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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]

 ***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 4 AT 10:30 AM ET***

Newport News, VA – On Thursday, U.S. Representative Bobby Scott (VA-03) will convene a roundtable marking the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, which has helped over 40 million Americans gain health insurance. This roundtable, which will include health care advocates and providers, is timely as Republicans across the country are fighting to undermine access to affordable health care, as well as launching extreme attacks on reproductive care.

WHO:
U.S. Representative Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce;
Angela Futrell, CEO, Southeastern Virginia Health System;
Iris Lundy, Vice President of Health Equity, Sentara Health;
Gaylene Kanoyton, President, Celebrate Health Care;
Katie Baker, Protect Our Care;
Dr. Pauline Reed, Chief Medical Office, Southeastern Virginia Health System;
William Massey, Executive Director, Peninsula Agency on Aging;
Dr. Elizabeth Webster, Southeastern Virginia Health System;
Jon Warren, Clinical Services Administrator, Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board;
Chester Williams, Affordable Care Act Community Advocate.

WHAT: Affordable Care Act Roundtable

WHERE: Southeastern Virginia Health System, 9294 Warwick Blvd, Newport News, VA 23607

WHEN: Thursday, April 4th, 2024 at 10:30AM ET

Washington, D.C. — Today, President Biden hosted an event to celebrate lower inhaler costs, which have been under scrutiny for years. More than 27 million people across the country have asthma, which disproportionately impacts low-income Americans, seniors, Black Americans, Latinos, and American Indians and Alaska Natives, and the cost of inhalers has soared to as much as $600 per month — putting the lifesaving medication out of reach for families struggling to make ends meet.

President Biden and Democrats have taken on Big Pharma and won. In January, Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led by Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Ed Markey (D-MA), launched an investigation to determine why drugmakers charge Americans far more for inhalers than people in other countries. For example, Teva charges Americans with asthma $286 for its QVAR RediHaler — which costs just $9 in Germany. The FTC recently cracked down on drug companies that use improper patents to keep the price of inhalers too high. In response, two drugmakers have capped out-of-pocket costs for some top-selling inhalers at $35 per month. 

These actions to lower the cost of inhalers build on the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower the cost of prescription drugs, which will especially help people with chronic illnesses like asthma. The landmark law caps seniors’ insulin costs at $35 per month and 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. Just yesterday, the Biden administration announced it responded to drugmakers’ counter offers and will continue to negotiate for lower prices.

In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, Americans can breathe easier knowing they can afford the prescriptions they need. The outrageous cost of inhalers exemplifies why we need the Inflation Reduction Act and other measures to rein in drug prices for hardworking families. While Democrats have been laser-focused on lowering costs, Republicans are proposing to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act and roll back all of this progress in order to line the pockets of big drug companies. 

“After years of drugmakers hiking the cost of inhalers and making them unaffordable for patients, people are finally getting some relief. We must build on this momentum and continue the work of making lifesaving medications affordable for everyone in this country.”

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Biden administration issued a final rule to protect consumers and limit short-term junk plans. When Donald Trump was in office, he let insurance companies sell short-term junk plans, which can deny coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and can refuse to cover basic benefits guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) like hospitalization and prescription drugs. This move by President Biden will protect consumers from junk insurance that often uses deceptive marketing practices and leaves American families with staggering medical bills. The President’s action is in stark contrast to the MAGA Republican efforts to enshrine junk plans into law.

In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“President Biden is reversing the deliberate efforts by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans to gut protections for pre-existing protections and give insurance companies the right to deny coverage for basic benefits like prescription drugs and maternity care. The contrast between President Biden’s health care agenda and MAGA Republicans’ could not be clearer. Republicans continue to push these junk plans in their newest budget proposal, aiming to make these junk plans widely available. President Biden is on the side of the American people as he aims to make sure families aren’t scammed into substandard coverage that can deny lifesaving care.”

Background

President Biden And Democrats Delivered Lower Health Care Costs And Now A Record Number Of Americans Were Able To Purchase Quality and Affordable Health Care Through the ACA. A record-breaking 21.4 million Americans signed up for coverage with 80 percent of people able to find coverage through the Marketplace for $10 or less per month. The ACA has generated record savings and improved access to care and financial security for families. 

The Latest GOP Budget Expands Junk Plans. The latest budget proposal from the Republican Study Committee would codify rules put forth by the Trump administration that expanded health insurance plans known as association health plans (AHPs). These plans are not required to cover the essential health benefits put in place by the Affordable Care Act and are allowed to charge people more based on their age, health status, and gender. AHPs have a long history of fraud and unpaid claims and provide weaker cost and protection coverage. The proposal also applauds efforts by the Trump administration to expand short-term limited-duration plans, which engage in predatory marketing practices, fail to protect people with pre-existing conditions, and put patients at risk of bankruptcy when they get sick. The Trump administration’s decision to expand access to these plans exposed consumers to scams and reduced transparency about coverage limits and hidden fees.

The Trump Administration Cut Critical ACA Health Subsidies & Expanded Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance (STLDI) Plans That Did Not Meet ACA Requirements. In late 2017, after Congressional Republicans’ efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) failed to advance, then-President Trump ordered sweeping changes to health insurance policy with a pair of executive actions. He first announced that the sale of certain cheap policies with few benefits or protections – known as short-term, limited-duration insurance (STLDI) – would be allowed to be sold for up to 364 days with renewals for up to three years instead of three months, then announced cuts to critical health subsidies helping pay out-of-pocket costs for low-income people in America. In response, many patient and physicians groups raised concerns that junk plans would “cause significant economic harm to women and older, sicker Americans who stand to face higher-cost and fewer insurance options,” and “draw younger and healthier people away from the exchanges and drive additional plans out of the market.” The changes were solidified in August 2018 as a final rule allowing STLDI plans to be considered a form of individual health insurance coverage that would meet the ACA’s individual mandate.

Junk Plans Enabled By The Trump Administration Have Left Patients Without Protections For Pre-Existing Conditions Afforded By the ACA. “Because they tend to look less expensive up front, short-term plans continue to find buyers, and they have been championed by the Trump administration (which has loosened restrictions on them) as an alternative for consumers. […] Consumer advocates have long sounded alarm bells about short-term plans and others that don’t comply with the Affordable Care Act rules — rules that require plans to provide comprehensive benefits to all comers, regardless of their health. The ACA also prohibits annual or lifetime dollar limits on coverage for any plan sold on the federal or state health insurance exchanges.” [NPR, 12/3/20]

Patient Advocacy Groups, Health Policy Experts, and Insurance Insiders Alike Have Warned Against Junk Plans’ Lack of Transparency and Coverage. Patient advocacy groups and health policy experts have long warned about the fraud risks that come with STLDI and other non-ACA-compliant plans. In January 2019, the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute found that consumers searching online for ACA-compliant plans were often directed, instead, to “junk plans.” Another study sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society found that junk plans often rely on misleading marketing, are often misunderstood by consumers who purchase them with no right to appeal plan decisions, drive up patients’ out-of-pocket costs, and “threaten prices across the insurance market.” In March 2021, 30 patient organizations published a report pushing for greater regulation of dozens of different types of “junk insurance,” including STLDI plans. Even health insurance industry insiders have warned that the “very profitable” plans are inadequate, and state insurance regulators have expressed concerns that STLDI plan administrators have been misleading and taking advantage of consumers while offering substandard coverage.

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, joined by Governor Roy Cooper, made a joint appearance in North Carolina on Tuesday to celebrate the state’s expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and to warn against looming Republican threats to destroy the law. North Carolina is the 40th state to expand Medicaid, extending affordable health care to 600,000 North Carolinians. At the event, Democratic leaders highlighted record enrollment under the ACA, lower premiums for people who buy coverage on their own, and prescription drug savings for millions of Americans.

President Biden also laid out a vision for the future of American health care, highlighting priorities to further lower costs and expand affordable health care. This is in stark contrast to Republican priorities on health care, which includes repealing the ACA and Medicaid expansion, ripping away protections for people with pre-existing conditions, increasing insurance premiums and prescription drug costs, and putting Medicaid coverage for tens of millions in jeopardy. 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 if re-elected at least seven times over the last several months.

HEADLINES

The Hill: Biden Seeks To Draw Contrast With Trump On Health Care In North Carolina. “President Biden and Vice President Harris traveled Tuesday to North Carolina to tout the recent anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and bash Republicans’ health care agenda. Biden delivered remarks in Raleigh, the capital of a state his campaign has cited as a potential flip opportunity in November after he lost it to former President Trump by roughly 75,000 votes in 2020. The visit was timed around the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law, but Biden used the trip to more broadly chastise Trump and Republicans for their efforts to restrict abortion and roll back health care coverage. ‘Kamala and I have come back to North Carolina to celebrate the Affordable Care Act and remind all of us that we can’t take anything for granted,’ Biden said. Biden noted Trump and the Republicans in Congress unsuccessfully tried dozens of times to repeal the law known as ObamaCare. He also seized on a budget proposal from the Republican Study Committee that called for cuts to the Affordable Care Act and entitlement programs.” [The Hill, 3/26/24]

The News & Observer (Opinion): “An Even Bigger Deal”: In Winnable NC, Biden And Harris Remind Voters What’s At Stake. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris rolled into Raleigh on Tuesday for a rare double appearance. Their mission was celebrating the 14th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act as well as North Carolina’s decision, at long last, to take advantage of the ACA’s incentives for states to expand Medicaid eligibility. At the time of the ACA’s passage, then-Vice President Biden was famously caught on mic whispering to President Barack Obama that the new health care law was ‘a big (expletive) deal.’ On Tuesday, after apologizing for his language, he said, ‘It’s an even bigger deal today.’ […] In their one-two delivery, Harris focused on what the Biden administration has done to improve women’s access to health care and the president emphasized how Republicans have tried to repeal the ACA and failed to support legislation that has lowered the price of some drugs, most notably insulin for seniors. Biden said, ‘We finally beat big pharma.’” [The News & Observer (Opinion), 3/26/24]

Cardinal & Pine: Biden And Harris Tout Healthcare Access Expansion Success At Raleigh Visit. “Tuesday afternoon, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visited Raleigh to discuss the administration’s achievements in lowering healthcare costs and expanding access to health insurance. […] This visit comes just days after the 14th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and as Donald Trump is on the campaign trail expressing support for repealing the law. […] Biden hit back at former President Donald Trump, who as president came within one vote of repealing the ACA, when the late John McCain voted to save the law in the US Senate in 2017. Now the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party, Trump has been on the campaign trail renewing threats to repeal the ACA. ‘Now they want, to quote his words, ‘terminate’ the ACA, as my predecessor says. If that were ever to happen, we can also terminate a lot of lives as well,’ Biden warned. Biden went on to describe the real world consequences of repealing the ACA for many Americans. ’45 million people nationwide would lose their health insurance, including 1.4 million right here in North Carolina. 100 million people with preexisting conditions, from heart disease to asthma could lose their protection as well,’ Biden explained.” [Cardinal & Pine, 3/26/24] 

The Washington Post: Biden And Harris Argue That Democrats Will Preserve Health Care And Republicans Would Take It Away. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday promoted their health care agenda in the battleground state of North Carolina, arguing that Democrats like themselves would preserve access to care while Republicans would reverse gains made over the past decade and a half. Fourteen years after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, the White House still sees health care as a winning issue during a campaign in which Biden has sometimes found himself on the defensive when it comes to immigration or the economy. Republicans have opposed Biden’s signature initiatives to lower medical costs, and they’ve seized opportunities to restrict abortion rights after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. ‘It’s sick. Now they want to quote, his words, terminate the ACA, as my predecessor says,’ Biden said, referring to Republican former President Donald Trump. ‘If that were ever to happen, we’d also terminate a lot of lives as well. But we’re not going to let that happen, are we? We’re not going to let that happen.’” [The Washington Post (AP), 3/26/24] 

Roll Call: Takeaways As Biden, Harris Take Aim At Trump, Try To Flip North Carolina. “Taking the stage in a Raleigh community center before her boss, Harris said ‘extremists … want to take away’ coverage for seniors, working families and Americans with pre-existing conditions. […] Biden called on Congress to pass a measure that would expand tax credits granted by the Affordable Care Act after vowing Trump ‘and his MAGA friends’ would not be able to repeal the 2010 health care law. He touted his record, including helping the Medicare program negotiate lower prescription drug costs, and said he wants to expand that to more Americans in a second term. White House aides during a Monday evening call previewing the event contended that Biden, working with the state’s outgoing Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, had expanded Medicaid coverage via the Affordable Care Act to 600,000 residents there. The aides, granted anonymity to speak candidly, told reporters those same North Carolinians could lose that coverage if Trump’s campaign proposals become law.” [Roll Call, 3/26/24] 

CNN: Biden And Harris Team Up For A Rare Joint Appearance In North Carolina To Take On GOP Over Health Care. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took on Republicans over health care in North Carolina on Tuesday, looking to press what they believe is a winning issue ahead of November’s election. The Raleigh stop marked a rare joint appearance on the road by the president and vice president, highlighting the emphasis the duo will place on health care as they prepare to face off against former President Donald Trump. It came the same day the Supreme Court heard arguments on access to the abortion medication mifepristone, teeing up a summer decision that could have major implications for abortion rights. Biden’s advisers believed Tuesday’s visit would provide a stark contrast between the Democratic ticket’s vision for health care and reproductive rights and proposals put forth by Republicans. It’s taking place on the heels of a campaign push slamming Trump for threatening to repeal the Affordable Care Act if he’s elected to a second term.” [CNN, 3/26/24]

Spectrum News: Biden Talks Lowering Health Care Costs As He Hopes To Put North Carolina Into Play This November. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris rallied supporters around their vision to lower health care costs and strengthen the Affordable Care Act during a visit to North Carolina on Tuesday. It marked the latest stop on Biden’s post-State of the Union swing state tour as he looks to put the Tar Heel State into play this November. Speaking at a community center in Raleigh on Tuesday, Biden touted what he considers some of his most significant accomplishments in terms of health care costs, such as enabling Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, capping insulin costs at $35 a month and total out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 per year for seniors on Medicare. ‘Folks, I want to extend those savings to everyone who needs lifesaving insulin, whether you’re a senior or not — everyone, everyone,’ Biden said of the insulin price cap before later echoing that message when it comes to the $2,000 a year ceiling. The president has also called for Medicare to have the power to negotiate the price of 50 drugs per year rather than 20. It comes less than a week after the White House marked the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, known colloquially as Obamacare, highlighting that a record 21.4 million people enrolled in health insurance plans through its marketplaces during the 2024 open enrollment period.” [Spectrum News, 3/26/24]

Firstpost: Biden and Harris Argue That Democrats Will Preserve Health Care And Republicans Would Take It Away. “In the crucial state of North Carolina on Tuesday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris pushed their health care programme, claiming that Democrats like them would protect access to care while Republicans would undo progress achieved over the previous fifteen years. In a campaign when Joe Biden has occasionally found himself on the defence when it comes to immigration or the economy, the White House continues to view health care as a winning topic, fourteen years after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. Republicans have fought Biden’s flagship efforts to cut healthcare costs, and since the US Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, they have taken advantage of opportunities to limit access to abortion.” [Firstpost, 3/27/24] 

WXII 12: President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris Visit North Carolina And Talk About Affordable Care Act. “President Biden and Vice President Harris told the crowd that health care is a right, not a privilege, so they stressed the importance of protecting the Affordable Care Act. The president said it’s not just about protecting but also strengthening the plan and expanding coverage. It’s something the president said he and his administration have a plan for, so that no Americans go without coverage. ‘At the most vulnerable point in your life, so many Americans heard these words: ‘Sorry, you’re on your own.’ For God’s sake, this is the United States Of America. We’re so much better than that, and that’s why the Affordable Care Act is so important and why Kamala and I will make it stronger than ever before,’ President Joe Biden said.” [WXII 12, 3/26/24]

ABC45 News: President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris Visit North Carolina To Talk Healthcare. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage in Raleigh to talk health care. Last year North Carolina expanded Medicaid that provided coverage to over 600,000 people through the Affordable Cares Act. Sot: ’21 million people covered under the ACA, a 75 percent increase since Kamala and I came into office and that includes over 1 million folks right here in North Carolina,’ said President Joe Biden. Lowering health care, increasing mental health coverage, & maintaining Medicaid for North Carolinians are focal points Biden wants to tackle.” [ABC45 News, 3/26/24]