable Care Act. She is deeply committed to ensuring more Americans have affordable health care. Brooks-LaSure will hit the ground running to help fulfill President Biden’s mission of expanding coverage, lowering costs, and addressing the racial disparities that permeate our health care system. In selecting Brooks-LaSure to lead CMS, President Biden has made clear that meaningfully improving access to health care continues to be at the forefront of his administration’s priorities.” 

More Than One Million People Would Gain Jobs if Remaining States Adopted Expansion. 

Yesterday, the Commonwealth Fund released a report detailing the vast economic benefits of Medicaid expansion. Thanks in part to the financial incentives under the American Rescue Plan, if the 14 remaining holdout states expand their Medicaid programs, more than one million people would gain jobs and states would receive a total of $49 billion in federal funding. According to the Commonwealth Fund, this would lead to stronger state economies: “If the 14 states expand Medicaid, from 2022 to 2025 state output will rise by more than $600 billion, state gross products will increase by $350 billion, and personal incomes will grow by $218 billion in these states.” Additionally, the report confirms that more than 6 million people would enroll in Medicaid coverage. Local coverage makes clear this deal is too good to pass up. 

COVERAGE:

(GA) The Augusta Chronicle: Study: Medicaid Expansion in Georgia Could Bring 64,000 Jobs. “If Georgia expanded Medicaid to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level, which is $30,305 a year for a family of three, the state would have a net gain of more than $3.5 billion in federal funding in 2022 and the state’s share of $374 million would be offset by $110 million in increased state and local tax revenue, according to the analysis. Part of that economic impact would come from 64,300 new jobs, about 22,000 in health care but others in industries that would benefit as that money ‘ripples through the rest of the economy,’ Ku said.” [Augusta Chronicle, 5/20/21] 

(FL) News Service of Florida: Report Points To Medicaid Expansion Benefits. “Florida could add 134,700 jobs, lower the number of uninsured residents by 852,000 and pump billions of additional federal dollars into the economy if it would expand Medicaid to low-income adults without children, according to a report released Thursday. The Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based organization that focuses on health-care issues, released the report, which said expanding Medicaid in Florida would add 61,600 health-care jobs from 2022 to 2025. It also said an expansion would lead to job increases in the construction, retail, finance and insurance sectors.” [News Service of Florida, 5/20/21] 

(MS) Magnolia State Live: Report: Mississippi Could Gain 21,700 Jobs Under Medicaid Expansion. “In Mississippi, of the 21,700 new jobs possibly created with Medicaid expansion, 12,500 of the jobs will be created in healthcare, 1,400 in construction, 2,600 in retail, 400 in finance and insurance and 4,900 in other sectors, according to the report, The Economic and Employment Effects of Medicaid Expansions Under the American Rescue Plan.” [Magnolia State Live, 5/20/21] 

This week, Protect Our Care launched The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices, a significant seven-figure investment to demonstrate the urgent need for comprehensive legislation to lower drug prices. The campaign includes research, paid and earned media, and grassroots and grasstops engagement. At its core, it will showcase real people who are struggling to afford life-saving prescriptions and what skyrocketing drug prices mean for them and their families. Americans pay three times more for drugs as people in other countries, forcing millions to choose between lifesaving prescriptions and other basic necessities like buying groceries or paying rent.

Protect Our Care kicked off The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices with a national television ad that will also run digitally in 12 key states. The campaign will target Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.  

Read coverage of the campaign kickoff here:

Politico Pulse: FIRST IN PULSE: DEMOCRAT-ALIGNED GROUP LAUNCHES DRUG PRICING PUSH.

• “Just as Pelosi begins to face resistance within her caucus, the health care advocacy group Protect Our Care will debut a national TV and digital ad campaign calling for the passage of drug price legislation like H.R. 3 (117). The seven-figure ad buy specifically advocates allowing Medicare to negotiate the cost of medicines — a measure that’s at the center of Pelosi’s drug bill.” [Politico, 5/12/21]

(FL) Florida Politics: Last Call for 5.12.21 — A Prime-Time Read of What’s Going Down in Florida Politics.

• “Protect Our Care Florida says legislation to lower prescription drug costs is urgently needed, and it’s taking the message to the airwaves. The aptly titled “Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices” is backed by a seven-figure investment that will include research, paid and earned media, and grassroots and grasstops engagement. The campaign announcement said the ads will showcase the effects skyrocketing drug prices are having on real people and their families.” [Florida Politics, 5/12/21]

(NH) New Hampshire Union Leader: Granite Status: Dollars Fly as Congress Works Toward Drug Pricing Bill.

• “Protect Our Care, a liberal advocacy group focused on health care, launched what it described as a “seven-figure effort” on Wednesday, unleashing ads and a campaign to engage activists in support of the drug-price negotiation bill. That group plans to focus its message on the problem of high drug prices, arguing the issue has support from Republican and Democratic voters.” [New Hampshire Union Leader, 5/12/21]

(NJ) Insider NJ: NEW: Protect Our Care New Jersey Launches Campaign on Dire Need To Lower Drug Prices With Digital Ads.

• “Protect Our Care is kicking off The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices with a national television ad that underscores President Biden’s commitment to reducing drug prices and conveys the urgency for lawmakers to act now and give Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices. The ad will begin running on cable news channels this week.” [Insider NJ, 5/13/21]

(WI) WisPolitics.com: Protect Our Care: Launches Campaign on Dire Need To Lower Drug Prices With Digital Ads.

• “The campaign follows recent polling released by Protect Our Care that found broad and deep support among voters for addressing skyrocketing prescription drug prices. Voters across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support Democrats’ proposal to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices for all Americans — the single most effective way to bring down drug prices. Policies to reduce drug prices will help seniors, women, children, and communities of color.” [WisPolitics, 5/12/21]

Watch the Video Here

Washington, D.C. — As part of The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices, Protect Our Care released a new video featuring health care storytellers from across the country emphasizing the impact of high prescription drug prices and calling on Congress to take action on this urgent issue. Voters across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support Democrats’ proposal, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), which gives Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices for all Americans, not just those on Medicare. President Biden reaffirmed his commitment to giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices last month. 

Yesterday, Protect Our Care launched The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices, a significant seven-figure investment to demonstrate the urgent need for comprehensive legislation to lower drug prices.

“High drug prices hurt real people. Year after year, drug companies raise the price of existing drugs like insulin, with no reason other than that they can. Americans pay three times more for drugs as people in other countries, and millions are forced to choose between lifesaving prescriptions and other basic necessities like buying groceries or paying rent.” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “H.R. 3 would finally put an end to Big Pharma’s rigged system by including the single most effective way to lower drug prices: giving Medicare the power to negotiate on behalf of all Americans. As the nation recovers from the pandemic and economic crisis, there has never been a more critical time to provide real relief for American families and finally combat skyrocketing drug prices.”

The Seven-Figure Campaign Will Include Ads and Activities in 12 Key States

Washington, D.C. — Today, Protect Our Care is launching The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices, a significant seven-figure investment to demonstrate the urgent need for comprehensive legislation to lower drug prices. The campaign will include research, paid and earned media, and grassroots and grasstops engagement. At its core, it will showcase real people who are struggling to afford life-saving prescriptions and what skyrocketing drug prices mean for them and their families. Americans pay three times more for drugs as people in other countries, forcing millions to choose between lifesaving prescriptions and other basic necessities like buying groceries or paying rent.

Protect Our Care is kicking off The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices with a national television ad that underscores President Biden’s commitment to reducing drug prices and conveys the urgency for lawmakers to act now and give Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices. The ad will begin running on cable news channels this week.

The ad will also run digitally in 12 key states. Protect Our Care’s campaign will target Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.     

The campaign follows recent polling released by Protect Our Care that found broad and deep support among voters for addressing skyrocketing prescription drug prices. Voters across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support Democrats’ proposal to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices for all Americans — the single most effective way to bring down drug prices. Policies to reduce drug prices will help seniors, women, children, and communities of color.

Already in the last week, Protect Our Care organized nine events nationwide featuring House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06), U.S. Representatives Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ-01) and Darren Soto (D-FL-09), state and local elected officials, and health care storytellers to emphasize the impact of high prescription drug prices and to call for Congress to take action on this urgent issue. 

“Americans should not have to pay three times more for medicines than people in other countries. Prescription drug prices in this country are outrageous and unfair, and it’s time to provide long-overdue relief to American families. Millions of Americans are forced to choose between paying for the medicines they need to live or paying for food or rent, while drug companies make huge profits.” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Overwhelming majorities of voters across parties agree that Medicare should have the power to negotiate for lower drug prices for all Americans. Protect Our Care will make sure people know which of their elected officials are supporting these efforts to bring down drug prices, and which ones are committed to protecting Big Pharma’s profits. As the country recovers from the economic and health crisis, American families cannot wait. The time to act is now. ” 

Script for national ad (:60): 

Nearly 20 years ago, Congress banned Medicare from negotiating lower prices for prescription drugs

(and) We’ve paid the price

Americans pay nearly 3-times more for the same drugs as people in other countries

Families and seniors have to choose between buying medicines or paying rent

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

President Biden: “We have to change that and we can.”

Congress can act now to give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.

Lower prices for everyone – people on Medicare and people who aren’t.

More than 8-in-10 Americans agree, including a majority of Republicans.

President Biden: “Let’s give Medicare the power to save hundreds of billions of dollars by negotiating lower prescription drug prices.”

President Biden: “It’s within our power to do it. Let’s do it now. We’ve talked about it long enough – Democrats and Republicans. Let’s get it done this year.”

BACKGROUND:

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