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Week Two of Medicaid Awareness Month Calls for Closing the Coverage Gap & Extending Coverage to Millions

Washington, D.C. – Today, Protect Our Care is kicking off week two of Medicaid Awareness Month. Medicaid provides high-quality care to 79 million Americans, but too many families remain locked out of this essential coverage because Republican officials in 12 states refuse to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. In total, more than two million Americans are stuck in the “coverage gap,” but Congress now has the opportunity to close this gap and extend affordable health care to millions. 

“For years, Republicans have waged a partisan war on health care, and perhaps the most devastating outcome has been the refusal to expand Medicaid,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Millions of people have been left uninsured in states like Texas, Florida, and Georgia — all because Republicans are putting politics over people’s health and well-being. Working people, rural Americans, older adults, and people with disabilities are depending on Congress to fix this broken system and close the coverage gap now.” 

Protect Our Care will continue to release fact sheets and host nationwide events with elected officials, storytellers, and health care advocates to highlight Medicaid’s critical role in America, discuss what needs to be done to expand and strengthen the program, and raise awareness of the consequences of Republican threats.

Medicaid Awareness Month 2022 themed weeks:

  • Week 1: Medicaid is Working! Week one focused on how Medicaid has improved the lives of millions even amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • Week 2: Close the Coverage Gap. Week two is bringing attention to the urgent need to close the Medicaid coverage gap. 
  • Week 3: Stop the Threat. Week three will focus on how millions of Americans face losing their Medicaid coverage coverage when the COVID-19 public health emergency for the Covid-19 pandemic ends because Republican officials are failing to protect eligible Medicaid recipients. 
  • Week 4: Medicaid & Health Equity. The final week will highlight how Medicaid is our most powerful tool in fighting for health equity. 

FACT SHEET: Closing The Medicaid Coverage Gap Helps Millions Of Americans

Closing the Medicaid coverage gap will provide millions of Americans living in non-expansion states access to quality, affordable health coverage. Closing the Medicaid coverage gap will reduce racial inequities in health care, strengthen families, and save lives. 

2.2 Million Americans Currently Denied Medicaid Will Gain Health Coverage. There are more than two million Americans currently trapped in the Medicaid coverage gap to access zero dollar premium health coverage. Of those currently in the coverage gap, 62 percent are in the labor force, 30 percent are parents with children at home, more than 25 percent are essential workers, and 15 percent of adults have a disability. 

Drastically Reducing Racial Health Disparities. Closing the Medicaid coverage gap is the single most important policy to expand coverage and reduce racial inequities in the American health care system. People of color are more likely to have a lower median income and live in a state without Medicaid expansion, compared with their white counterparts. In 2019, 60 percent of individuals in the coverage gap were people of color. 

Read the full fact sheet here.

WATCH: Health Care Advocates & Storytellers Visit White House to Celebrate the ACA

Advocates and Storytellers Watched President Biden Announce Measures to Strengthen the ACA and Lower Costs for Millions of Americans


Watch the Full Video Here.

Yesterday, health care storytellers and advocates from across the country visited the White House to celebrate the success of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and President Biden’s ongoing efforts to improve the health care law and cut costs for families. During the event, former President Obama noted that, in the fight to pass the ACA, he and President Biden were determined to deliver because “we met too many people on the campaign trail who’d shared their stories.” The tireless work of storytellers helped usher the ACA into law, protected it from GOP repeal and sabotage, and is now driving the fight to build on the ACA today. 

The event comes as President Biden and Democrats in Congress are working to build on the ACA by driving down prescription drug prices, lowering premiums, and further expanding access to affordable care. More information on President Biden’s health care achievements can be found here

COVERAGE:

MEET THE STORYTELLERS:


DonnaMarie Woodson (Charlotte, NC):
DonnaMarie has a pre-existing condition and credits the ACA for saving her life. If she hadn’t been insured through the ACA, she says she probably would not have had screening tests that led to her diagnoses with colon cancer and breast cancer in 2015. 


Himali Patel (Atlanta, GA). Himali is an Atlanta small business owner who relies on the ACA for health insurance. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, she saw her monthly premium drop from $400 per month to $30 per month.



Teresa Acosta (Dunwoody, GA). Teresa is a single mom to a Type 1 diabetic son. She lost her job at Juvenile Diabetes Foundation because of COVID-19 but was able to get health insurance through the ACA. Thanks in part to the American Rescue Plan’s enhanced premium subsidies, she started a small business in the middle of the pandemic.


Chrysa Ostenso (Ladysmith, WI).
Chrysa and her husband own an optometry clinic in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. As small business owners, they purchase family coverage through the ACA Marketplace. After President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law, Chrysa’s family saw their monthly premiums go from almost $2000 to under $300. 


Amy Raslevich (Pittsburgh, PA). Amy is a breast cancer survivor and mother of two children with pre-existing conditions whose family relies on the ACA’s critical protections.


Steve Gomez (Phoenix, AZ). Steve is the father of an immunocompromised son with pre-existing conditions. Steve’s son, Anthony, was born with a serious heart defect but is protected under the ACA.

“ACA is a BFD”: Protect Our Care Hosts Lite-Brite Display Celebrating the Affordable Care Act

“ACA is a BFD” Appeared Outside the White House After President Biden Announced New Actions to Strengthen the Law

This evening, Protect Our Care hosted a Lite-Brite display outside of the White House to celebrate the success of the Affordable Care Act and highlight the ongoing efforts to lower health care costs, improve care, and increase coverage for American families. The lite-brite display comes after former President Obama joined President Biden and Vice President Harris to announce new measures to strengthen the ACA, including a proposed fix to the “family glitch,” which will lower health care costs for more than one million Americans. President Biden is also directing his administration to improve access to health care providers, protect people from low-quality coverage and continue lowering health care costs. 

President Biden and Democrats in Congress are working to build on the ACA by driving down prescription drug prices, lowering premiums, and further expanding access to affordable care. More information on President Biden’s health care achievements can be found here

Background:

President Biden Has Delivered On Health Care

HEADLINES: President Biden Announces New Measures to Strengthen the ACA and Lower Costs for Families

President Obama Joined President Biden at White House Event to Celebrate Success of the ACA

This afternoon, former President Obama joined President Biden and Vice President Harris at the White House to celebrate the success of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and ongoing efforts to improve the health care law and cut costs for families. During the event, President Biden announced new measures to strengthen the ACA, including a proposed fix to the “family glitch,” which will lower health care costs for more than one million Americans. Coverage makes clear that the Biden administration’s efforts to build on the ACA have worked — with record enrollment and lower premium costs than ever before. Now, President Biden is continuing to use every tool at his disposal to provide American families with quality, affordable coverage. 

Washington Post: ‘I Had To Show Up,’ Obama Says As He Joins Biden To Celebrate The ACA. “Today, former president Barack Obama was back at the White House, reliving the bruising battle to pass the Affordable Care Act and celebrating that it’s ‘pretty darn popular’ 12 years later…Biden signed an executive order to further expand access by addressing a ‘glitch’ in Obama’s signature health-care law and vowed to continue to ‘build on’ the ACA in the years ahead.” [Washington Post, 4/5/22]

Wall Street Journal: Biden Proposes Change To Affordable Care Act To Extend Subsidies For Families. “About five million people are affected by the so-called family glitch, and under the proposed change they will have more options for insurance coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Additionally, an estimated 200,000 uninsured people are expected to gain coverage under the proposed change by the Treasury Department and nearly 1 million people will get more affordable coverage, U.S. officials said. The proposed rule, if it is approved by federal regulators, would go into effect Jan. 1, 2023.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/5/22]

Time: President Biden Moves To Fix A ‘Glitch’ In The Affordable Care Act. “‘It’s a huge deal,’ says Katie Keith, director of the Health Policy and the Law Initiative at Georgetown Law’s O’Neill Institute. ‘It’s one of the biggest things the Biden Administration can do on its own to expand coverage.’ About 5.1 million people across the country fall into the family glitch…Most of these are women and children. Not all of these people would choose to switch their plans immediately, but the White House estimates that 1 million people would move to cheaper ACA health plans if the rule takes effect, and 200,000 uninsured Americans would gain comprehensive coverage.” [Time, 4/5/22]

AP: Biden, Obama Mark 12 Years Of The Affordable Care Act At The White House. “Biden opened up the health insurance markets to anyone seeking coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his coronavirus relief bill provided a significant, though temporary, increase in financial assistance. The result was a record 14.5 million people signing up for subsidized private coverage. People tripped up by the “family glitch” are dependents of workers who have an offer of employer coverage that the government interprets as being affordable.” [AP, 4/5/22]

Reuters: Obama And Biden Reunite At White House To Tout Obamacare, New Provision. “The White House said the proposed adjustment to the Affordable Care Act, put forward in a rule by the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service that must be finalized, would save hundreds of dollars a month for hundreds of thousands of families. It said the ‘family glitch’ affects some five million people and ‘has made it impossible for many families to use the premium tax credit to purchase an affordable, high-quality Marketplace plan.’” [Reuters, 4/5/22]

USA Today: With Obama’s Help, Biden Announces Proposed Fix To ACA’s ‘Family Glitch’. “The change, which would go into effect as early as next year, could allow an estimated 200,000 people without insurance to gain coverage, according to the White House…The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that 5.1 million people are affected by how the IRS initially wrote the regulation when interpreting the ACA. Most have insurance through an employer but are paying high premiums.” [USA Today, 4/5/22]

CBS: Obama Returns To White House For Health Care Event With Biden. “A new rule proposed by the Treasury Department would enable family members who must pay more than 10% of their income for health care coverage to get financial help. ‘As a result, 200,000 uninsured people are expected to gain coverage and nearly a million more are expected to see lower premiums every day,’ a senior administration official told reporters on a background call.” [CBS, 4/5/22]

NBC: Biden, Joined By Obama, Proposes Tax Credit Fix To Affordable Care Act. “‘Starting next year, working families in America will get the help they need to afford full family coverage, everyone in the family,’ Biden said at a White House event promoting the law and announcing the change. ‘As a result, families will be saving hundreds of dollars a month.’” The Treasury Department proposal would allow families to receive tax credits if their coverage costs exceed more than 10 percent of their incomes, a senior administration official told reporters. The change, scheduled to take effect in January, would allow 200,000 uninsured people to gain coverage and lower premiums for a million others, the official said. [NBC, 4/5/22]

Yahoo News: Obama Returns To White House For Celebration Of Affordable Care Act As Biden Announces Changes To Law. “Biden announced changes to the plan in an attempt to expand it to more Americans. One tweak that can be authorized by the Treasury Department is fixing a ‘family glitch’ that would mean lower premiums for some Americans, while others would become eligible for subsidized insurance plans.” [Yahoo News, 4/5/22]

ADVISORY: Protect Our Care Hosts Lite-Brite Display Celebrating the Affordable Care Act

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 5 AT 9:00 PM ET***  

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES
CONTACT: Melissa Byrne, 609-364-4267

ADVISORY: Protect Our Care Hosts Lite-Brite Display Celebrating the Affordable Care Act

“ACA is a BFD” Will Appear Outside the White House After President Biden Announced Actions to Strengthen the Law

Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Care will host a Lite-Brite display after the White House event celebrating the success of the Affordable Care Act and ongoing efforts to strengthen the health care law and cut costs for families. This afternoon, former President Obama joined President Biden and Vice President Harris to announce new measures to strengthen the ACA, including a proposed fix to the “family glitch,” which will lower health care costs for more than one million Americans. President Biden is also directing his administration to improve access to health care providers, protect people from low-quality coverage and continue lowering health care costs. 

Since taking office, President Biden has taken bold steps to lower health care costs, improve care, and increase coverage. As a result, more than 30 million Americans have affordable health care through the Marketplace and Medicaid expansion. Democrats are continuing their work to strengthen the ACA by fighting to lower drug prices, reduce premiums, and expand coverage to even more families. More information on President Biden’s health care achievements can be found here

LITE-BRITE DISPLAY

WHAT: Lite-Brite Display in Front of White House

WHEN: Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at 9:00 PM ET

WHERE: Ellipse side of White House

ACA Celebrations Continue With White House Event on Lower Health Care Costs

President Biden Announced Measures to Strengthen the ACA and Lower Costs for Millions of Americans 

Washington, DC — Today, former President Obama joined President Biden and Vice President Harris at the White House to celebrate the success of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and ongoing efforts to strengthen the health care law and cut costs for families. During the event, President Biden announced new measures to strengthen the ACA, including a proposed fix to the “family glitch,” which will lower health care costs for more than one million Americans. The President is also directing his administration to improve access to health care providers, protect people from low-quality coverage and continue lowering health care costs. 

The event comes on the heels of the ACA’s 12-year anniversary and as enrollment is at a record high and premium costs are lower than ever before. Since taking office, President Biden has taken bold steps to lower health care costs, improve care, and increase coverage. As a result, more than 30 million Americans have affordable health care through the Marketplace and Medicaid expansion. Democrats are continuing their work to strengthen the ACA by fighting to lower drug prices, reduce premiums, and expand coverage to even more families. 

“The Affordable Care Act is the gift that keeps on giving,” said Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care. “Despite years of attacks by Republican lawmakers, the law is stronger than ever and a record number of Americans have enrolled in affordable coverage. Democrats have proven time and again that the ACA lowers health costs and improves care. President Biden has reduced insurance premiums, expanded coverage, tackled racial equity and is now closing ‘the family glitch’ — all by building on the Affordable Care Act.” 

“There has never been a more urgent time to lower health care costs, and President Biden is delivering again,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Americans are sick and tired of choosing between paying the bills and getting the health care they need. The Biden administration understands the needs of working families, and today’s announcement made clear that Democrats are committed to building on the strong foundation of the ACA to lower costs and give families the health care they deserve. What have Republicans proposed to lower health care costs and fight inflation? Not a damn thing.” 

BACKGROUND:

President Biden Is Working To Close The Family Glitch. Millions of Americans qualify for affordable employer health coverage and are therefore not eligible for ACA premium savings on the Marketplace. This arrangement works well for millions, however, as workers add dependents onto their health coverage, premiums rise, pushing the total cost of health coverage far beyond the percentage of income stipulated by the ACA. Despite this increase, workers are still not eligible to receive premium subsidies through a Marketplace plan. This is the family glitch and it is estimated to impact more than five million Americans. A Health Affairs study estimated Americans in the family glitch pay an average of 15.8 percent of their income towards health premiums, nearly double what is permitted under the ACA. Of the estimated 5.1 million Americans in the family glitch, the vast majority are relatively low-income and 2.8 million are children who are not eligible for CHIP. This puts families in the terrible situation of having to choose between health insurance for their children and other necessities. President Biden has proposed a rule that would eliminate the family glitch and allow families to purchase affordable coverage on the Marketplace with premium tax credits. Under this rule, 200,000 uninsured Americans would gain coverage and many families would save hundreds of dollars each much on health premiums.

Read the full fact sheet here: President Biden Has Delivered On Health Care

Republicans Continue Their War on Health Care With Vote Against Lower Insulin Costs

193 House Republicans Voted Against the Affordable Insulin Now Act 

Washington DC — Last night, the House of Representatives passed the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which caps out-of-pocket insulin costs for millions of diabetics with private insurance and Medicare coverage. Every single Democrat voted for the legislation, while the vast majority of Republicans voted against lower health care costs. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement: 

“Republicans’ war on lowering health care costs continues. No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and affording the insulin they need to survive. By voting against lower insulin costs, the GOP is marching in lockstep with Big Pharma and all of the special interests that want to keep profits high without any regard for the needs of the American people. While President Biden and Democrats are fighting tirelessly to lower health care costs, Republicans are following their same old playbook: calling for health care repeal, raising costs, and opposing any real solutions to put more money in the pockets of working families.” 

REPUBLICAN LEADERS ARE PUSHING TO RAISE HEALTH CARE COSTS AND GUT THE ACA

NRSC Chairman Sen. Rick Scott has rolled out a disastrous agenda for a Republican Senate majority that includes “sunsetting” every federal law after five years – this would include the Affordable Care Act and its protections for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions as well as the crucial lifelines of Social Security and Medicare. 

Every Republican on the Senate Finance committee signed a letter opposing the extending of ACA tax credits included in the American Rescue Plan set to expire at the end of 2022. Premium savings under the American Rescue Plan benefit millions of Americans who buy health insurance on their own and save families an average of $2,400 a year.  Days later, the Republicans on the House Education and Labor Committee claiming that the ACA is a “failure” and suggesting that it should be repealed.  

On March 31, nearly every Republican in the House voted for higher insulin costs by opposing the Affordable Insulin Now Act, legislation that caps out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 a month for millions of diabetics with private insurance and Medicare coverage.  

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE RUNNING ON REPEAL 

Arizona: Major candidates for Senate are cheerleaders for repeal. State Attorney General and Senate candidate Mark Brnovich was one of the lead attorneys general seeking to overturn the entire ACA in 2018. Blake Masters called the ACA a “disaster” and Jim Lamon is actively campaigning against the law, proposing to “redesign or eliminate” Obamacare as part of his platform. 

Colorado: Three out of four Republican candidates running for the new Eighth District in Colorado have pledged to repeal the ACA. Tyler Alcorn, a former Green Beret; Lori Saine, a Weld County commissioner; and state Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann all said they would repeal Obamacare if Republicans took control of the House. 

Florida: Sen. Marco Rubio has repeatedly voted for ACA repeal plans. And he refused to condemn Florida’s involvement in the GOP lawsuit to fully dismantle the law and its coverage protection for Americans with pre-existing conditions.

Missouri: Senate Candidate and Attorney General Eric Schmitt was another leader seeking to overturn the entire ACA in the courts in 2018. Reps. Billy Long and Vicky Hartzler, who are also running for Senate, are longtime opponents of the ACA and voted for the 2017 AHCA GOP repeal plan that would have slashed coverage protections and driven up costs. And Eric Greitens has backed GOP ACA repeal plans for years.  In the state house, Republicans continue to drag their feet and erect barriers to Medicaid expansion in Missouri, years after voters cleared it in a referendum. 

Nevada: Senate Candidate Adam Laxalt has campaigned against the Affordable Care Act for years, calling it the “most flawed piece of major legislation America has ever endured.” Laxalt, who owns tens of thousands of dollars in Big Pharma stock, has also opposed efforts to give Medicare the authority to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.

North Carolina: Two Republican Senate candidates in North Carolina – Ted Budd and Mark Walker – supported the 2017 GOP AHCA repeal plan, voting to gut pre-existing condition coverage protections and let insurance companies charge older Americans more for coverage. And former Governor Pat McCrory, now running for Senate himself, spent his term in office working feverishly to block Medicaid expansion in North Carolina. 

Ohio: Every GOP Senate candidate in Ohio has spent years cheerleading for repeal of the ACA. In 2012, Josh Mandel said he was “hopeful” that he would be the deciding vote to repeal the ACA. Jane Tiken first got involved in politics because of her zeal to repeal Obamacare. In 2017, Mike Gibbons called the law “a disaster” and said “after we repeal ObamaCare, we need to start from scratch.” And on his campaign website in 2022, Matt Dolan continues to claim that the ACA was “conceived wrongly, implemented poorly and has become a tool of partisan grift.” 

Pennsylvania: Dr. Mehmet Oz spent years supporting the ACA and promoting enrollment, but now that he’s running for Senate as a Republican, he calls the ACA “wrong” and says he “would not have voted for Obamacare.” 

Wisconsin: Sen. Ron Johnson said in March 2022 that Republicans should repeal the ACA if they retake the Senate following on his comments from 2021 when he said he regrets that Republicans have failed to eliminate the law. Meanwhile Republicans in the state house continue to block Medicaid expansion in Wisconsin. 

House Passes Historic Legislation to Lower Insulin Costs for Millions of Diabetics

U.S. Representatives Dan Kildee (D-MI), Lucy McBath (D-GA), and Angie Craig (D-MN) Championed the Affordable Insulin Now Act 

Washington DC — Today, the House of Representatives passed the Affordable Insulin Now Act, legislation that caps out-of-pocket insulin costs for millions of diabetics with private insurance and Medicare coverage. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“For decades, drug company greed has forced millions of diabetics to pay outrageous prices for the medications they need to survive. Even when insulin vials only cost a few dollars to produce, drug companies have hiked the price to hundreds of dollars per month, forcing too many patients to ration insulin and skip doses altogether. Representatives Kildee, Craig and McBath’s bill capping out-of-pocket insulin costs to $35 a month for diabetics with insurance is a critical step to drive down prescription drug prices. It will put more money in families’ pockets and give them peace of mind knowing they won’t have to choose between purchasing this lifesaving medication and putting food on the table. We commend Democrats in Congress for their commitment to fighting for a future where quality, affordable health care is a reality for every American.”

Protect Our Care Kicks off Medicaid Awareness Month With Nationwide Activities Aiming to Both Celebrate and Strengthen the Vital Program

Washington, D.C. April is Medicaid Awareness Month, and there has never been a more urgent time to highlight Medicaid’s overwhelming importance for millions of Americans in communities across the nation. Medicaid has served as a lifeline during the pandemic, providing nearly 79 million Americans with access to high-quality, affordable care when they need it most. 

Throughout April, Protect Our Care will release fact sheets and host events nationwide with elected officials, storytellers, and health care advocates to highlight Medicaid’s critical role in America, discuss what needs to be done to expand and strengthen the program, and raise awareness of the consequences of Republican threats.

To mark the start of Medicaid Awareness Month today, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement: 

“With more Americans relying on Medicaid coverage than ever before, there has never been a better time to celebrate the importance of the program, highlight what needs to be done to expand and strengthen Medicaid, and combat the threats that still exist. While President Biden and Democrats are working to finish the job of the Affordable Care Act and close the Medicaid coverage gap in the 12 non-expansion states, Republicans are playing politics with their constituents’ health. We must continue holding Republicans accountable for putting politics before people, denying their most vulnerable populations access to Medicaid.”

The month will include the following theme’s each week:

  • Week 1: Medicaid is Working! Week one will focus on how Medicaid has improved the lives of millions even amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • Week 2: Close the Coverage Gap. Week two will bring attention to the urgent need to close the Medicaid coverage gap. 
  • Week 3: Stop the Threat. Week three will focus on how millions of Americans face losing their Medicaid coverage coverage when the COVID-19 public health emergency for the Covid-19 pandemic ends because Republican officials are failing to protect eligible Medicaid recipients. 
  • Week 4: Medicaid & Health Equity. The final week will highlight how Medicaid is our most powerful tool in fighting for health equity. 

Medicaid Is More Important Than Ever

Nearly 1 in 4 Americans Receive Health Coverage Through Medicaid

April is Medicaid Awareness Month and the past two years have taught us that Medicaid is more important than ever. Medicaid has been proven to increase access to care, improve financial security, and produce better health outcomes. Today, nearly 79 million Americans receive their coverage through Medicaid, firmly establishing Medicaid as a pillar of the American health care system. 

Medicaid expansion is essential to ensure every American has quality, affordable health coverage. Despite the overwhelming benefits of Medicaid expansion, Republicans have spent years undermining the ACA and its expansion of Medicaid at every turn, blocking millions from coverage. Yet the program has become increasingly popular among conservative voters. 75 percent of Americans have a favorable view toward the Medicaid program, and 61 percent of Americans in non-expansion states favor expansion. Every time Medicaid expansion has been placed on the ballot, even in deep red states like Oklahoma and Idaho, voters have approved it. An estimated four million uninsured adults could gain coverage if the 12 remaining holdout states adopted Medicaid expansion.

Research confirms that Medicaid expansion saves lives and drastically reduces racial health disparities. States that expanded their Medicaid programs saw a 51 percent reduction in the gap between uninsured white and Black adults after expansion, and a 45 percent reduction between white and Hispanic adults. Medicaid has also served as a lifeline during the pandemic, with research showing expansion states were better positioned to handle the economic fallout from COVID-19. However you approach it, Medicaid is an essential component of American life and more important than ever. Read more here.

TODAY: Senators Murray and Warnock to Host Roundtable on Lowering Cost of Lifesaving Drugs With WA and GA Patients

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 31 AT 3:15 PM ET  // 12:15 PM PT***

Washington, DC — Today, Thursday, March 31 at 3:15 PM ET // 12:15 PM PT, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) will hold a virtual roundtable with Protect Our Care and patients from Washington state and Georgia to discuss their fight to lower the cost of lifesaving prescription drugs for patients across our country—including by bringing down insulin costs for the 1 in 10 patients across the country with diabetes.

During the event, Senators Murray and Warnock will hear from patients from Washington state and Georgia who depend on insulin to manage their diabetes and stay healthy and will highlight their efforts to bring down health care costs for working people however possible—so that no patient is forced to ration their insulin or choose between buying groceries or paying for the lifesaving drug they need.

Senators Murray and Warnock will be joined by Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care, Kevin Wren, a type 1 diabetes patient from Washington state, and Shannon, a mother of three from Georgia struggling to cover high medical expenses for one son with an autoimmune condition and another son recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

VIRTUAL EVENT:

WHO:
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)
U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA)
Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care
Kevin Wren, type 1 diabetes patient from Washington state
Shannon, a Georgia mother of three boys with serious medical conditions

WHAT: Senators Murray and Warnock Fight to Cap Insulin Costs at $35/Month and Lower the Cost of Lifesaving Drugs for Patients

WHERE: Send an Email to RSVP

WHEN: Thursday, March 31 at 3:15 PM ET // 12:15 PM PT