News

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 8***

Wisconsin Senator Baldwin, Rep. Gallego (AZ-07), and Advocates to Discuss the Inflation Reduction Act’s Impact on Lowering Health Care Costs for Millions of Americans

The Inflation Reduction Act will lower the cost of health insurance and drive down prescription drug prices by giving Medicare the power to negotiate, capping seniors’ out-of-pocket costs for drugs at $2,000 per year, capping insulin costs, and stopping Big Pharma’s egregious price hikes. This bill will help lower costs for millions of working families, address the deep racial inequities in our health care system and save lives. This historic legislation ends a 20-year era of pharmaceutical companies’ greed taking precedence over the health and well-being of the American people.

With the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden and Democrats have made history and  delivered on their promise to lower health care costs and rein in high drug prices — a stark contrast from  every Republican who voted no. American families have been asking and waiting for this day, and now help is on the way.

PRESS EVENTS

WISCONSIN

WHO:
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin
Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans President Gary Mitchell
Wisconsin senior Jan K. (Brookfield, WI)

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHEN: Thursday, September 8 at 11:15 AM CT / 12:15 PM ET

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

ARIZONA

WHO:
Congressman Ruben Gallego
Protect Our Care
Honest Arizona
CHISPA
AARP
HECHO
Poder Latinx
Unlimited Potential

WHAT:  Arizonans highlighting impact of the Inflation Reduction Act

WHEN:  Thursday, September 8, 11:30 AM AZ Time

WHERE:  CHISPA, 733 W McDowell Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85020

RSVP: Press should RSVP to receive their credentials by contacting Les Braswell at (803) 429-6260 or [email protected].

Watch the Full Event Here. 

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for a virtual press conference discussing how millions of seniors will benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act’s provisions to drive down prescription drug costs. Speakers also highlighted how the historic legislation works to drive down premium costs for millions of Americans. 

The event comes as Protect Our Care is continuing to highlight the Inflation Reduction Act’s critical measures to drive down health care costs, reduce prescription drug prices, and combat racial disparities in care. This week, Protect Our Care is focusing on how the bill reduces health care premiums for 13 million families purchasing coverage on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. More information on Protect Our Care’s Inflation Reduction Act theme weeks can be found here. 

“Since the Affordable Care Act, the Inflation Reduction Act is the greatest advancement that we have seen in American health care, and millions and millions of people are going to benefit from it,” said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky. “Big Pharma’s greed has no limit, and they will charge what they can — until now. We need lower costs. We need negotiation. We need to say that the pharmaceutical companies are going to be limited in how much they can charge for medication. Now, we’re putting the brakes on what Big Pharma can do.” 

“The Inflation Reduction Act is a game-changer for our nation’s seniors,” said Protect Our Care Communications Director Anne Shoup. “As soon as next year, folks will begin to reap the benefits of this historic legislation through lower drug prices, premium savings, and more. Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, not only will seniors and families save thousands of dollars a year, but they will also be able to access the health care they need and deserve.”  

“The Inflation Reduction Act will bring down the cost of health care for millions of seniors, and I’m one of them,” said Doug Hart, a member of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans. “I have Medicare, but the amount I currently still have to pay out of pocket for my prescription drugs is $6,500 a year. I’m one of the 49 million seniors that will see relief after having out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs capped at $2,000 per year. Capping annual out-of-pocket under Part D will eliminate a major source of anxiety for me.”

“Without the Inflation Reduction Act, health insurance costs in West Virginia would have shot up by a staggering 63%. For our teeny tiny state, West Virginians are saving more than $36 million just from this single extension,” said Dr. Jessica Ice, Executive Director of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care and patient storyteller from West Virginia. “In addition, it is estimated that there will be 5000 fewer uninsured West Virginians in 2023 than if the act had not passed. For us, that’s more than just a nice statistic. It really shows how the Inflation Reduction Act translates into people’s lives.”

Washington DC — Today, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled to invalidate a key set of preventive health care services that millions of Americans rely on. The Kelley v. Becerra lawsuit threatens the Affordable Care Act (ACA) preventive services requirement that guarantees free access to over 100 preventive health services, including health screenings, routine vaccinations, well baby and child visits, prenatal care, contraception, and more. In 2020 alone, more than 150 million Americans used these services. 

Today’s ruling invalidated all of the benefits covered under the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, including lifesaving colorectal and other cancer screenings, depression screenings, hypertension screenings, and access to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), which can reduce the chance of contracting HIV. Judge O’Connor also threatened to go further and eliminate all of the guaranteed preventive services under the ACA. 

In July, 24 organizations representing millions of people with or at risk for serious or chronic illnesses released a letter highlighting the need to protect access to preventive services. Protect Our Care also hosted an event with legal experts to outline the partisan nature of the case and its disastrous impacts. Read more about the case here.

“The free preventive care guaranteed by the ACA for over 150 million Americans has become a bedrock of the American health care system, improving health outcomes, reducing disparities in care, and cutting consumer health care costs,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “This lawsuit was brought by longtime foes of the ACA, abortion rights, women’s health and LGBT rights. Given the dire consequences of this ruling, Judge O’Connor must stay the effects of his order, pending appeal. 

“This is a politically-driven lawsuit, financially supported by people with extreme views, and in front of a judge with a proven record of opposition to the ACA. If today’s ruling stands, Americans will again be at the mercy of insurance companies and employers, who could eliminate the benefits or start charging for them, forcing patients to spend thousands of dollars a year for essential care they now get for free. The health and financial security of millions of Americans is at risk.”

BACKGROUND 

The Kelley v. Becerra Plaintiffs Have Repeatedly Sued To Overturn Parts Of The ACA. John Kelley, his wife, and his company, Kelley Orthodontics filed an earlier and similar class action lawsuit against the ACA’s contraceptive mandate known as DeOtte v. Azar. Another plaintiff, Braidwood Management, owned by Dr. Steven Hotze, is also a plaintiff in DeOtte and in Kelley and has previously brought and lost challenges to other parts of the ACA. In addition to being a plaintiff in previous efforts to overturn the ACA, Hotze is a vocal advocate for multiple far-right conspiracy theories, claiming COVID-19 was an invention of the “deep state,” suggesting equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals would lead to child molestation, and bankrolling election fraud vigilantism after making false claims regarding voter fraud in the 2020 election. 

The Lead Attorney For The Plaintiffs In Kelley V. Becerra Is One of the Key Authors SB8, Texas’ Vigilante Anti-Abortion Law. The lead attorney for the plaintiffs is Jonathan Mitchell, “who helped craft the Texas abortion law that was designed to evade judicial review by leaving enforcement to private citizens instead of government officials.” 

• Mitchell Filed Briefs Arguing the Supreme Court should Overrule its Decisions Protecting Marriage Equality and Invalidating Antisodomy Laws. Mitchell filed a brief in the Dobbs case urging the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade–and criticized Mississippi for suggesting that the Court could leave in place its 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, holding that same-sex couples have the right to marry in all states. He said that Obergefell and Lawrence v. Texas, the 2003 ruling that invalidated all remaining state antisodomy laws,“are judicial concoctions, and there is no other source of law that can be invoked to salvage their existence.” Mitchell has also referred to PrEP, a life-saving medication that prevents HIV infection as a drug that would “facilitate and encourage homosexual behavior, prostitution, sexual promiscuity, and intravenous drug use.” 

The Plaintiffs In Kelley v. Becerra Are Also Represented By The Trump-Aligned America First Legal Foundation. The plaintiffs are “represented by America First Legal Foundation, a nonprofit led by senior members of President Donald Trump’s administration, including Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller.” Former President Trump is slated to deliver the closing address at the America First Agenda Summit on July 26, 2022.

The Judge Who Ruled On Kelley v. Becerra Is Well-Known For His Anti-Obamacare Rulings. According to CNN, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor is, “a Texas-based judge who has become notorious for his rulings against the Affordable Care Act under the Trump and Obama administrations.” O’Connor — an appointee of President George W. Bush and a former advisor to Sen. John Cornyn on the Senate Judiciary Committee — has issued opinions spanning over a decade that would dismantle key Obamacare provisions and now he is about to rule on Kelley v. Becerra. 

• Judge O’Connor Has Previously Ruled To Strike Down The Entire ACA, To Overturn Contraceptive Coverage Requirements, To Invalidate Vaccine Mandates, And To Limit LGBTQ+ Rights. O’Connor presided over the last major Obamacare challenge to land on the Supreme Court’s doorstep. In that case, O’Connor invalidated the entire ACA — and his decision was overturned by a 7-2 majority that included four of the Supreme Court’s conservative Justices. In addition to the individual mandate case, O’Connor also sided with Obamacare challengers who took aim at the law’s non-discrimination provisions, its contraceptive coverage requirement, and at insurance provider fees imposed on states through the law. He also recently ruled against the military’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate and has in the past issued decisions against policies that expanded LGBT rights.

New polling from Navigator confirms broad support for the Inflation Reduction Act, especially the role it will play in driving down health care costs for the American people. Headlines highlighting Medicare drug price negotiation power and the reduction of senior citizen health care costs are seen as most positive impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act. In general, 67% of Americans support the Inflation Reduction Act plan.

American’s are hearing good things and support the Inflation Reduction Act:

Headlines mentioning the health care aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act are the most well received:

Reducing health care costs seen as the most positive and believable aspect of the Inflation Reduction Act:

Read more here.

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 AT 1:30 PM ET // 12:30 PM CT***

Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, September 7 at 1:30 PM ET // 12:30 PM CT, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) and health care advocates will join Protect Our Care for a virtual press conference to discuss how millions of seniors will benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act’s prescription drug savings. Speakers will also discuss how the historic legislation works to drive down premium costs for families nationwide. On average, Americans could save thousands of dollars a year thanks to these provisions, delivering long-overdue relief to help them get the health care they need and pay for other essentials like food, gas, and rent. 

The event comes as Protect Our Care is continuing to highlight the Inflation Reduction Act’s critical measures to drive down health care costs, reduce prescription drug prices, and combat racial disparities in care. This week, Protect Our Care is focusing on how the bill reduces health care premiums for 13 million families purchasing coverage on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. More information on Protect Our Care’s Inflation Reduction Act theme weeks can be found here. 

PRESS CALL:

WHO:
U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09)
Doug Hart, patient storyteller and Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans member
Dr. Jessica Ice, Executive Director of West Virginians for Affordable Healthcare and patient storyteller
Anne Shoup, Communications Director for Protect Our Care

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Wednesday, September 7 at 1:30 PM ET // 12:30 PM CT

Washington DC — Today, Protect Our Care is kicking off week three of the Inflation Reduction Act theme weeks, which focuses on how the bill reduces health care premiums for 13 million families purchasing coverage on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. On average, families will save thousands of dollars a year on health care, giving them much-needed breathing room to pay for other essentials like rent, groceries, and gas. These savings will help Americans from all walks of life: middle class families, older adults, rural Americans, people of color, and more. 

“The Inflation Reduction Act is a game changer for folks purchasing coverage on the ACA marketplaces,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “It’s not surprising that as costs have come down, ACA enrollment has reached an all-time high. This is only possible because of the leadership of President Biden and Democrats in Congress — and their decade-long effort to protect and enhance the ACA. Despite the millions of people who rely on the ACA for affordable coverage, Republicans have unanimously opposed every measure to enhance the health care law, and they have vowed to repeal The Inflation Reduction Act if they take control of Congress. This would only harm millions of Americans and burden them with higher costs, and it would force some to lose their coverage altogether.  Fortunately, the American people who overwhelmingly support these provisions and our health care champions on both ends of Pennsylvania  Aveneue won’t allow that to happen. ” 

Throughout the week, Protect Our Care will continue to release fact sheets and host nationwide events with elected officials, storytellers, and health care advocates to highlight the Inflation Reduction Act’s critical measures to drive down health care and prescription drug costs.

Inflation Reduction Act Themed Weeks:

• Week 1: GOP Accountability. Week one focuses on how every Republican lawmaker in Congress stood by Big Pharma and other special interests and voted against lower health care costs for the American people.
• Week 2: Seniors. Week two is bringing attention to the Inflation Reduction Act’s provisions to lower prescription drug costs for millions of seniors. 
• Week 3: Lower Health Care Premiums. Week three focuses on how millions of Americans will save on their health care premiums thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. 
• Week 4: Cancer. The final week highlights how patients fighting serious diseases like cancer stand to save thousands of dollars a year on their health care costs. 

FACT SHEET: The Inflation Reduction Act Drastically Lowers Premium Costs For Millions Of Americans

President Biden and Congressional Democrats fought tirelessly to pass the Inflation Reduction Act and reduce the cost of health insurance for millions of Americans and expand coverage.  As a result, about 13 million Americans who buy insurance on their own will see savings, with an average family of four saving $2,400 a year. Three  million of Americans will not lose their existing coverage because they could no longer pay their premiums. The Inflation Reduction Act will reduce racial inequities in health care, strengthen families, and save lives.  It is particularly important as Americans manage their family budgets through inflation. It’s no surprise that these provisions are incredibly popular with the American people, no matter where they live or their political party.

Help Is On The Way In 2023:

• 13 million Americans will save on their health insurance premiums.
• $2,400 in average annual savings per family on health insurance premiums.

Read the full fact sheet here.

Over the last two weeks, Protect Our Care hosted events and published opinion pieces across the nation with national lawmakers and health care advocates to discuss the Inflation Reduction Act, historic legislation that will lower prescription drug costs and health insurance premiums for millions of Americans. These measures will deliver long-overdue relief to working families and seniors, and it will address the deep racial inequities in our health care system. Last month, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, overcoming unified Republican opposition and record lobbying from Big Pharma and other special interests to finally put people over profits. More information on The Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. 

HEADLINES

(GA) Georgia Public Broadcasting: Georgia’s Budget Is a ‘Snapshot of Our Morals and Values,’ Advocates of Medicaid Expansion Say. August 28, 2022 marks a full decade since Georgia’s first refusal to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. “We can and we must use the unprecedented resources at our disposal to fully expand Medicaid and get access to life-saving care for hundreds of thousands of veterans, working parents, frontline workers, and other fellow Georgians,” said Leah Chan, Senior Health Policy Analyst with Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. [GPB News, 8/28/22]

(MI) WNEM: Genesee Health Plan Highlights Savings From Inflation Reduction Act. A Michigan retiree who cares for her disabled daughter and a health care advocate today joined Congressman Dan Kildee of Flint to raise awareness about the health care benefits and savings for ordinary Michiganders from the Inflation Reduction Act. ‘Access to lifesaving care should not cost Michigan families and seniors their life savings. For decades, Big Pharma stood in the way of any progress to lower prescription drug prices. But with the Inflation Reduction Act, we took on the drug companies and won. Medicare will be able to negotiate lower drug prices, we cap out-of-pocket costs for seniors at $2,000 a year, and the price of insulin for seniors is capped at $35 a month. This legislation will have a real impact to lower costs for Michigan families and seniors,’” said Congressman Kildee. [WNEM, 8/23/22] 

(WV) WKKX Radio Interview with Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach sat for a live interview with Rocky Fitzsimmons from the Legislative Watchdogs program on WKKX Radio to discuss the Inflation Reduction Act, historic legislation that will lower prescription drug costs and health insurance premiums for millions of Americans.” [WKKX, 8/24/22]

(WI) Wisconsin Examiner: Advocates Unpack the Details in New Climate, Health and Tax Law. “This legislation extends for another three years higher subsidies for people who buy health insurance through the federal exchange created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). More than 187,000 Wisconsin residents will save money as a result, according to Protect Our Care, an ACA advocacy group.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 8/31/22]

(WI) Channel 3000: Local Leaders Tout Impact of Inflation Reduction Act on Drug Prices “State Sen. Melissa Agard and Fitchburg Mayor Aaron Richardson on Tuesday touted the impacts the Inflation Reduction Act is expected to have on health care. Representatives from a number of groups, including Opportunity Wisconsin, Family Friendly Wisconsin, For Our Future Wisconsin and Protect Our Care Wisconsin, took part in Tuesday’s news conference.” [Channel 3000, 8/30/22]

OPINION PIECES

(CO) Colorado Politics Op-Ed on the Inflation Reduction Act by Gail Devore, Colorado Resident With 1 Diabetes for More Than 50 Years. “Thanks to this legislation, families will save thousands on their health care premiums. Last year, many of us who buy insurance on our own noticed our health care premiums went down after Democrats in Congress passed legislation guaranteeing coverage that costs less than 8.5% of income. These tax credits in the American Rescue Plan allowed millions of enrollees to find a quality plan for $10 or less per month and saved families an average of $2,400 a year on our insurance premiums.” [Colorado Politics, 8/26/22]

(MN) MinnPost Op-Ed on the Inflation Reduction Act by Congresswoman Craig and Congressman Phillips. “We promised to help because our constituents urgently needed change, and this summer, when we passed the Inflation Reduction Act, we delivered on that promise. At the end of the day, this isn’t a partisan issue – it’s just common sense: every American should be able to access and afford the medication they need to live.” [MinnPost, 9/1/22]

(NH) Concord Monitor Letter to the Editor on the Inflation Reduction Act by POC NH State Director Jayme Simoes. “The legislation also includes measures that will lower health care premiums for millions by extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) financial assistance for three years. Sadly, Republicans in Congress blocked a critical provision that would cap insulin costs at $35 per month for millions of diabetics with insurance. As many as one in four of the 7.5 million Americans dependent on insulin are skipping or skimping on doses, which can lead to death. The contrast is clear. Between fighting to lower health care costs and expanding affordable coverage to working families, our congressional delegation is working tirelessly to lower everyday costs for all Americans,” writes Simoes. [Concord Monitor, 8/21/22]

(NH) New Hampshire Union Leader Op-Ed on the Inflation Reduction Act by Granite Stater Gene Faltus: “Protect Our Care New Hampshire placed an opinion piece written by Granite Stater Gene Faltus in the New Hampshire Union Leader highlighting how the prescription drug provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act will benefit seniors in New Hampshire. ‘I can’t overstate how much this legislation will help me. With more than two dozen prescriptions to treat the cancer, multiple cardiac conditions, non-insulin dependent diabetes, and temporal arteritis, I end up paying around $5,000 out of pocket halfway through the year. After I leave the doughnut hole, I enter catastrophic coverage and pay 5% of my prescription costs until the end of the year. Prescription costs rise every year, but this year I expect my out-of-pocket costs to exceed $7,000. The Inflation Reduction Act will change my life, and the lives of millions of Americans like me, who rely on expensive medications to stay alive.’” [New Hampshire Union Leader, 8/21/22]

As part of week two of the Inflation Reduction Act themed weeks, Protect Our Care is highlighting provisions in the bill that will directly benefit America’s seniors. Democrats in Congress have been working tirelessly to put money back in the pockets of American seniors by capping the price of insulin. The $35 cap will change the lives of the millions of insulin users on Medicare that no longer will have to decide between affording their medication or putting food on the table. Taking insulin, as prescribed, also reduces the likelihood of costly complications such as vision loss, heart disease, and kidney disease.

Fast Facts:

• No Medicare beneficiary will pay more than $35 a month for insulin beginning  in 2023.
• 3.2 million insulin users on Medicare Part D will benefit from the $35 cap in 2023.
• Republicans in Congress blocked a universal insulin cap to help millions of Americans.

Makes Insulin Accessible And Affordable For Seniors. In 2020, there were more than 3.2 million insulin users on Medicare Part D, with nearly 1.7 million purchasing their insulin without low-income subsidies. On average, seniors with Medicare Part D who are not receiving subsidies pay an average of $572 every year for this life saving medication — an unthinkable sum for many on fixed incomes. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, insulin copays for seniors on Medicare will be capped at $35 each month starting in 2023. 

Affordable Insulin Directly Helps Minority And Rural Seniors. Minority Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes when compared to their white counterparts with over 12 percent of Black adults and 11.8 percent of Hispanics being diagnosed with the disease. Black Americans also continue to be the hardest hit when it comes to affording their prescription drugs and paying medical bills. 

According to a 2018 study, rural Americans are 17 percent more likely to suffer from diabetes than urban Americans. Diabetes risk factors are higher in rural areas than their urban and suburban counterparts as they have less access to health care providers, fewer transportation options to receive care, and higher rates of being uninsured. 

These seniors are forced to stop taking their medication or cut doses in half. Diabetics suffer severe effects such as numbness in feet and nerve damage in the eyes when they stop taking doses as prescribed. Patients who suffer chronic complications can expect to pay upwards of an additional $650 per year. The insulin cap provision in the Inflation Reduction Act will vastly improve the lives of millions of older, minority, and rural insulin users.

Republicans Blocked Insulin Cap for Millions of Americans. In early August, as the final negotiations were being made on the Inflation Reduction Act, Republicans in the Senate unified together to make sure that the $35 insulin cap was not universal. In a country where 80 percent of diabetics have had to go into debt in order to pay for insulin, this type of action by Republicans reeks of the influence of Big Pharma. When addressing this at his rally on Thursday August 25th, President Joe Biden railed against the cowardice of elected Republicans and emphasized to the American people that the IRA would be just the beginning of his plans to reduce health care costs for all Americans. “These Republicans ripped that out of the bill, but we’re coming back.”

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY AUGUST 31 AT 9:00 AM AZ TIME // 12:00 PM ET***

The Inflation Reduction Act Will Lower Costs, Help Arizonans Save on Premiums, and Allow Medicare to Negotiate Drug Prices

Phoenix, AZ —On Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at 9 AM AZ time, Congressman Greg Stanton will join Protect Our Care Arizona to discuss the Inflation Reduction Act, historic legislation that will lower prescription drug costs and health insurance premiums for millions of Americans.

The Inflation Reduction Act will lower the cost of health insurance and drive down prescription drug prices by giving Medicare the power to negotiate, capping seniors’ out-of-pocket costs for drugs at $2,000 per year, capping insulin costs, and stopping Big Pharma’s egregious price hikes. This bill will help lower costs for millions of working families, address the deep racial inequities in our health care system and save lives. This historic legislation ends a 20-year era of pharmaceutical companies’ greed taking precedence over the health and well-being of the American people.

By passing this legislation, President Biden and Democrats delivered on their promise to lower health care costs and rein in high drug prices — a stark contrast from every Republican who voted no. American families have been asking and waiting for this day, and now help is on the way.

WHO: Congressman Greg Stanton, [AZ-09] Dana Kennedy, AARP Arizona
Dora Vasquez, Executive Director, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans
Carmen Heredia, CEO Valle Del Sol
Dr. Karuppana, Chief Medical Officer, Valle Del Sol
Morgan Finkelstein, Arizona Protect Our Care

WHAT: Press Conference

WHEN: Wednesday, August 31 at 9:00 AM AZ Time

WHERE: Valle del Sol Community Health Center Corporate Office
3877 N 7th St
Phoenix, AZ 85014

The press conference will be livestreamed here.

As part of week two of the Inflation Reduction Act themed weeks, Protect Our Care is highlighting provisions in the bill that will directly benefit America’s seniors. Democrats in Congress have been working tirelessly to put money back in the pockets of American seniors by capping out-of-pocket costs on prescription medicine. This spending cap will change the lives of the millions of seniors that no longer will have to decide between affording their medication or putting food on the table. 

Fast Facts:

• 49 million Medicare Part D beneficiaries will have out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs capped at $2,000 per year beginning in 2025. 
• All Medicare Part D beneficiaries will have access to covered vaccines, such as Shingles and pneumonia, at no cost starting in 2023.
• No Medicare beneficiary will pay more than $35 a month for insulin beginning  in 2023.
• 49 million Medicare beneficiaries will no longer face Big Pharma’s outrageous price hikes that exceed inflation beginning in 2023 and will pay less for prescription drugs thanks to Medicare’s ability to negotiate prices.

Caps Out-Of-Pocket Spending For Seniors. Seniors with serious conditions like cancer, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis will save thousands of dollars on prescriptions under the Inflation Reduction Act, which will help the more than 1.4 million Medicare enrollees who paid more than $2,000 in out-of-pocket costs in 2020. Medicare Part D out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs will be capped at $2,000 per year beginning in 2025. The Inflation Reduction Act also allows out-of-pocket spending to be smoothed over the course of the year beginning in 2025, so patients are not forced to pay the entirety of their out-of-pocket cost all at one time.  

Helps Millions Of Seniors Who Can’t Afford Their Prescriptions. The Inflation Reduction Act will help 3.5 million older Americans who have trouble affording their medication forcing them to skip doses or cut pills in half. Over the decade from 2009 to 2019, out-of-pocket spending for older Amerians rose by 41 percent. Seniors often have to sacrifice basic needs such as food or clothing to be able to afford their prescriptions due to rising costs. The Inflation Reduction Act will help older Americans who are Medicare beneficiaries by capping their out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 per year starting in 2025. These seniors will no longer have to choose between life saving prescription drugs and other basic necessities.