News

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18 AT 11:00 AM ET // 10:00 AM CT***

The CARE for Moms Act Includes Historic Investments to Strengthen Health Care Coverage During and After Pregnancy, Grow and Diversify the Doula Workforce, and Address Underlying Causes of Maternal Mortality

Washington, DC — On Monday, September 18, 2023 at 11 AM ET, U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) and National Medical Association President Dr. Yolanda Lawson will join Protect Our Care to discuss her new legislation, the CARE for Moms Act, which is a comprehensive plan to combat the U.S. maternal mortality crisis. The bill includes critical steps to save lives, including by investing $35 million in state-based grants to improve perinatal care, mandating Medicaid coverage for new moms one year postpartum, extending Medicaid oral health coverage to pregnant and postpartum women, addressing implicit bias in the health care training, increasing and diversifying the doula workforce, and more. 

During the call, speakers will discuss how the CARE for Moms Act takes a multifaceted approach to promoting the health and safety of new mothers and their babies and the urgent need to stop the worsening maternal mortality crisis. More than 1,000 women die annually due to complications of pregnancy or childbirth, making the U.S. maternal mortality rate three times higher than other wealthy nations. Black and Native women are at significantly greater risk of facing serious complications. Representative Kelly will introduce the CARE for Moms Act on September 19.

PRESS CALL:

WHO:
U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02)
Dr. Yolanda Lawson, President of the National Medical Association
Dr. Phyllis Dennery, Pediatrician-in-Chief at Rhode Island Hospital, Medical Director of Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Vice Chair of March of Dimes Board of Trustees
Sara Jann Heinze, Director of Policy & Advocacy at Maternity Care Coalition
Protect Our Care

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference 

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: September 18, 2023 at 11 AM ET

Drug Companies Falsely Claim Innovation Will Suffer As Patients in America Cut Pills and Skip Doses to Make Ends Meet

The Biden administration recently announced the first round of high-cost drugs whose prices will come down as Medicare negotiates with the drug companies. The new program, which is overwhelmingly popular with voters from all parties, will lower costs for certain drugs used to treat conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders – which disproportionately impact women, communities of color, and people in rural areas.

However, big drug companies are suing in the courts to try to stop the Inflation Reduction Act’s core provision of giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. They have also started a campaign of lies in an attempt to persuade people that allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices will prevent drug companies from introducing innovative drugs. But innovation isn’t really what the drug companies are worried about – they just want to protect their profits, continue to line their CEOs’ pockets, and take advantage of patients. In reality, giving Medicare the power to negotiate will save seniors and taxpayers billions while rewarding innovative drugs. 

Legal and health care experts are fighting back against the misinformation campaign. Here’s what they have to say:

Cynthia Ho, Director of the Intellectual Property Program at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, and Liza Vertinsky, Law Professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, said: “Once a More Nuanced Approach to Innovation Is Considered, the IRA Might Even Increase Innovation in Higher Public Value Drugs.” “We posit that the current lawsuits and other backlash against the IRA are simply the latest examples of what we refer to as “innovation bullying” by the pharmaceutical industry. And we suggest that this innovation bullying has real costs that can and do deter welfare-improving drug regulation and even valuable innovation.” [Health Affairs, 9/11/23]

Ed Silverman, Pharmalot Columnist and Senior Writer at STAT, said: “If the Pharmaceutical Industry Expects the Public to Heed Its Warnings, It Will Have to Do a Better Job of Explaining Why Swaths of Patients May One Day Lose Out on Treatments.” “Beyond complaining about price controls and unconstitutional mandates, the key message aimed at the American public has been that innovation will suffer. This is a familiar but tiring refrain. When policymakers have attempted to address prescription drug costs in the past, the industry has often rattled this sabre, warning any attempt to rein in pricing would boomerang and some therapies will never be developed.” [STAT, 9/7/23]

The Brookings Schaeffer Initiative on Health Policy’s Richard G. Frank and Caitlin Rowley said: “Despite the Pharma Companies’ Fears, Negotiating Medicare Prices Will Not Lead to a ‘Nuclear Winter.’” “However, such forecasts are unfounded. […] Not only are revenues enough to justify the investment in these particular drugs, they are enough to fund several more generations of pharmaceutical development. Lower negotiated prices are unlikely to deter further investment in similar medications.” [Bloomberg Opinion, 9/5/2023]

The Brookings Schaeffer Initiative on Health Policy’s Richard G. Frank and Ro W. Huang said: “To Date, We Have Found Little Evidence Suggesting a Disruption in Activities and Investments That Will Yield New Pharmaceutical Products in the Years to Come.” “When coupled with optimism expressed in recent large drug company earnings reports, the evidence indicates that the investment environment for drug development remains largely unchanged by the IRA’s drug price negotiation program and is currently not threatened by it.” [Brookings Institution, 08/23/23]

Rachel Sachs, Professor of Law at Washington University, and The Brookings Schaeffer Initiative on Health Policy’s Loren Adler and Richard G. Frank said: “IRA Opponents’ Innovation Concerns Are Overstated and Oversimplified, Overlooking Important Dimensions of Innovation for Patients.” “The oversimplified vision of “innovation” and the IRA’s relationship to it presented by many of the law’s detractors simply do not match the nuanced vision of innovation encompassed either in the IRA or in adjacent policies that the Biden Administration has simultaneously pursued. […] Taken together, it is even possible that these combined changes could increase the development of higher-value drugs, and at the same time reducing costs and increasing patient access.” [Health Affairs Scholar, 6/20/23]

Former U.S. Representative Henry A. Waxman, Chairman of Waxman Strategies, said: “Above All, An Innovative Drug Doesn’t Help Anyone If It Is Unaffordable.” “The reality is there is currently no correlation between a drug’s list price and its R&D costs. The price of insulin has skyrocketed by 64 percent since 2014 not because of innovation, but because the drug companies could get away with it. […] The manufacturer AbbVie doubled Humira’s price from about $19,000 per year to $38,000 per year for Americans. But in Europe, the company cut the drug’s price by 80 percent and is still not losing money.” [Health Affairs, 12/10/19]

Michael A. Carrier, Professor of Law at Rutgers University School of Law, and Genevieve Tung, Associate Director for Educational Programs at the Biddle Law Library, said “Drug Companies Play Games.” “Big Pharma has cried Innovation Wolf every time Congress seeks to address its shenanigans. And the legislators keep coming to defend it. That has to stop. It is past time for the industry to be called to account on using its get-out-of-jail-free innovation card to avoid reasonable legislation.” [STAT, 9/26/19]

Larry Levitt, Executive Vice President for Health Policy at KFF, said: “The Issues Raised by Critics Can Be Complex and Nuanced, Involving Trade-Offs Not Always Easily Condensed Into Sound Bites.” “One of the big reasons any effects on innovation may be muted is that drugs are shielded from government negotiation for quite a while: until nine years after Food and Drug Administration approval for small-molecule drugs like pills and 13 years for injectable biological products. Drugmakers can continue to set their own prices and reap substantial profits before having to submit to negotiation.” [New York Times, 9/6/23]

Today, the federal government will be filing a judgment motion in Merck v. Becerra et al. Merck is one of several drug companies suing the federal government to stop Medicare from negotiating lower prescription drug prices on behalf of millions of seniors. Merck’s Januvia was recently announced as one of the 10 drugs selected for negotiation. This comes just after Merck announced it raked in $15 billion last quarter – a $450 million increase over last year. While they make billions, Americans pay exorbitantly high prices for prescription drugs. 

By The Numbers

• Merck has reported nearly $51 billion in global sales for Januvia since it launched in 2006. 
• Januvia is responsible for over $28 billion in gross Medicare spending as of 2021. 
• Merck has issued over $200 billion in stock buybacks since launching Januvia.
• Merck has spent over $115 million on lobbying since launching Januvia.
• Merck has been on the market without competition for over 17 years. 
• In 2022, 885,000 Medicare enrollees took Januvia. 
• Januvia costs the average Medicare enrollee without a subsidy over $500 per year out-of-pocket.
• Merck reported $15 billion in earnings for Q2 2023, a 3% increase from Q2 2022. 
• Merck initiated over $300 million in stock buybacks in Q2 2023. 
• Merck’s stock price has increased 24% over the past year. 

Merck Has Made Billions From Januvia At The Expense of Seniors. Merck has reported nearly $51 billion ($50,897,600,000) in global sales for Januvia since it launched in 2006. Januvia is responsible for $28 billion in gross Medicare spending. Merck has issued over $200 billion in stock buybacks since launching Januvia and spent over $115 million on lobbying. In 2022, 885,000 Medicare enrollees took Januvia. Januvia costs the average Medicare enrollee without a subsidy over $500 per year out-of-pocket.

Merck Has Gamed The Patent System To Protect Billions In Revenue. Merck has been on the market without competition for over 17 years, and Merck has gamed the patent system to thwart competition for an additional 3.3 years, protecting $3.5 billion in revenue.

Instead Of Spending On Research & Development, Merck Has Spent Lavishly On Stock Buybacks To Boost The Company’s Value and Reward Shareholders. Rather than pricing Januvia at an affordable and accessible price, Merck has spent hundreds of billions on stock buybacks to boost its investors and reward its executives. While the company rakes in billions, U.S. drug prices for Januvia are up to nine times higher than prices in other high-income countries like Australia.

Merck’s stock price has increased 24% over the past year after the company initiated $300 million in stock buybacks in Q2 2023. On Aug 1, CFO Caroline Litchfield touted the company’s “very strong growth of 14%” and said they expect that to continue: “As we look out to 2024 and beyond, we continue to expect strong growth including the impact of additional approvals.” Merck also acquired Prometheus Biosciences for $10.8 billion in June.

Read more about why Medicare needs the power to negotiate lower drug costs and the five drugs that tell the story, including Januvia, here.

The Biden administration announced the first round of high-cost drugs whose prices will be lowered as Medicare begins to negotiate with drug companies. The new program created by the Inflation Reduction Act will lower costs for some of the highest-priced prescription drugs on the market used to treat conditions like cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders – conditions that disproportionately impact women, communities of color, and people in rural areas.

President Biden and Democrats in Congress stood up to big drug companies and won a decades-long battle to lower the cost of prescription drugs for millions of Americans  . Negotiating lower prices is overwhelmingly popular across the country, yet big drug companies are suing the federal government to protect their massive profits by halting the program, and Republicans are attempting to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act entirely. Read more about the first 10 drugs here.

ALABAMA

Alabama Political Reporter: How Alabamians Will Be Affected by the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. “According to Protect Our Care, a non-profit organization dedicated to affordable health care, approximately 166,000 Alabamians will see lower drug prices as a result of the negotiations…Founder and president of Protect Our Care, Leslie Dach, released a statement discussing the importance of the price negotiations. ‘Americans deserve financial security and some peace of mind when they go to sleep at night,”  But, too many are forced to choose between being able to afford their medicines or paying for food or housing. Prescription medicines cannot work if people cannot afford to take them, and high drug prices are keeping too many Americans from the health care they need. Patients should not be paying out-of-control prices for medicines they need when all it’s doing is increasing drug company profits and footing the bill for outrageous CEO salaries. President Biden and Democrats in Congress stood up to big drug companies and won a decades-long battle to lower the cost of prescription drugs by giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices. The Biden administration is laser-focused on making medications affordable for families and ending the era of drug companies’ unchecked power and greed.’” [Alabama Political Reporter, 9/8/23]

ARIZONA

ABC15 Arizona: Valley Seniors Hope Negotiating Prescription Drug Prices Will Help Save Money. “‘The number one reason why seniors skip or ration their medications is because they cannot afford it. So, this will save millions of Arizonans a lot of money on their prescription drug costs,’ said Dana Kennedy, State Director for AARP. Medications to treat heart disease, diabetes, and Crohn’s disease are among the most expensive prescriptions in Medicare Part D.” (ABC15, 9/4/23)

ARKANSAS 

KARK Little Rock: Biden Administration Names 10 Drugs for Price Negotiation. “The drugs on the list announced Tuesday accounted for $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs for Medicare patients last year. The Medicare program paid more than $50 billion for the drugs between June 1, 2022, and May 31, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS. The announcement Tuesday is another significant step toward taming drug pricing under the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed by Biden last year. The law also calls for a $2,000 annual cap on how much people with Medicare have to pay out of pocket for drugs starting in 2025. In addition, the law already caps out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 a month for Medicare patients.” [KARK Little Rock, 8/29/23]

CALIFORNIA

Noozhawk Santa Barbara: 5 Things to Know About the New Medicare Price Negotiation Rule. “Until now the drug industry has successfully fought off price negotiations with Washington, although in most of the rest of the world governments set prices for medicines. While the first 10 drugs selected for negotiations are used by a minority of patients — 9 million — CMS plans by 2029 to have negotiated prices for 50 drugs on the market. Biden administration officials say reining in drug prices is key to slowing the skyrocketing costs of U.S. health care. The drugs selected by CMS range from specialized, hyper-expensive drugs like the cancer pill Imbruvica (used by about 26,000 patients in 2021 at an annual price of $121,000 per patient) to extremely common medications such as Eliquis (a blood thinner for which Medicare paid about $4,000 each for 3.1 million patients). Medicare price negotiations will equip private health plans to drive a harder bargain. David Mitchell, president of the advocacy group Patients for Affordable Drugs, predicted that disclosure of negotiated Medicare prices ‘will embolden and arm private sector negotiators to seek that lower price for those they cover.’” [Noozhawk Santa Barbara, 5/2/23]

COLORADO

KOAA News5 Colorado: More Than 100,000 Coloradans Could See Price Cuts in Ten Medicare Prescriptions. “More than 100,000 Coloradans could see cuts to their costly medications. Ten are up for negotiation, which includes treatment to life-threatening conditions like cancer, heart failure, and diabetes.” (KOAA, 9/5/23)

GEORGIA

11 Alive Georgia: Patients Excitedly Welcome Price Negotiation for Expensive Drugs. “The Biden Administration revealed the first 10 prescription drugs Medicare will negotiate under the Inflation Reduction Act meaning patients could soon pay less to get life-saving care. Diane Loupe, 66, of Decatur, takes Xarelto. She ended up with the prescription after thinking that she just had bad varicose veins. The luxury of life comes with a hefty price. Loupe said her prescription went from $10 a month to $85 a month. She has Medicare, but without insurance, pharmacies say blood thinners like hers can cost way more. 11Alive talked to a few local pharmacies. Most of the medications on the list can cost over $600. Several pharmacies say they don’t even keep them in stock because they’re so expensive. However, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that’s about to change. ‘These 10 drugs, in last year, in 2022 cost Americans $3.4 billion, about $6,000 out-of-pocket expenses – just for one drug,’ Jean-Pierre said.” [11 Alive Georgia, 8/29/23]

HAWAII

Hawaii Tribune-Herald: Biden’s Medicare Drug Pricing Plan is Good Medicine for Americans. “The VA takes care of veterans, Medicaid (whose costs are shared with states and localities) is coverage for the poor and Medicare is health insurance for seniors and people with disabilities. The VA and Medicaid can, and do, negotiate with suppliers on drug prices, just like they negotiate payment levels for other health services. Yet Medicare, which sets the reimbursement rates for doctors and hospitals, is barred by federal law from negotiating on drugs. That’s the doing of the well-heeled pharmaceutical lobby. It took a long time, but the change finally came last year with President Joe Biden’s… Inflation Reduction Act. The law, signed a year ago this month, permitted Uncle Sam (meaning Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra) to haggle over the prices of medications. Biden has now announced the first 10 drugs. The negotiations, by the Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services, will take years and the lower prices for consumers will begin in 2026. There will be another 50 drugs over the next four years up for negotiations and after that, 20 a year. And Big Pharma is fighting all the way, already in court to stop it. One of the drugs on the list, Imbruvica, for blood cancer, runs $17,000 a month, or $204,000 a year. Whatever the reason [for the price], it can be addressed during the talks now permitted between Medicare and the supplier, a joint product of AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson.” [Hawaii Tribune-Herald, 9/2/23]

ILLINOIS

Chicago Tribune (Commentary): Big Pharma is Wrong, Medicare Price Negotiation Won’t Hinder Innovation. “Big Pharma is pulling out all the stops to avoid lowering drug prices for seniors. Their legal strategy is tantamount to ‘throwing the kitchen sink at the government,’ as one expert described it, with various lawsuits arguing violations to the First, Fifth, and Eighth amendments. The pharmaceutical industry has argued that negotiating Medicare prices with the federal government will force them to pull back on developing groundbreaking new treatments. The argument relies on a central falsehood: that the government does not subsidize investments in pharmaceutical innovation. But evidence shows that public sector investments in basic and applied biomedical research — primarily from the National Institutes of Health — contribute substantively to the emergence of new drugs and drug-related patents. Amazingly, given the pervasiveness of the industry’s argument, a recent study found that NIH funding contributed to nearly all (99.4%) of FDA-approved drugs from 2010 to 2019, and the magnitude of NIH investment in new drugs is comparable with that of the industry. These findings clearly suggest that the public deserves a more equitable return on its investment relative to the pharmaceutical industry’s investment.” [Chicago Tribune (Commentary), 9/3/23]

WGEM Quincy Illinois: Medicare Will Now Be Able to Negotiate Prices for 10 Drugs. “Some seniors have had to make tough choices between their medication and other necessities. Under a new policy announced last week, Medicare will negotiate the price of ten of the most costly prescription drugs on the market with manufacturers. Rob Ritchey, the Administrative Director of Pharmacy with Blessing said drug prices are based on how much money the government pays for the medication. He said last year the government spent $50 billion on prescription drugs. Mary Crawford, the West Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging Grant and Program Manager said seniors commonly use the drugs on the list, and those drugs really eat away at their budgets. She said its an important first step to have Medicare play a role in negotiating drug prices. She said for seniors who need assistance, programs to help them pay for their medication exist. Crawford said the current steps the federal government has taken; such as capping the price of insulin and will soon expand the extra help benefits which will reduce what people pay for premiums, deductibles, and co-pays. She says steps like these make her hopeful for other actions down the road.” [WGEM Quincy Illinois, 9/5/23]

IOWA

Iowa Public Radio: Understanding the Historic Plan for Medicare Drug Price Negotiations. “The Biden Administration announced that ten prescription drugs have been selected for Medicare price negotiations for the first time. The power to negotiate the prices comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, passed last year.” [Iowa Public Radio, 9/8/23]

KGAN Iowa: Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to Lower Prices of Key Drugs for Iowans: A Relief for Millions. “President Biden announced the first 10 drugs to have lower prices under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. The new program requires big drug companies to negotiate lower pricing for the high-cost drugs used for treating conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Lower Pricing will help millions across the country and Iowa.” [KGAN Iowa, 9/7/23]

The Gazette: Over 36,000 Iowans Will Be Affected by Price Negotiation Rule. “Roughly 36,000 Iowans on Medicare pay an average of $650 each year to take the blood thinner Eliquis, according to federal data, but that copay could fall in future years under a new federal law being celebrated by President Joe Biden’s administration and Iowa Democrats. The measure, part of the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, allows the federal government to negotiate prices with prescription drugmakers. This week, the Biden administration highlighted potential cost savings for the first 10 drugs whose prices the administration plans to negotiate in the coming years. However, any lower prices won’t take effect for three years, and the path forward could be further complicated by litigation from drugmakers and heavy criticism from Republicans. In addition to the 36,000 Iowans on Medicare who paid an average of $650 in 2022 on Eliquis, 15,000 paid an average of roughly $640 for another blood thinner, Xarelto, according to federal data. And 12,000 paid roughly $470 for the diabetes treatment medication Jardiance. Iowa’s average out-of-pocket costs for those three most commonly used drugs are among the highest in the country, according to the federal data. In 2022, Iowa had the fifth-highest average annual out-of-pocket cost for Eliquis, Xarelto and Jardiance. In a statement, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart called on Republican presidential candidates who have been campaigning in Iowa to make clear their position on the legislation and the measure that allows the federal government to negotiate Medicare drug prices.” [The Gazette, 8/31/23]

LOUISIANA

The Times Picayune NOLA: How Medicare Price Negotiation Will Help Louisiana Medicare Enrollees. “It was the biggest news of the week — or at least the news with the most fanfare — and its success could mean that many of the roughly 883,000 Louisiana seniors on Medicare would no longer have to choose between buying medication or food, says AARP Louisiana. The White House announced Tuesday that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would commence negotiating lower prices with the major drug manufacturers, often known as Big Pharma, for 10 drugs frequently prescribed to seniors. CMS got authority to negotiate prices for the first time under the Inflation Reduction Act, passed last August. CMS calculates at least 151,000 Louisiana seniors on Medicare take one or more of the 10 initial drugs on the list. Mean annual out-of-pocket expenses cost those seniors between $93 for Novolog and $4,500 for Imbruvica. About 55,000 Louisiana Medicare enrollees have been prescribed the heavily advertised Eliquis to treat blood clots and have to personally pay an average of $372 after Medicare pays its portion. For those who take Jardiance for diabetes, that’s another $237 out of pocket. U.S. Rep. Troy Carter of New Orleans, the only Democrat Louisiana voters have sent to the House, said: ‘This will lower prescription drug costs for seniors in Louisiana and around the country.’” [The Times Picayune NOLA, 9/1/23]

MAINE

The Press Herald Maine: Biden’s Big Deal on Drug Prices. “President Biden announced the first price negotiations over 10 super-expensive Medicare drugs last week through the Inflation Reduction Act as if it were a big deal. It is. In fact, it’s the first time since the program’s creation under Lyndon Johnson in 1965 that Democrats have struck a major blow toward reducing the program’s costs for taxpayers. The drugs on the Biden administration’s list cost, on average, three times what other nations pay: 300% more. That explodes the drug company argument that such prices are necessary to avoid stifling innovation. Why should Americans, alone, pay through the nose so Germany, France and Sweden can get steep discounts on the very same pills? [Price negotiation is] a start, and if it becomes a trend, it could finally mark a new direction is the dismal course of the American health care system, which becomes more corporatized and bureaucratized, more remote from the people it’s supposed to serve with each passing year.” [The Press Herald Maine, 9/7/23]

News Center Maine: How Mainers Will Benefit From Medicare Price Negotiations. “President Joe Biden has revealed a plan to lower the cost of 10 prescription drugs for seniors by allowing Medicare to negotiate the price with drug companies. The drugs include those that treat diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Dr. Karen Saylor works at Coastal Maine Direct Care in Falmouth. She said her patients sometimes have to choose between paying large amounts of money for important medications or not taking them at all. But that might change. Some of those medications are among 10 drugs that could have their prices slashed in negotiations between the government and drug manufacturers, which was authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act passed by Congress last year. The effects of this change are expected to be wide-reaching in Maine. Medicare enrollees taking the medications here in the state paid out-of-pocket costs of up to nearly $5,000 in 2022. Savings for the 10 drugs won’t come until 2026, but for Saylor’s patients, she said it will be worth the wait.” [News Center Maine, 9/1/23]

MASSACHUSETTS 

Boston Globe (Opinion): Medicare Drug Price Talks Are Lauded by Americans. “[W]e the people are winners as we begin reining in excessive prescription drug prices. Skyrocketing prices lead to higher health care premiums, higher taxes to pay for Medicare and Medicaid, and higher costs at the pharmacy counter. According to the state Center for Health Information and Analysis, prescription drug spending increases outpace other health care spending in Massachusetts. Spending on prescription drugs grew 7.7 percent in 2020, more than twice the 3.1 percent state benchmark for increases in overall health care spending. President Biden’s plan to allow Medicare and Medicaid to negotiate prices for some prescription drugs unraveled an absurd prohibition the pharmaceutical industry pushed through Congress 20 years ago. Negotiation is crucial as drug companies keep US prices inflated by blocking generic competitors through patent-extending tactics. Unsurprisingly, the pharmaceutical industry opposes the plan. The rest of us are all in. We’ll need more reforms for a fairer medication marketplace, but this is a great start.” [Boston Globe (Opinion), 9/4/23]

NORTH DAKOTA

Public News Service: North Dakotans See Light at the End of the Tunnel on Prescription Costs. “Older North Dakotans and a key advocacy group are hopeful that seniors will see relief from the heavy burden of prescription drug costs – and they’re hailing a big step announced this week. The Biden administration unveiled the first 10 medications that will be subject to price negotiations under the Medicare program. The action is part of the Inflation Reduction Act approved by Congress. Bismarck resident Bob Entringer has used one of the medications on the list since 2017. When he retired and switched to Medicare, he found out the blood thinner would be almost $500 for a 90-day prescription. Policy experts note that other IRA provisions are already helping beneficiaries. Josh Askvig, AARP North Dakota state director, [said] that for too long, drug makers have prioritized profits over the people who desperately need some of these medications. ‘We know the number one reason seniors skip or ration their prescriptions is because they can’t afford them,’ he said, ‘and this must stop, and this is an important step in that direction.’” [Public News Service, 9/1/23]

PENNSYLVANIA

Lehigh Valley News: U.S. Rep. Susan Wild: Start of Medicare Drug Negotiations Is Cause for Celebration. “Niebell’s cardiologist had prescribed her two of the 10, the blood thinners Xeralto and Eliquis, as they searched for critical medication to which she wouldn’t have an allergic reaction. […] “These prices never should have been this high,” Niebell said, using a hot pink cane to keep her balance at the podium. “We, as seniors, we have enough to worry about, and the doctor shouldn’t have to listen to me whine about the cost every time he sees me.” [Lehigh Valley News, 9/5/23]

The Morning Call: ‘These Prices Never Should Have Been So High’: Susan Wild, Advocates Tout Savings From Medicare Drug Price Negotiations. “The savings primarily will benefit the 65 million people enrolled in Medicare. Enrollees in the government health insurance program paid $3.4 billion out-of-pocket last year for the 10 aforementioned prescription drugs — a number that will likely be slashed thanks to price negotiations. The United States has historically been behind countries like Canada, Mexico and many European countries that allow price negotiations and tend to have more affordable prescription drugs.” [The Morning Call, 9/5/23]

The Philadelphia Tribune (Commentary): Medicare Price Negotiations Will Give Pennsylvania Seniors Relief at the Pharmacy Counter. “On Aug. 29, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, announced more federal action to increase access and affordability for Medicare recipients. Medicare will now be able to negotiate the price of prescription drugs, starting with 10 medications covered under Medicare Part D, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. I applaud President Joe Biden’s continued efforts to improve health equity for elder Americans. Citizens of all ages, not just here in Philadelphia but across the state and country, struggle to afford critical, lifesaving medications to help manage their chronic conditions. Sen. Bob Casey, a vocal supporter of lowering drug prices and providing more access to life-saving treatment, is providing additional support at the federal level. I am proud to see the Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act introduced in Washington. That legislation would prohibit the pharmaceutical industry from using anticompetitive practices that block competition and keep drug prices high. These critical steps at the federal and state level are necessary and long overdue to help solve our drug pricing crisis while increasing access and affordability. Together, we can help everyone see relief at the pharmacy counter.” [The Philadelphia Tribune, 9/5/23]

VIRGINIA

Loudoun Times-Mirror: HHS Secretary Touts New Drug Price Negotiation Rule at Clinic in Virginia. “Becerra compared Medicare not being able to negotiate to a car buyer who has to pay the sticker price on a vehicle in a car lot. He noted the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs negotiates on drug prices, as do many governments in other industrialized nations. Becerra added that the 10 drugs account for 20% of all annual Medicare spending for prescription drugs. Under the IRA, the results of negotiations for an additional 15 drugs take effect in 2027. Another 15 take effect in 2028. Becerra said the number rises to 20 drugs annually beginning in 2029. In a brief interview after the event, Becerra vowed to ‘vigorously defend’ the IRA in court. ‘We feel very confident that what Congress passed, they took into account all the different factors in making it possible for us to negotiate,’ he said. ‘We feel like the law is on our side and we are going to be vigorous in defending this new law because we know that tens of millions of Americans are counting on it.’” [Loudoun Times-Mirror, 9/5/23]

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 AT 12:15 PM MST // 3:15 PM EDT***

The Biden Administration Announced the First 10 Drugs That Arizonans Will Save Money on Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act

Phoenix, AZ  — On Wednesday, September 6 at 12:15 PM MST // 3:15 PM EDT, Senator Mark Kelly will join Protect Our Care Arizona to discuss how Medicare negotiations will lower prescription drug costs for Arizonans. The Biden administration recently announced the first 10 drugs that will have lower prices negotiated by Medicare under the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed by Democrats last year. Prescription medicines cannot work if people cannot afford to take them, and high drug prices are keeping too many Americans from the health care they need. Speakers will discuss what these efforts mean for Arizonans and how lowering the cost of health care and prescription drugs remains central to the Inflation Reduction Act’s popularity.

This event comes as Republicans and drug companies attack the Inflation Reduction Act by trying to derail health care policies that will bring down costs. Big drug companies are suing the federal government to protect their massive profits by halting the measure passed in the Inflation Reduction Act that empowers Medicare to negotiate drug prices while Republicans are attempting to repeal it. President Biden and Democrats in Congress are already working to expand these cost savings to more Americans, no matter what age they are or how they get their health insurance. The Biden administration is laser-focused on making medications affordable for families and ending the era of drug companies’ unchecked power and greed.

PRESS EVENT:

WHO:
United States Senator Mark Kelly
Linda Somo, President, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans
Allison LeFebvre, Arizona patient & health care advocate
Kathy Saulsberry, Arizona patient & health care advocate

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

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

WHEN: Wednesday, September 6 at 12:15 PM MST // 3:15 PM EDT

This week we highlight the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington and the announcement of the first round of high-cost drugs whose prices will come down as Medicare negotiates with the drug companies, as well as new maternal health and teen pregnancy prevention grants being provided with a focus on reduced health disparities and the shift in biotechnology investment towards accelerating health equity efforts across the country. Even so, from new National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine report findings to climate change to insurer care-delay tactics to an increasing maternal health crisis, there is much work to be done to ensure that systematically marginalized groups benefit from the initiatives highlighted this week and other essential programs to improve health outcomes.

Protect Our Care is dedicated to making high-quality, affordable, and equitable health care a right, and not a privilege, for everyone in America. We advocate for policies that lower health care costs and strengthen coverage, which are critical to expanding access to quality health care and, ultimately, achieving better health outcomes, particularly for people of color, rural Americans, LGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities, and more. Our strategies are driven by a broader commitment to tackling systemic inequities that persist due to racism and discrimination and the reality that multi-sector policies are needed to address basic conditions that affect health and related outcomes, particularly for marginalized communities.

INITIATIVES

Washington Post (Opinion: Joe Biden): We Must Keep Marching Forward Towards Dr. King’s Dream. “Sixty years ago, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and hundreds of thousands of fellow Americans marched on Washington for jobs and freedom. While we’ve never fully lived up to that promise as a nation, we have never fully walked away from it, either. Each day of the Biden-Harris administration, we continue the march forward. That includes a fundamental break with trickle-down economics that promised prosperity but failed America, especially Black Americans, over the past several decades. Vice President Harris and I came into office determined to change the economic direction of the country and grow the economy from the middle out and bottom up, not the top down. Black unemployment fell to a historic low this spring and remains near that level. More Black small businesses are starting up than we’ve seen in over 25 years. More Black families have health insurance. We cut Black child poverty in half in my first year in office. We’re taking the most significant action on climate ever, which is reducing pollution and creating jobs for Black Americans in the clean energy future. For generations, Black Americans haven’t always been fully included in our democracy or our economy, but by pure courage and heart, they have never given up pursuing the American Dream. On this day of remembrance, let us keep showing that racial equity isn’t just an aspiration. Let us reject the cramped view that America is a zero-sum game that holds that for one to succeed, another must fail. Let us remember America is big enough for everyone to do well and reach their God-given potential.” [Washington Post (Opinion: Joe Biden), 8/27/23]

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: How Medicare’s Price Negotiation Will Affect People and Equity Efforts. “After months of speculation, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (known as CMS) has finally released the list of medicines that will be subject to the agency’s new price-negotiating powers. The list should give the public hope that — assuming legal challenges from drugmakers are defeated — the program could yield significant savings and more equitable healthcare access. Studies show that the more expensive drugs are, the less likely patients are to adhere to them. That’s been particularly true of several classes of drugs — diabetes and blood thinners — targeted by this list. Moreover, research also reveals significant racial disparities in the use of several of the medications on this first list, says Utibe Essien, a physician at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA who studies health equity. He found that Black patients, including those on Medicare, were 25% less likely to take newer classes of blood thinners for a type of abnormal heartbeat called atrial fibrillation. Beyond improving equitable access, making these medicines more affordable could lead to healthcare savings, says Essien, by making patients healthier. Patients who take their blood thinners consistently can avoid worse health problems, like strokes or kidney disease.” [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/31/23]

Department of Health and Human Services: HHS Awards $23 Million to Support Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs. “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of Population Affairs (OPA), is announcing approximately $23 million in funding to foster innovation, provide new research, and expand the evidence to support and advance equity in the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program. Through the TPP program, HHS seeks to advance equity in adolescent health by supporting projects that create, identify, and scale effective approaches in communities and populations with the greatest needs and facing significant disparities across the country to improve adolescent health and well-being. Collectively, these 18 new Tier 2 projects, along with the 53 new Tier 1 projects OPA announced in June 2023, demonstrate how OPA’s TPP Program is responsive to the needs of youth, their families, and communities. The TPP Tier 2 Rigorous Evaluation cooperative agreements will support 12 projects that will implement and rigorously evaluate a wide diversity of promising interventions. The new interventions include those for youth in foster care, youth in juvenile justice, rural youth, expectant and parenting teens, younger adolescents in middle school, as well as intervention geared for parents, and clinical providers. The projects will also evaluate interventions that use newer modalities including videos, video games, and virtual implementation. These awards are for five-year project periods beginning September 15, 2023.” [Department of Health and Human Services, 8/25/23]

Boston Globe: Governor Awards $1.5 Million in Grants to Promote Maternal Health Equity. “Attorney General Andrea Campbell Tuesday announced $1.5 million in grants to 11 organizations that provide maternal care in Massachusetts as part of her office’s efforts to combat rising maternal health inequities in the state. Campbell hosted the recipients of the Maternal Health Equity Grant for a roundtable discussion about how to reduce negative pregnancy and postpartum outcomes across the state, particularly for Black women, who continue to face the highest rates of pregnancy complications and deaths. First announced by Campbell’s office in April, the grant aims to reduce these racial and ethnic inequities by increasing access to prenatal care, behavioral health support, and breastfeeding support that meets the needs of the state’s diverse population. The Whittier Street Health Center, which serves a large population of low-income individuals and immigrants who receive services in languages other than English, will use the funding to hire bilingual staff and conduct community outreach initiatives to better serve those at highest risk of receiving poor maternal care. The grant also aims to increase access to care from doulas, non-medical professionals trained to offer emotional and informational support to families during and after pregnancy, and support a more robust and diverse workforce.” [Boston Globe, 8/15/23]

Health Affairs: Biotech Industries Are Transitioning Towards a Model of Funding Health Equity Programs. “The biotech story for the rest of 2023 will be neither entirely turmoil nor entirely growth. Instead, it will be a fundamental reset—an industry realignment born of the broader macroeconomic conditions and of the painful lessons learned from the global pandemic that brought us to this moment. As the realignment begins to take shape, one of its most prominent features is already becoming clear: Health equity will be a central focus in biotech. For instance, last year, UCLA Health launched an innovation accelerator to help scale up health equity-focused startups. Johnson & Johnson awarded seed funding to 14 entrepreneurs and organizations with the potential to advance health equity as part of its Health Equity Innovation Challenge. And an increasing number of health-focused private companies are hiring “Chief Health Equity Officers,” as commercial entities awake to longstanding shortfalls. The trend is also reflected in the regulatory landscape, as accrediting bodies and trade associations are increasingly prioritizing key health equity initiatives. Recently, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the American Medical Association launched a new National Coalition for Equity in Healthcare. There’s even been major governmental action, including the Biden administration’s 2021 formation of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity.” [Health Affairs, 8/11/23]

WJTV: Mississippi Community Organization to Receive $6 Million Dollar Grant to Support Health Equity Efforts. “A national bio-tech company, Genentech, announced that a Mississippi based community organization is among 10 chosen to share a $6 million grant. Jackson-based Southern Echo will begin by reaching out to southern states interested in the conversation of health organizing. From there, they will build out a curriculum to better help address issues that can be presented to policy makers. Rachel Mayes, the executive director of Southern Echo, said health plays out in the lives of everyone on a daily basis. She said the grant from Genentech will allow Southern Echo to do what they have in the past. They support organizations in the south in civic engagement, community organizing, the importance of the census, redistricting and voting. This time, the focus is on health equity. Advancing health equity is the purpose behind Genentech’s Community Health Justice Fund, which supports nonprofits.” [WJTV, 8/3/23]

CHALLENGES

Stat: New Report Says Ending Health Disparities Will Require a Permanent Federal Regulatory Body. “In its many recommendations, the committee that wrote the report called for Congress to create a scorecard to assess how new federal legislation might affect health equity; urged all federal agencies to conduct an equity audit of current policies; asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create and facilitate the widespread use of measurements of social determinants of health, including racism; and urged the Office of Management and Budget to oversee efforts to improve the poor and sporadic collection of data about the nation’s racial and ethnic groups. The report’s authors stressed that improving health equity cannot be accomplished by the government’s health agencies alone. Education, income, transportation issues, and the quality of neighborhoods, the report noted, all play a role in harming or helping people’s health. While programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program have proven to be the most effective policies to reduce health disparities, the report found policies that increase the federal minimum wage or close gaps in education spending have also promoted better health. The report details the nation’s many racial and ethnic disparities, including the fact that maternal mortality rates are two to three times higher in Black and Native American populations, and notes that in 2019, Black Americans lived more than four years less than white people and Native Americans lived more than five years less than those who are white. Because income is so closely tied to health and because past policies, such as redlining neighborhoods, have led to the massive loss of generational wealth for many Black Americans, the report urged the adoption of policies to boost income and housing security. These include providing more housing vouchers for low-income people; offering government-subsidized savings accounts for children; promoting fairer financial services that offer lower-cost credit for people with low incomes; and expanding social benefit programs to many who have been left out, including immigrants, people who have been incarcerated, and adults who do not have children.” [Stat, 7/27/23]

NPR: Heatwaves are Increasing Disparities in Health Across the Country. “Within the past five years, Dr. Sameed Khatana says, many of his patients in Philadelphia have realized how climate change hurts them, as they fared poorly with each wave of record heat. Record heat scorching the country is especially dangerous for the many, many people with common conditions like diabetes, obesity and heart disease. And within cities, many vulnerable communities face greater exposure to heat, fewer resources to address it or escape it, and higher rates of the diseases that make heat more dangerous for people. Heat stroke happens when the body’s core temperature rises so fast and high it rapidly becomes lethal. The heart pumps blood away from vital organs to dissipate heat. That can overload weakened hearts or lungs. Many of his patients also have obesity or diabetes, which can affect circulation and nerve function. That also affects the ability to adapt to heat. In addition, common medications his patients take for heart disease — beta blockers and diuretics — can make heat symptoms worse. Just as seen in other public health concerns like obesity or COVID-19, the elderly, communities of color, and people with lower socioeconomic status bear the highest risk. Those most in danger live in the Deep South and across the Midwest — where heat, older populations and rates of complicating disease run highest.” [NPR, 8/10/23]

Capitol News (Opinion): Insurer Tactics to Delay Care Makes Achieving Health Equity More Difficult. “Long plagued by racism and discrimination, communities of color lag on many healthcare measures. Eliminating disparities requires increasing access to care and improving outcomes. Unfortunately, some insurance companies are erecting extraordinary barriers that will actually delay necessary treatment for patients — and exacerbate inequities. UnitedHealthcare (UHC) just rolled out a nebulous new Advance Notification Program for all commercial plans that will require doctors to gather data at a granular level to order most gastrointestinal (GI) colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures for their patients — an arduous process that will be used to create a “Gold Card” prior authorization program in early 2024. Prior authorization, a process through which insurance companies can overrule doctors’ expertise and deny coverage for medically necessary care, will seriously disrupt patients’ ability to receive life-saving colonoscopies and endoscopies that can detect pre-cancers and cancers in the esophagus, stomach, small intestines, and colon. Unfortunately, any delay in treatment, by definition, prolongs patients’ pain and anxiety. And, even worse—since some forms of gastrointestinal cancers progress quite rapidly, it is not a stretch to say that these prior authorization requirements could cost lives. That is especially true for communities of color, which suffer higher burdens of colorectal cancer and which, due to a range of existing social determinants of health, also face significant access barriers to the procedures necessary to diagnose and monitor disease development. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), colorectal cancer is the second-most common cause of cancer death in the country, with incidence and mortality rates highest among American Indian, Alaska Native, and non-Hispanic Black individuals. The racial disparities in incidence and mortality rates for colorectal cancer are largely driven by differences in risk factors and access to care, including screening and cancer treatment.” [Capitol Weekly (Opinion), 7/31/23]

U.S. News: One in Five Mothers Report Mistreatment in Maternity Care. “One-fifth of U.S. mothers say they have experienced mistreatment by their health care provider during their pregnancy and delivery care and 29% say they have faced discrimination, according to new research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with higher rates of such incidents reported among women of color. Approximately 20% of more than 2,400 women surveyed in a CDC Vital Signs report released Tuesday said they experienced some form of physical neglect or verbal abuse during their maternal care. The report’s findings were based on a survey conducted from April 24 through April 30 by public relations firm Porter Novelli. Higher rates of mistreatment were reported by mothers who identify with a racial and ethnic minority group, including 30% of Black women, 29% of Hispanic women and 27% of multiracial women during their pregnancy care, compared to 19% of white women and 15% of Asian mothers. Nearly 30% of women who were uninsured and 26% of those covered by Medicaid reported mistreatment during their maternity care compared to 16% of women with private insurance, according to the analysis. In addition, 29% of women surveyed said they experienced at least one form of discrimination during their pregnancy care, with 40% of Black women, 39% of multiracial women, and 37% of Hispanic women reporting such incidents, compared to 26% of white women and 23% of Asian women. The most common reasons for discrimination reported included issues concerning age, weight and income.” [U.S. News, 8/23/23]

PR Newswire: New Report Shows Maternity Care is Worsening for Millions of Americans. “March of Dimes today released Where You Live Matters: Maternity Care Deserts and the Crisis of Access and Equity, a new collection of reports that shows more than 5.6 million women live in counties with no or limited access to maternity care services, forcing families to find new ways to get the care they need. The new research from March of Dimes shows that for millions of women in the United States, it is more difficult to access maternity care.  One of the largest analyses on maternity care access, the report offers insight into the factors that impact pregnancies in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. More than one third (36%) of U.S. counties are considered maternity care deserts, which are defined as counties without a hospital or birth center offering obstetric care and without any obstetric providers. The loss of obstetric units in hospitals was responsible for decreased maternity care access in 369 counties since the 2018 report, nearly 1-in-10 counties across the U.S. 70 additional counties have been classified as maternity care deserts due to a loss of obstetric providers and obstetric units in hospitals, since the initial report in 2018. More than 32 million reproductive-age women are vulnerable to poor health outcomes due to a lack of access to reproductive healthcare services, like family planning clinics and skilled birth attendants. States with the highest rates of maternity care deserts include North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, Oklahoma and Nebraska, states with more rural populations.” [March of Dimes Press Release, 8/1/23]

KFF Health News: Dangers and Deaths Around Black Pregnancy a Completely Preventable Health Crisis. “Black women are less likely than women from other racial groups to carry a pregnancy to term — and in Harris County, where Houston is located, when they do, their infants are about twice as likely to die before their 1st birthday as those from other racial groups. Black fetal and infant deaths are part of a continuum of systemic failures that contribute to disproportionately high Black maternal mortality rates. In fact, Harris County ranks third, behind only Chicago’s Cook County and Detroit’s Wayne County, in what are known as excess Black infant deaths, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. Those three counties, which also are among the nation’s most populated counties, account for 7% of all Black births in the country and 9% of excess Black infant deaths, said Ashley Hirai, a senior scientist at HRSA. The counties have the largest number of Black births but also more deaths that would not occur if Black babies had the same chance of reaching their 1st birthdays as white infants. No known genetic reasons exist for Black infants to die at higher rates than white infants. Such deaths are often called “deaths of disparity” because they are likely attributable to systemic racial disparities. Regardless of economic status or educational attainment, the stress from experiencing persistent systemic racism leads to adverse health consequences for Black women and their babies, according to a study published in the journal Women’s Health Issues.” [KFF Health News, 8/24/23]

NPR: Abortion Bans Are Leading to an Influx of High-Risk Patients in Illinois Hospitals. “Since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, who can get an abortion and where has been complicated by medically ambiguous language in new state laws that ban or restrict abortion. Doctors in those states fear they could lose their medical licenses or wind up in jail. Amid these changes, physicians in abortion havens like Illinois are stepping up to fill the void and provide care to as many patients as they can. But getting each medically-complex patient connected to a doctor and a hospital has been logistically complicated. In response to the growing demand, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently launched a state program to help. The goal is to get patients who show up at clinics, yet need a higher level of abortion care, connected more quickly with Illinois hospitals. Providers will call a hotline to reach nurses who will handle the logistics. There is little concrete data on how many more patients are traveling to other states for abortions at hospitals. Hospitals are a “black box” for abortion-related data, according to Rachel Jones, a longtime researcher at the nonprofit Guttmacher Institute. Even before Roe fell, it was hard to get through the bureaucracy of hospitals to understand more comprehensively how abortion care was provided, Jones said. Guttmacher has tracked hospital-based abortions in the past, but doesn’t have updated figures since Dobbs. WeCount, widely considered a reliable tracker of shifts in abortion care over the past year, doesn’t break out hospital data separately. WeCount co-chair Ushma Upadhyay said the data would have gaps anyway. She said it’s been difficult to get providers in banned states to report what’s happening.” [NPR, 8/23/23]

Missouri Independent: One-Third of Rural Hospitals in Missouri At Risk of Closure. “A July report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, a national policy group, found that 19 of Missouri’s 57 rural hospitals are at risk of shuttering because of ‘serious financial problems.’ Many of those hospitals at risk of closure could sustain themselves financially for six to seven years, according to the report.  Eight rural hospitals, however, are in particularly dire straits, according to the report, and are at risk of ‘immediate closure’ — meaning they are at risk of closing in the next two to three years. That is up from only two rural hospitals at risk of immediate closure in the previous year’s report. The state’s 57 rural hospitals are providers located outside the 34 counties that make up Missouri’s metropolitan statistical areas. Ten rural hospitals in Missouri have closed since 2012. Those that remain open, but are faltering, often consider cutting services in an attempt to remain afloat — gradually chipping away at care as the prospect of closure looms. Cox Monett Hospital, in Southwest Missouri, announced earlier this year its plan to close its inpatient labor and delivery this summer, citing difficulty recruiting doctors. Some patients would need to travel upwards of 45 minutes from Monett to Springfield to access obstetric care, KY3 reported. In 2020, almost half of rural community hospitals nationally did not offer obstetric care, according to the American Hospital Association. Studies have found a higher risk of complications for those giving birth in rural areas. The last year of inflation and a tight labor market, along with the end of COVID federal grants, contributed to hospital losses increasing, Miller said. Many rural hospitals lost more money in 2022 than in pre-pandemic years, he said.” [Missouri Independent, 8/1/23]

Protect Our Care’s “Lower Costs, Better Care” Bus Tour Sparked Conversation Traveling Across 14 States, Making Over 25 Stops and Covering Nearly 8,000 Miles in Four Weeks

This summer, President Biden and Congressional Democrats are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act. Between lowering premium costs by 151 percent on average, capping insulin costs, and stopping Big Pharma’s egregious price hikes, the new legislation is already working for the American people. Seniors’ drug costs will be capped at $2,000 annually, and Medicare can finally negotiate lower drug prices — no thanks to Republicans who unanimously voted to maintain the status quo and keep health care costs high.

The “Lower Costs, Better Care” four-week tour celebrated the work of lawmakers who are fighting tirelessly to improve health care and hold Republicans accountable. Event speakers included 11 members of Congress, 3 administration officials, 26 state and local elected officials, and 51 advocates and storytellers. From New Hampshire to California, here is what people were reading during the August recess. 

Here’s a sampling of headlines from across the country:

(NY) Mid Hudson Valley News: Protect Our Care Group Brings Bus Tour to Ulster County. “‘Greed is not good. Any individual that calls themselves a public servant, while at the same time working to keep, or make it more difficult for you to vote, or is trying to undermine your ability to collectively bargain or supports big pharma at the expense of your health and wellbeing is lying to you when they call themselves a public servant. They are not a friend of the people.’ State Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado said.” [Mid Hudson Valley News, 8/1/23]

(NY) Daily Freeman: In Kingston, New York Democrats Blast Efforts to Repeal Drug Pricing Controls. “Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado blasted House Republicans efforts to repeal drug pricing measures in the Inflation Reduction Act and litigation brought by pharmaceutical companies to limit the power of Medicare to negotiate prices, saying Tuesday that if elected officials weren’t interested in protecting healthcare for vulnerable communities, the should ‘get out of politics.’” [Daily Freeman, 8/1/23]

(NY) Hudson Valley Press: “Lower Costs, Better Care” Tour Stop in Kingston. “Protect Our Care’s Care Force One arrived in Kingston to spotlight how recent legislative victories by President Biden and Democrats in Congress are “driving down” health costs for the American people.” [Hudson Valley Press, 8/9/23]

(NY) Westchester Examiner News: Bus Tour Celebrates Anniversary of Inflation Reduction Act. “It’s the fifth coast to coast tour spanning 16 states and 8,000 miles led by Protect Our Care, a non-profit organization dedicated to making high quality, affordable and equitable health care a right, and not a privilege, for everyone in America.” [Westchester Examiner News, 8/14/23]

(PA) Daily Courier: Davis Headlines Lower Costs, Better Care Stop in Uniontown. “‘The Inflation Reduction Act touches nearly every household in America, whether you’re a senior or individual with a disability struggling to afford prescription drugs, a family purchasing your own coverage, or a taxpayer who is sick and tired of lining the pockets of Big Pharma.’ said Protect our Care Pennsylvania State Director Michael Berman.” [Daily Courier, 8/4/23]

(PA) Observer-Reporter: Lt. Gov. Davis Urges Continued Relief of Health Care Costs During Uniontown Stop. “Signed into law in August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act has a number of facets, among them the goal of lowering health care costs. ‘We must not go backwards on those big wins,’ Davis said, adding that the lack of access to health care is a major problem in this part of the state.” [Observer-Reporter, 8/5/23]

(OH) Toledo Blade: Health Care Advocacy Group Fights in Toledo to Lower Costs. [Toledo Blade, 8/8/23]

(MI) MIRS: Anthony: Shame On Us If Reducing Healthcare Costs Isn’t A Priority. “Following a visit from the ‘Lower Costs, Better Care’ bus tour, Senate Appropriations Chair Sarah ANTHONY (D-Lansing) said that if lawmakers don’t prioritize legislation to reduce healthcare costs upon returning from summer recess, ‘shame on us.’” [MIRS, 8/9/23]

(MI) Gongwer: Officials: Federal Health Care Changes Must Be Protected. “Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee Tracked, said maintaining lower health care costs is critical for older residents on fixed incomes and communities of color…‘This is real reform in action that is saving lives as we speak,’ Anthony said. ‘We cannot afford to turn back the clock on these major achievements.’” [Gongwer, 8/9/23]

(WI) La Crosse Tribune: Sen. Baldwin touts lower prescription drug costs in Onalaska. “‘I have heard from seniors across the state of Wisconsin who have been forced to ration or forgo their medications all while drug companies are turning record profits,’ said Senator Tammy Baldwin. ‘No American, especially our seniors who live on a fixed income, should have to choose between putting food on their table or accept the prescriptions they need to stay healthy.’” [La Crosse Tribune, 8/9/23]

(CA) Pasadena Now: Congresswoman Chu Headlines Care Force One’s Visit to Pasadena on Tuesday. “Rep. Judy Chu will welcome health advocates on board. She will be joined by Ingrid Rivera-Guzman, President of Latino Coalition of Los Angeles and cancer survivor Laura Packard. During the event, speakers will discuss how the Inflation Reduction Act and other healthcare measures will improve care and lower costs.” [Pasadena Now, 8/15/23]

(CA) World Journal: Nursing Buses Arrive in Los Angeles to Curb Drug Prices and Medical Expenses. “‘We cannot risk losing the tremendous progress we have made in expanding health care coverage and reducing family health care costs,’ Rep. Judy Chu said, ‘so I am proud to stand with all of you against any attempt to repeal this legislation.’” [World Journal, 8/15/23]

(AZ) Yellow Sheet Report: Congressman Greg Stanton and HHS Regional Director Headline “Lower Costs, Better Care” Bus Tour Stop in Tempe. “‘After decades of politicians talking about lowering health care and prescription drug costs, we got it done with the Inflation Reduction Act. One year later, it’s already made a huge difference for Arizona seniors,’ said Rep. Stanton. ‘Now I’m not going to let extreme House Republicans or Big Pharma undo the progress we’ve made.’” [Yellow Sheet Report, Page 9, 8/17/23]

(GA) Gwinnett Daily Post: U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath and Health Care Advocates Celebrate 1-Year Anniversary of Insulin Price Cap. “‘This is monumental for every individual in this country that suffers by diabetes, and has been paying exorbitant prices for a life-saving drug that they need to survive,’ McBath said. ‘These are victories for Americans who need insulin to survive and to live, but we’ve got to continue to march forward.’” [Gwinnett Daily Post, 8/22/23]

(GA) Atlanta Journal Constitution: Protect Our Care Rolling Through. “McBath spoke about the $35 per month cap on insulin costs for people on Medicare that became law as part of last year’s Inflation Reduction Act. ‘Life-saving medicine should never be kept out of reach of those who need it most,’ McBath said in a post on social media about the event.” [Atlanta Journal Constitution, 8/22/23] 

(VA) Richmond Times-Dispatch: Health Care–and Democratic Politics–In Focus As Bus Tour Hits Richmond. “Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-4th, said the Inflation Reduction Act’s health care measures, which also include new authority to push prescription drug prices down, had made a big difference to thousands of Virginians. She said Virginia’s new health benefit exchange, a state-run marketplace for health insurance and dental coverage set up under legislation she sponsored in 2020, will reduce coverage costs beginning with policies for 2024.” [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 8/24/23]

(VA) Blue Virginia: Video: Reps. Spanberger, McClellan; Former Speaker Filler-Corn; Richmond Mayor Stoney Headline Richmond Stop of Protect Our Care’s “Lower Costs, Better Care” National Bus Tour. “The Inflation Reduction Act and other health care measures will improve care and lower costs for the American people.” [Blue Virginia, 8/24/23]

Opinion Pieces

Laura Packard: Expanding Affordable Health Care in New Hampshire. “We live in a country where too many still can’t afford or can’t access the care they need. But under the leadership of President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress, we continue to make progress.” [New Hampshire Bulletin, 8/17/23]

Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania Austin Davis: Your Turn: Let’s Keep Pennsylvania’s Progress Moving Forward. “Pennsylvanians depend on quality, affordable health care to live healthy, secure lives, and the Inflation Reduction Act is a historic step forward to lowering costs. Nearly 19 million Americans on Medicare will save approximately $400 annually thanks to this legislation, and big drug companies finally have an important check on their power.” [Beaver County Times, 8/27/23]

Nicole Frith: Inflation Reduction Act at One Year: New Yorkers Are Already Seeing Lower Health Care Costs. “While Americans are cutting pills and skipping doses, drug companies are claiming their industry should be exempt from negotiating with Medicare and they should continue to be allowed to overcharge seniors and have taxpayers pad their sky-high profits. This is insulting to the New Yorkers and all American patients who pay up to four times more for the same drugs as patients in other wealthy countries.” [amNY, 8/28/23]

Washington, DC — Today, the Biden administration announced that it is requiring states to take immediate action to ensure their systems to automatically renew coverage do not disenroll people who currently qualify for Medicaid. This action is essential to protecting coverage for people who rely on Medicaid and will especially help children and people of color stay covered. If states refuse to follow the law, they will lose access to enhanced Medicaid funding made available by Congress to administer the unwinding process. 

Some states like Florida, Georgia, and Texas, have been kicking people off the rolls who are still eligible, including thousands of children. Many of the states that are needlessly throwing people off the rolls have also failed to expand Medicaid, showing how some governors are using the redetermination process as another way to limit Medicaid enrollment. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“This action by the Biden administration is a critical step to protect health coverage during the Medicaid redetermination process. It is unacceptable for children and families to lose Medicaid coverage because their state’s renewal system is not properly run. Governors bear responsibility for ensuring people who qualify for Medicaid are not being kicked off, and the administration is right to tell states that if they don’t take appropriate steps to prevent needless coverage loss, they will lose federal Medicaid funding. Many of the states that are failing to keep people covered, like Texas, Georgia and Florida, are the same ones that have rejected Medicaid expansion, leaving families with no place to turn for basic health care. Every state elected official must think of their own families and what it would be like if health care was ripped away from them for no reason.”

Care Force One Traveled Across 14 States, Made Over 25 Stops and Covered Nearly 8,000 Miles in Four Weeks

Watch the Bus Tour Wrap Up Video Here

Watch All Bus Tour Stops Here

Over the last four weeks, Protect Our Care’s Care Force One 8,000 mile bus tour made over 25 stops across 14 states demonstrating how recent victories by President Biden and Democrats in Congress are already “Driving Down Health Care Costs” by thousands of dollars a year — with even more savings on the way.

Protect Our Care was joined by three senators, eight representatives, one governor, three attorney generals and lieutenant governors, three directors from the Department of Health and Human Services, 36 local officials, and dozens of health care advocates. Headliners of the events included Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Susie Lee (D-NV-03),  Lucy McBath (D-GA-07), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Valerie Foushee (D-NC-04), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. 

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senate Minority Leader Donna Soucy, and health care advocates at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Manchester to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here and a personal video with health care advocate Jennifer Coffey here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Rebecca Perkins Kwoka, State Representative Robin Vogt, and health care advocates at Prescott Park in Portsmouth to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senators John Mannion, Rachel May, and health care advocates at Clinton Square in Syracuse to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• CBS 5
• NBC 3

Watch the event here and a personal video with health care advocate Bill Spreter here.

KINGSTON, NEW YORK

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, State Senator James Skoufis, Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger, and health care advocates at Academy Green Park in Kingston to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• Daily Freeman: In Kingston, New York Democrats blast efforts to repeal drug pricing controls
• MidHudson News: Protect Our Care group brings bus tour to Ulster County
• Hudson Valley Press: “Lower Costs, Better Care” Tour Stop in Kingston

Watch the event here, remarks by Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado here, and a personal video with health care advocate Deborah Scarborough here.

WESTCHESTER, NEW YORK

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senate Health Chair Gustavo Rivera, Former Representative Mondaire Jones, and health care advocates at SUNY Westchester Community College to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• News 12 Westchester

Watch the event here.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and health care advocates at Senator Gillibrand’s office in New York City to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• PIX 11 Manhattan
• amNewYork: Inflation Reduction Act At One Year: New Yorkers Are Already Seeing Lower Health Care Costs [Opinion by 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers Representative Nicole Frith, LPN]

Watch the event here and a personal video with 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers Representative Nicole Frith, LPN, here.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Representative Tarik Khan, and health care advocates at 1500 Race Street in Philadelphia to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here.

UNIONTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, and health care advocates at Teamsters #491 in Uniontown to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• Daily Courier: Davis Headlines Lower Costs, Better Care Stop In Uniontown
• Beaver County Times: Your Turn: Let’s keep Pennsylvania’s progress moving forward
• WPXI-TV (Pittsburgh): Lt. Gov. Davis Touts IRA Benefits in Uniontown
• Observer-Reporter: Lt. Gov. Davis urges continued relief of health care costs during Uniontown stop
• KDKA-TV (Pittsburgh): Lt. Gov. Davis Touts IRA Benefits in Uniontown
• PCNC-TV (Pittsburgh): Lt. Gov. Davis Touts IRA Benefits in Uniontown

Watch the event here and remarks by Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis here.

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Mayor Jamael Tito Brown, and health care advocates at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Youngstown to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• WFMJ (NBC): Bus Tour on Lowering Health Care Costs 

Watch the event here.

TOLEDO, OHIO

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson, and health care advocates at UAW Local 12 in Toledo to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• WTOL (CBS): Lower Costs, Better Care Bus Tour in Toledo
• Toledo Blade: Health care advocacy group fights in Toledo to lower costs

Watch the event here.

TRENTON, MICHIGAN

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Darrin Camilleri, and health care advocates at City Hall in Trenton to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here and watch a video with RN and patient advocate Carlie Wilson here. 

LANSING, MICHIGAN

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Sarah Anthony, and health care advocates at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• WILX (NBC Lansing): ‘Care Force One’ visits Lansing to promote better healthcare
• MIRS: Anthony: Shame On Us If Reducing Healthcare Costs Isn’t A Priority
• Gongwer: Officials: Federal Health Care Changes Must Be Protected

Watch the event here.

LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Senator Tammy Baldwin, and health care advocates at Gundersen Pharmacy in La Crosse to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• WKBT (CBS): Tammy Baldwin Visits Gundersen Pharmacy
• WXOW (ABC): Sen. Baldwin highlighting lower prescription drug costs at a stop in Onalaska
• La Crosse Tribune: Sen. Baldwin touts lower prescription drug costs in Onalaska 

Watch the event here and watch a video with health care advocate Amy Taebel here. 

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Governor Tony Evers, and health care advocates at Leicht Memorial Park in Green Bay to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• WGBA (NBC): Governor Evers Calls for Expanding Medicaid 
• WFRV (CBS): Health Care Bus Tour 
• WFRV (CBS): Gov. Evers Promoting Health Care 
• WBAY (ABC): Governor Evers Visits Green Bay for Protect Our Care Bus Tour 
• WLUK (Fox): Governor Evers to Show How Democrats Are Lowering Costs 

Watch the event here.

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Senator Amy Klobuchar, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Mayor Jake Spano, State Rep. Kelly Morrison, and health care advocates at Louisiana Oaks Park in St. Louis Park to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Susie Lee (D-NV-03), and health care advocates at the West Flamingo Senior Center in Las Vegas to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• KSNV (NBC): Protect Our Care Nevada “Lower Costs Better Care” Bus Tour
• KVCW (CW): Protect Our Care Nevada “Lower Costs Better Care” Bus Tour

Watch the event here.

BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by health care advocates at the Rasmussen Senior Center in Bakersfield to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• KBAK (CBS Bakersfield)

Watch the event here.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-CA-28), and health care advocates at Brookside Park in Los Angeles to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• Pasadena Now: Congresswoman Chu Headlines Care Force One’s Visit to Pasadena on Tuesday
• World Journal: 護理巴士抵洛杉磯 抑制藥價降醫療費 (Buses arrive in Los Angeles to curb drug prices and medical expenses)
• Spectrum 1: Judy Chu on Bidenomics

Watch the event here.

ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by City of Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan, and health care advocates at Mike Ward Park in Irvine to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here.

PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by City of Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem Karina Quintanilla, and health care advocates at Ruth Hardy Park in Palm Springs to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here.

TEMPE, ARIZONA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), and health care advocates at the Tempe Public Library to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• Yellow Sheet Report: Congressman Greg Stanton and HHS Regional Director Headline “Lower Costs, Better Care” Bus Tour Stop in Tempe

Watch the event here.

TUCSON, ARIZONA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Former State Sen. Kirsten Engel and health care advocates at the YWCA of Southern Arizona in Tucson to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here.

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Mayor Tim Keller and health care advocates at Civic Plaza in Albuquerque to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here.

DULUTH, GEORGIA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Lucy McBath, State Senator Sheikh Rahman, and Health Care Advocates at Gas South Arena in Duluth to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• Gwinnett Daily Post: U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath and health care advocates celebrate 1-year anniversary of insulin price cap
• Atlanta Journal Constitution: Protect Our Care Rolling Through

Watch the event here.

MACON, GEORGIA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Minority Leader State Rep. James Beverly, and Health Care Advocates at IBEW Local 1316 in Macon to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Rachel Hunt, and Health Care Advocates at Mecklenburg Government Center in Charlotte to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here.

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Michael Garrett, and Health Care Advocates at Center City Park in Greensboro to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• WXII (NBC Greensboro): Protect Our Care Bus Tour to Stop in Greensboro

Watch the event here.

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Valerie Foushee, and Health Care Advocates at Moore Square Park in Raleigh to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Watch the event here.

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Bobby Scott, and Health Care Advocates at New Teamsters Facility in Norfolk to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• WTKR: Rep. Bobby Scott Speaks On Healthcare Costs
• WVEC: Rep. Bobby Scott holds Norfolk Health Care Event 

Watch the event here.

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representatives Jennifer McClellan, Abigail Spanberger, and Health Care Advocates at Diversity Richmond in Richmond to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Coverage:

• Richmond Times-Dispatch: Health care — and Democratic politics — in focus as bus tour hits Richmond 
• Blue Virginia: Video: Reps. Spanberger, McClellan; Former Speaker Filler-Corn; Richmond Mayor Stoney Headline Richmond Stop of Protect Our Care’s “Lower Costs, Better Care” National Bus Tour 
• CBS6: Reps. McClellan and Spanberger Headline Richmond Stop of Lower Costs, Better Care Bus Tour
• WRLH (FOX): Lower Costs, Better Care Bus Stops in Richmond
• WWBT (NBC): Lower Costs, Better Care Bus Tour Stops in Richmond

Watch the event here.

Washington, DC – Yesterday, the Biden administration announced the first round of high-cost drugs whose prices will be lowered as Medicare begins to negotiate with drug companies. The new program, created in the Inflation Reduction Act, will lower costs for some of the highest-priced prescription drugs on the market used to treat conditions like cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders – conditions that disproportionately impact women, communities of color, and people in rural areas.

President Biden and Democrats in Congress stood up to big drug companies and won a decades-long battle to lower the cost of prescription drugs for millions of Americans. Negotiating lower prices is overwhelmingly popular across the country, yet big drug companies are suing the federal government to protect their massive profits by halting the program while Republicans are attempting to repeal it. Read more about the first 10 drugs here.

Here’s what Biden Administration officials, members of Congress, and the leading advocacy organizations are saying:

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

President Biden: “No senior should have to overpay for life-saving drugs to pad Big Pharma’s pockets. My Administration is announcing the first 10 Medicare Part D drugs selected for price negotiation. We’re ending the days of deciding between buying your medicine or putting food on the table.” [@POTUS, 8/29/23]

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra: “Not only is the Inflation Reduction Act providing people with Medicare $35 caps on insulin & free recommended vaccines, but now Medicare can directly negotiate Rx drug prices, strengthening the program’s ability to serve people with Medicare now and for generations to come!” [@SecBecerra, 8/29/23]

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure: “Today, @CMSGov announced the first 10 drugs covered under #Medicare Part D selected for Medicare drug price negotiation. Negotiations with participating drug companies will occur in 2023 & 2024, and any negotiated prices will become effective in 2026. Lowering health care costs is a key priority. Thanks to the #InflationReductionAct, #Medicare will be able to negotiate prices directly with drug companies, improving access to some of the costliest prescription drugs for millions of people.” [@BrooksLaSureCMS, 8/29/23]

U.S. CONGRESS

Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer: “The American people have sent Congress a message: reduce costs. And when it comes to prescription drugs, we are delivering for the American people in a very real way.” [@SenSchumer, 8/29/23]

President Pro Tempore Senator Patty Murray: “We have more to do, but this is going to bring down drug costs significantly for so many patients. I fought hard to pass Medicare negotiation in the Inflation Reduction Act because we need to put patients over profits.” [@PattyMurray, 8/29/23]

Chair of the Finance Committee Senator Ron Wyden: “Today marks the beginning of a new era for seniors and families that have been breaking the bank for far too long to pay for expensive prescription medicines. […] This step, plus other cost saving measures in the Inflation Reduction Act, represent a seismic shift in the relationship between Big Pharma, the federal government, and seniors who are counting on lower prices.” [Senator Ron Wyden Press Release, 8/29/23]

Majority Whip Senator Dick Durbin: “After decades of empty promises, @POTUS & Congressional Dems are successfully forcing down drug prices. First insulin to $35/month for Seniors on Medicare, & now the biggest drugs on the market. For the record: there was not 1 GOP vote in support of the Inflation Reduction Act.” [@SenatorDurbin, 8/29/23]

Senator Debbie Stabenow: “The Inflation Reduction Act is delivering real results for Michiganders like Pam Bloink. Pam is a retired teacher & assumed she was set for retirement. Rising costs left her struggling to make ends meet. The $35 a month insulin cap has been a lifesaver for Pam.” [@SenStabenow, 8/29/23]

Chair of Outreach and Chair of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Senator Bernie Sanders: “We should not be paying any more for prescription drugs than other countries around the world. As the Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, I look forward to working with the President and my colleagues to make that happen.” [@SenSanders, 8/29/23]

Chair of Senate Banking Committee Senator Sherrod Brown: “For years we fought Big Pharma to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. For these 10 drugs that cost people on Medicare $3.4 BILLION last year — negotiations finally start today. We’re bringing costs down & keeping Ohioans from footing the bill of Big Pharma’s greed.” [@SenSherrodBrown, 8/29/23]

Chair of Senate Aging Committee Senator Bob Casey: “Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act Medicare is able to negotiate drug prices for the first time in history. Today the Biden Admin announced the first 10 drugs to be negotiated. This is a huge step towards lowering costs for families & we’re not done yet.” [@SenBobCasey, 8/29/23]

Chair of Steering Committee Senator Amy Klobuchar: “Pharma’s sweetheart deal has ended. First list of ten blockbuster drugs eligible for negotiation under Medicare is out and includes blood thinners and diabetes and arthritis drugs that millions and millions of seniors take. Pharma is fighting this in court. The President is standing up for what’s right. I spent years on this bill. Let’s get it done!” [@AmyKlobuchar, 8/29/23]

Chair of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Senator Jon Tester: “GOOD NEWS: Cheaper prescription drugs are coming to Montana. Nobody should ever have to choose between life-saving meds and putting food on the table. That’s why we took on Big Pharma to lower drug prices—starting with these 10 critical medications…” [@SenatorTester, 8/29/23]

Senator Mark Warner: “Thrilled to see Medicare announce the first ten prescription drugs eligible for price negotiations! This is a monumental and historic step forward in lowering costs for Americans. I’m proud to have fought for this day for years and supported the law that made it possible.” [@MarkWarner, 8/29/23] 

Senator Tammy Baldwin: “I voted for the Inflation Reduction Act to take on big drug companies & finally allow Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs.  I’m proud our legislation is going to cut costs for Wisconsinites and make a real difference in families’ lives.” [@SenatorBaldwin, 8/29/23]

Senator Elizabeth Warren: “Today, @HHSGov announced the first 10 prescription drugs that will be negotiated under Medicare. This is an important win that will bring down costs for seniors and families — and Republicans and Big Pharma fought against it every step of the way.” [@SenWarren, 8/29/23]

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto: “@POTUS just announced that Medicare is bringing Big Pharma to the table to lower the cost of 10 of the costliest medications – thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act that I voted for. This is going to deliver life-changing savings for families across Nevada.” [@SenCortezMasto, 8/29/23]

Senator Peter Welch: “This announcement is a major milestone in our fight to hold Big Pharma accountable for skyrocketing drug costs, and it’s just the beginning. […] In 2022, folks on Medicare spent over $3 billion out of pocket on these drugs, which treat and prevent medical conditions that impact so many Americans. I will keep fighting to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Vermont seniors and families.” [Senator Peter Welch Press Release, 8/29/23]

Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries: “The Biden administration is negotiating lower drug prices for millions of Americans. We continue to put people over politics. And build an economy that works for everyone.” [@RepJeffries, 8/29/23]

Democratic Whip Rep. Katherine Clark: “Big Pharma lost. American seniors won. In 2022, 9 million seniors and other Americans on Medicare spent over $3.4 billion out-of-pocket for these drugs. This is the Inflation Reduction Act saving you money and saving lives.” [@WhipKClark, 8/29/23]

Speaker Emerita Rep. Nancy Pelosi: “The Inflation Reduction Act was a monumental victory in Democrats’ long fight to make prescription drugs more affordable: empowering Medicare to negotiate lower prices. Today’s announcement is an important step to delivering these lower costs to millions of America’s seniors.” [@SpeakerPelosi, 8/29/23]

Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Rep. Frank Pallone: “This is a historic day for health care in America. For the first time in the Medicare program, we are going to negotiate the price of prescription drugs for America’s seniors.” [@FrankPallone, 8/29/23]

Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Rep. Richard Neal: “America’s seniors shouldn’t have to forgo the medications they need because of Big Pharma’s price gouging. Today’s announcement comes after Ways & Means Democrats took on special interests with the #InflationReductionAct’s drug pricing provisions. And we won’t stop there.” [@RepRichardNeal, 8/29/23]

Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce Rep. Bobby Scott: “@POTUS and Congressional Democrats took on Big Pharma when we passed the Inflation Reduction Act. Now, Medicare is announcing which prescription drugs will be negotiating prices. This will cut costs and lower prices for consumers.” [@BobbyScott, 8/29/23]

Rep. Pete Aguilar: “9 million Americans will soon be paying significantly less for 10 different, widely-used medications thanks to @HouseDemocrats and @POTUS.” [@RepPeteAguilar, 8/29/23]

Rep. Judy Chu: “No other country in the world pays as much as we do for our prescription drugs. For the first time in history, Medicare can now negotiate lower prices for some of our nation’s costliest prescription drugs thanks to the #InflationReductionAct! Millions of seniors rely on these drugs to treat diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, blood clots, and cancers. In 2022, just one  of these drugs could cost seniors up to $6,497 in out-of-pocket costs.” [@RepJudyChu, 8/29/23]

Rep. Susan Wild: “HUGE news! I’ve been taking on Big Pharma to lower your drug costs since my first day in Congress. Today, we’re chipping away at Big Pharma’s power to price-gouge and rake in billions in profit at your expense. I’m proud to have fought to make it happen.” [@RepSusanWild, 8/29/23]

Rep. Abigail Spanberger: “Today, @POTUS announced the first 10 drugs for Medicare price negotiation. For years, the top issue I’ve heard from Virginia seniors is high prescription drug costs. That’s why I was proud to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act to save Virginians money.” [@SpanbergerVA07, 8/29/23]

ORGANIZATIONS

Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach: “Americans deserve financial security and some peace of mind when they go to sleep at night. But, too many are forced to choose between being able to afford their medicines or paying for food or housing. Prescription medicines cannot work if people cannot afford to take them, and high drug prices are keeping too many Americans from the health care they need. Patients should not be paying out-of-control prices for medicines they need when all it’s doing is increasing drug company profits and footing the bill for outrageous CEO salaries. President Biden and Democrats in Congress stood up to big drug companies and won a decades-long battle to lower the cost of prescription drugs by giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices. The Biden administration is laser-focused on making medications affordable for families and ending the era of drug companies’ unchecked power and greed.” [Protect Our Care, 8/29/23]

AARP President Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond: “AARP applauds CMS for taking this next critical step to bring down out-of-control prescription drug prices. For too long, big drug companies have fleeced our country and padded their profits by setting outrageous prices, all at the expense of American lives. The number one reason seniors skip or ration their prescriptions is because they can’t afford them. This must stop. Allowing Medicare to negotiate prices for these first 10 drugs will finally bring much-needed access and relief to American families, particularly older adults. We cannot overstate how monumental this law is for older Americans’ financial stability and overall health.” [AARP, 8/29/23]

Patients for Affordable Drug Prices Founder David Mitchell: “This is a momentous day for patients across the country. Finally beginning to undo the nearly 20-year ban on Medicare using its purchasing power to get lower prices, Medicare will now negotiate for a better deal for these ten high-cost drugs. The list includes essential life-saving medications – cancer treatments, blood thinners, autoimmune disease treatments, diabetes drugs – that people in this country have been paying unjustified amounts for decades, while drug companies have used Medicare as a piggy bank raising prices to hit profit targets and trigger executive bonuses.” [Patients for Affordable Drug Prices, 8/29/23]

Center for American Progress Senior Vice President for Inclusive Growth Emily Gee: “Today’s announcement is a watershed moment to make lifesaving medications more affordable for millions of Americans on Medicare. Millions of seniors rely on these drugs to treat cancer and blood clots, and manage chronic conditions, including diabetes and heart failure. The Biden administration is growing the middle class by giving more Americans economic security, including better protections against high health care costs.” [Center for American Progress, 8/29/23]

Coalition on Human Needs: “A key provision to reduce prices for seniors came closer to reality Tuesday as the Biden Administration announced the first ten prescription drugs that will be subject to price negotiations between pharmaceutical companies and Medicare. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare now has the power to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers for the first time in the federal program’s nearly 60-year history. The new prices will be announced next year and will take effect in 2026. Barring successful legal challenges by drug companies, these ten drugs will be only the first to be negotiated. For the next four years, 15 drugs each year will be selected; following that, the number will go up to 20 drugs a year.” [Coalition on Human Needs, 8/29/23]

Small Business for America’s Future Senior Advisor Rhett Buttle: “Today’s anticipated remarks by President Biden and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding prescription drugs is a significant stride forward in addressing the soaring cost of healthcare, a top concern in the small business community. For far too long, the rising cost of healthcare has been a huge burden on small business owners that has prevented them from hiring and retaining workers, affecting their competitiveness in the labor market and cutting into their bottom lines. Prescription drug costs are one of the key drivers of high healthcare costs. Addressing healthcare costs can help continue the positive momentum of our economy with solid new jobs numbers and near record low unemployment. I am urging lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to take a strong look at other policies that can continue to help combat high healthcare costs.” [Small Business for America’s Future, 8/29/23]

Building Back Together Interim Executive Director Mayra Macías: “For the first time in our history, Medicare will have the authority to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs directly with major drug manufacturers. For years, these major drug companies have seen record-breaking profits made off the backs of Americans just trying to make ends meet and stay healthy. That ends today. For Americans who take vital medications like Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and Fiasp/NovoLog, help is on the way.” [Building Back Together, 8/29/23]

Public Citizen Director of the Access to Medicines Program Peter Maybarduk: “The negotiated drugs list is a watershed moment for medicine affordability. Drug corporations pretend this is a catastrophe, but I would rather see that money in seniors’ pockets than Big Pharma’s.Drug corporations, in crude arrogance, are suing to limit price negotiations under the IRA. But the list shows instead how important it is to expand those negotiation powers.” [Public Citizen, 8/29/23]

Unrig Our Economy Campaign Director Sarah Baron: “While Biden and congressional Democrats fought fiercely to include Medicare’s ability to negotiate lower drug costs as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, Republicans chose to vote “NO” on lower drug prices for hard-working Americans. We’re thrilled to see the Administration begin to lower drug prices despite Republican opposition and look forward to seeing more drug prices negotiated down in the future.”  [Unrig Our Economy, 8/29/23]

Groundwork Collaborative Acting Executive Director Kitty Richards: “For too long, millions of Americans have been forced to pay outrageous prices for life-saving drugs while pharmaceutical companies extract record profits. We applaud the Administration for using the power of government to rein in the pharmaceutical industry’s profiteering and begin building an economy where no one has to choose between life-saving medications and paying their rent.” [Groundwork Collaborative, 8/29/23]

Accountable.US Executive Director Tony Carrk: “Big drug companies raked in billions in profits while standing in the way of lower prescription drug costs for millions of seniors. The time of Big Pharma grossly overcharging American seniors on life-saving medicines is coming to an end. This historic achievement is still under threat, however, because the MAGA House Majority is hellbent on repealing the Inflation Reduction Act. They would rather pad the profits of their major industry donors than help seniors who are literally choosing between food and medicines.” [Accountable.US, 8/29/23]