News

Washington DC — Today, Georgia voters elected Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), supporting a true health care champion and expanding the Democratic majority in the Senate. Warnock campaigned on his health care record in the Senate and his continued advocacy for making health care a right for every American. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“Senator Reverend Warnock has already made his mark as a health care champion in the U.S. Senate. Warnock helped deliver lower prescription drug and insulin costs for seniors, extended premium savings for hardworking families, and ensured better care for millions in the future. He will continue to advocate for expanding Medicaid and protecting abortion access in Georgia and across the nation. Once again, Georgia voters rejected the Republican agenda of raising health care costs and ripping away critical protections. Mirroring other tough races across the country, this runoff sent a clear message: protecting and expanding access to affordable health care is a top priority for the American people.” 

Senator Reverend Warnock Ran and Won on Health Care.

• Warnock Travels Throughout Georgia Touting Health Care Record. “His pitch to voters was heavy on accomplishments during his brief time in office, touting legislation that lowered health care costs for senior citizens and painting himself as a champion of bipartisan problem solving in a gridlocked Congress.” [NPR, 11/9/22]
• Warnock Touts Lower Insulin Costs As He Makes Final Pitch to Georgia Voters. “The pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta has pitched himself as willing to work across the aisle on policy that benefits Georgians, touting lowered health care costs for insulin and other legislative victories since winning in a Jan. 2021 special election runoff.” [GPB, 12/2/22]
• Warnock Holds Rally for Supporters of His Health Care Policies. “Sen. Raphael Warnock gathered a crowd of about 100 people to one of his final campaign stops in Talbotton before Election Day. Melinda Milner was an attendee at the rally and she told WRBL she supports Sen. Warnock strongly for his healthcare bill that would affect diabetics across the Peach State. ‘We do need healthcare here. I am a diabetic and I’ve been one for four years and it’s hard to get service from anyone,’ said Milner.” [WRBL, 11/7/22]

Senator Raphael Warnock is a Health Care Champion. Some of Senator Reverend Warnock’s most influential policies passed while in Congress have been to lower costs and to expand health care access to more Americans than ever before. 

• Sen. Warnock voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which will lower health care costs for millions of Americans. The Inflation Reduction Act is the most historic piece of health care legislation since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which has allowed over 700,000 Georgians to access quality and affordable health care. Due to its passage the HHS estimates that 2,954,000 more Americans including nearly half a million Black Americans, will have access to health insurance next year compared to without the Inflation Reduction Act. With Georgian Medicare beneficiaries spending, on average, $591 annually, the $35 a month insulin cap introduced by Senator Warnock will save Georgian seniors hundreds every year. Additionally, a projected one in three of uninsured Black adults will gain coverage over the lifetime of this legislation, making it one of the largest balancers of racial health equity in history. This legislation works to reduce the urban-rural health divide by providing over three-quarters of rural Americans with access to health care plans for less than $50 a month. In all, around 46.6 million Americans will see their health care costs fall directly due to the Inflation Reduction Act, with millions more likely seeing their costs fall as this reverberates through health care markets.
• Sen. Warnock introduced legislation with Sen. Booker aimed at advancing health equity. The Health Equity and Accountability Act works to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities throughout the U.S. health care system through the strengthening of data collection for health outcomes among marginalized groups, improving the diversity of the workforce within the health care system, and improving health care access to historically marginalized groups. Senator Warnock has reached across the aisle and through chambers of Congress to help improve racial health equity for Georgians and all Americans.
• Sen. Warnock voted for an amendment expanding Medicare coverage for dental, hearing, and vision. Although amendment S.Amdt. 5211 was rejected, Senator Warnock took a stand with fellow Senators Ossoff and Sanders to continue the fight to expand all types of health care coverage for all Americans.
• Sen. Warnock reached across the aisle to pass legislation increasing mental health funding for children and families. Under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, Senator Warnock was able to work with multiple Republican Senators to increase federal investment for child and family mental health. It appropriates $250 million to states to expand mental health services, $120 million for community member and first responder training for mental illness, $80 million in grants for pediatric primary care providers, $60 million for mental health training for clinicians, and more all aimed at increasing mental health awareness and treatment.

Sen. Warnock voted for the American Rescue Plan which helped significantly lower health costs for Georgians. Thanks to the passage of the American Rescue Plan, uninsured rates have fallen to some of the lowest levels in history. This is due in part to the premium tax credits which allowed for millions of more Americans to access quality and affordable health care for the first time, as well as other systemic factors such as the child tax credits which helped ease the cost-burden of childcare on families and raised millions out of poverty. Senator Warnock was a critical vote for the American Rescue Plan and it would not have passed without his support.

This week, we spotlight state-level action to better measure the impact of equity programs, other health equity initiatives across the nation, and new global and national research that underscores the urgency of these issues. Protect Our Care is committed to making health care a right for every American. 

Addressing systemic racial, ethnic, and other inequities in health care is among the most pressing issues in America. The causes of these inequities, and the corresponding actions needed to tackle them head on, are multi-faceted. As it stands, marginalized communities, including people of color, rural Americans, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities, face worse access to quality, affordable health coverage, which contributes to dangerous health outcomes.

INITIATIVES

Bloomberg: New York to Require Data on Health Equity From Insurers. “Adrienne A. Harris, superintendent of the Department of Financial Services, has issued a mandatory request for information to health insurers to gauge the impact of programs aimed at reducing health disparities, according to New York State DFS Wednesday. Information on race/ethnicity and language data collection efforts, health equity programs, and workforce initiative has been requested, said the department. This RFI plans to identify programs and best practices to address the industry-wide issue, DFS said.” [Bloomberg, 11/30/22]

Delaware Business Times: With NIH Grant, DSU to Open Up New Health Equity Research Center. “The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded DSU with a $18.36 million research grant over the course of five years, which will aid in bringing researchers to the HBCU to study health disparities in the state, particularly on underserved populations. Identified research projects include: how social determinants impact sleep health; integrating low-cost immunotherapeutics to treat triple negative Breast Cancer; and machine learning-based imaging biomarkers for metabolic and age-related diseases.” [Delaware Business Times, 12/1/22]

Pittsburgh Business Times: UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Increases Focus on Addressing Health Equity. “Researchers continue to make significant advancements in the arenas of cancer prevention, early detection and treatment. Unfortunately, social and economic factors still play a big role in determining the access patients have to such innovations. UPMC Hillman Cancer Center is expanding its focus on health equity. The organization recently hired a leading researcher in the field, Monica Baskin, Ph.D., to serve as associate director of community outreach and engagement and associate director for health equity. She spent two decades leading a nationally recognized research program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham that developed programs to reduce racial and geographic disparities associated with cancer.” [Pittsburgh Business Times, 11/28/22]

WBOC: Worcester County Health Department Awarded Grant from Maryland to Address COVID-Related Health Disparities. “The health department said that during the pandemic, routine preventive health screenings and care were often delayed. The goal of this new project is to increase access to and participation in health screenings, education programs, and the adoption of healthy lifestyles. The project will address social determinants of health which are the environmental conditions where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship that affect health outcomes. This includes factors like socioeconomic status, education, physical environment, employment, social support networks, and access to care.” [WBOC, 11/30/22]

Akron Beacon Journal: Local Clinic Helping to Significantly Reduce Racial Health Disparities. “The ICARE program, which stands for Integrating Clinical and Resource Evaluations, is funded through donations at Akron General. It is part of a larger campaign called Neighbor to Neighbor, which was launched in 2020 by Akron General President Brian Harte to specifically address health disparities in Summit County. So far, more than $2 million has been raised for the program, which includes efforts to address infant mortality and the Center for Family Medicine, which addresses health disparities and chronic diseases at its clinic. The goal of Akron General’s new program is to have someone, and hopefully eventually a larger team, helping patients through the “complex fragmented health care ecosystem,” which often has gaps that people fall through and to close those gaps, Harte said. Harte hopes Neighbor to Neighbor and programs such as ICARE can be a model for similar program at other Cleveland Clinic locations as well as other area health systems.” [Akron Beacon Journal, 12/2/22]

CHALLENGES

World Health Organization: Release of the Global report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities. “An estimated 1.3 billion people – or 16% of global population worldwide – experience a significant disability today. [T]he WHO Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities demonstrates that while some progress has been made in recent years, the world is still far from realizing this right for many persons with disabilities who continue to die earlier, have poorer health, and experience more limitations in everyday functioning than others. These poor health outcomes are due to unfair conditions faced by persons with disabilities in all facets of life, including in the health system itself.” [WHO, 12/2/22]

Montgomery Advertiser: 50 Years on, Racial Health Disparities Still Remain Due to the Unethical “Tuskegee Syphilis Study.” “Fifty years after officials halted one of the most unethical public health studies in United States history, the societal effects of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and the health injustices it represents remain prevalent in the area, according to new research from Tulane University and Auburn University. From 1932 until 1972, doctors from the U.S. Public Health Service ran a study in Macon County that included 600 Black men, many of whom were sharecroppers and had never been to a doctor’s office. Of that number, 399 of the men had the bacterial infection syphilis, and the remaining 201 men did not. Doctors told all of them that they were being treated for “bad blood.” About 11 years into the study, penicillin became the widely available treatment for syphilis. However, the doctors in Tuskegee opted not to provide effective care to the participants, instead watching them suffer from severe side effects from their untreated infection with the goal of tracking syphilis’ progression to death. In a summary of his work, Chae states that almost half of the Black population living in rural areas across the country resides in high-poverty counties, whereas about 10% of the rural white population lives in high-poverty counties. This proves true when comparing Macon County to surrounding counties. In the summary of the study’s findings, Chae states that some residents were “understandably skeptical of participating in this work.” He attributes the skepticism in part to the lingering impact of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Its effects have played out in more ways than one, including contributing to the mistrust of the COVID vaccine among Black Americans. Still, Chae said residents were committed to making their communities healthier.” [Montgomery Advertiser, 11/27/22]

Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research: Inequalities in U.S. Infant and Maternal Mortality Rates Point to Access Issues Due to Structural Racism. “Newly released research from Stanford’s Petra Persson and Maya Rossin-Slater finds that… Black mothers and their newborns of all income levels do significantly worse, health-wise, than their white counterparts. The disparities identified in the study of California births are so large, in fact, that Black women and their infants of the highest-income households fare worse on average than the lowest-income white mothers and their infants.That Black mothers and their newborns at all income levels are worse off than whites is one of several remarkable insights from the study about inequality in infant and maternal health. The study, released this week by the National Bureau of Economic Research, also compares the patterns in California to those found in Sweden, a country known for its universal health care system and high performance on international health rankings. The researchers find that even the richest mothers and newborns in California fare worse along multiple measures of health than the poorest mothers and newborns in Sweden.” [SIEPR, 11/28/22]

USA Today: Children of Color Less Likely to Receive Elective Pediatric Surgery. “Latino, Black and Asian children are less likely to undergo elective surgeries compared with white children, according to a recent study. The study, published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, analyzed data on more than 200,000 children from a national health survey of parents. Roughly 10,000 of those children reportedly had  surgery. Between 40% and 60% fewer surgeries were reported by parents of Black, Asian and Latino children, and Latino children were more likely to have emergency surgery. The research shows children of color could be suffering amid delays in important surgical interventions, experts say.” [USA Today, 12/2/22]

Forbes: AI Used in Health Care Often Leave Minority Patients Behind. “[T]he desire to see data and AI used to transform the way we receive healthcare remains high [but] research from the University of Michigan reminds us that such an approach is only as strong as the data behind it, and that this could freeze out minority patients and lead to growing health inequalities. This is because the data that is used to train AI systems is either not representative of the diverse population or reflects what is already unequal care.” [Forbes, 12/2/22]

Fierce BioTech: Lung Cancer Racial Disparities Start at the Research Level. “Although it is well documented that Black smokers develop lung cancer at younger ages than white smokers even when they smoke fewer cigarettes, the guidelines that doctors use to recommend patients for screening have been slow to reflect the disparity. But screening is only part of the issue, said experts who evaluate what happens both before and after a person is checked for signs of cancer. Researchers are concerned about the lack of diverse representation in the clinical studies on which the screening recommendations are based. For example, about 13% of the U.S population is Black but Black people made up just 4.4% of participants in the National Lung Screening Trial, a large, multiyear study in the early 2000s that looked at whether screening with low-dose CT scans could reduce mortality from lung cancer. But a 2019 study published in JAMA Oncology found that under those parameters, 68% of Black smokers would have been ineligible for screening at the time of their lung cancer diagnosis, compared with 44 percent of white smokers. In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended screening age for lung cancer to 50 and reduced the number of pack years to 20.” [Fierce BioTech, 12/1/22]

The Braidwood Management v. Becerra Lawsuit Puts Lifesaving Care for Millions At Risk

Washington DC — This week, two dozen patient and provider groups filed briefs warning that eliminating free preventive care services under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) puts the health and well-being of millions of patients at risk. The briefs follow a response from the Biden administration against the ideologically driven lawsuit seeking to rip away core preventive health protections. The Braidwood Management (formerly Kelley) v. Becerra lawsuit threatens the ACA requirement that guarantees free access to over 100 preventive health services, including health screenings, routine vaccinations, well baby and child visits, prenatal care, contraception, and more. In 2020 alone, more than 150 million Americans used these services.

In September, Judge Reed O’Connor ruled against a key set of preventive services covered under the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, including lifesaving colorectal and other cancer screenings, depression screenings, hypertension screenings, and access to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). The conservative plaintiffs, backed by right-wing legal activists, have called on Judge O’Connor to throw out all of the guaranteed preventive services under the ACA.  In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“This is a politically-driven lawsuit that threatens the health and financial security of millions of Americans. If the plaintiffs get their way, American families will once again be at the mercy of their insurance companies and employers, who could make it harder to access cancer screenings, prenatal care, vaccinations, and more. Free preventive care has become a bedrock of the American health care system, improving health outcomes, reducing inequities, cutting consumer health care costs, and saving lives. Without free access to preventive care, Americans will face impossible choices between going to the doctor for routine cancer screenings and paying groceries and housing.”  

More From The Briefs:

Patient Groups Led By The American Cancer Society: “Ending No-Cost Access To Proven Preventive Services Nationwide Would Have A Profoundly Negative Effect On The Ability Of Millions Of Patients To Get The Care They Need.” “Ending no-cost access to proven preventive services nationwide would have a profoundly negative effect on the ability of millions of patients to get the care they need in a timely and effective manner. Numerous research studies have proven the benefits of these services. They ensure people can prevent, detect and treat their conditions as early as possible, improving health outcomes and saving patients and the health care system money. Whether it’s a doctor-recommended colonoscopy that finds a polyp before it becomes cancer, a low dose CT scan that identifies early stage lung cancer, a screening for diabetes that saves someone from developing potentially life-threatening kidney disease, a blood pressure test that alerts someone to their increased risk for a heart attack, smoking cessation services that help someone end a tobacco addiction, or medication that prevents the acquisition of HIV, these services are critical to people’s health.” [American Cancer Society, 11/30/22]

• The following patient groups signed the brief: American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Kidney Fund, American Lung Association, Arthritis Foundation, CancerCare, Cancer Support Community, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Epilepsy Foundation, Hemophilia Federation of America, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, National Minority Quality Forum, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Patient Advocate Foundation, The Aids Institute and WomenHeart.

Physicians Organizations Led By The American Medical Association: “No-Cost Preventive Care Saves Lives, Saves Money, Improves Health Outcomes, And Enables Healthier Lifestyles.” “The research is clear: no-cost preventive care saves lives, saves money, improves health outcomes, and enables healthier lifestyles. As medical professionals, amici know that preventive care can mean the difference between kicking a smoking habit or living with a heightened risk of dozens of illnesses; between taking a statin or suffering a life-changing heart attack; between providing essential prenatal care and screening or leaving children behind; and between catching a patient’s cancer early or catching it after it’s too late. Identifying and treating conditions before they worsen, or before they present at all, yields better outcomes for patients and saves money for the health system overall.” [American Medical Association, 12/1/22] 

• The following provider groups signed the brief: The American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, The American Medical Women’s Association, The Infectious Diseases Society of America, The National Medical Association, and The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Passing the “Momnibus” Act is the #1 Issue for Voters in Upcoming End-of-Year Package with Majority Support from Independents and Republicans

Washington DC — New Navigator polling reveals 72 percent of voters support passing the “Momnibus” legislation to reduce preventable deaths in moms. America has the highest maternal mortality rate of any industrialized country in the world and 80 percent of deaths are entirely preventable. This legislation is also key to addressing stark racial disparities in the maternal mortality crisis. In total, 72 percent of respondents, including 63 percent of independents and 59 percent of Republicans, reported they support Congress passing the “Momnibus” bill — ranking higher than any other priority. 

Protect Our Care has urged Congress to pass the “Momnibus” bill as a key end-of-year priority for Congress, along with other actions that will strengthen coverage for children, moms, and people on Medicaid. Read Protect Our Care’s full end-of-year agenda here. 

“It is outrageous and unacceptable that America has the highest maternal mortality rate of any industrialized nation in the world. The majority of these deaths, which particularly occur among women of color, are preventable. Congress has the opportunity to save lives and must pass the ‘Momnibus’ bill and other key measures to protect mothers and children,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “The ‘Momnibus’ bill tackles the crisis head on by making key investments in health care for moms and babies and working to reduce stark racial disparities in health outcomes. Polling confirms that this legislation is widely supported by voters of all parties, so it is up to lawmakers to act now to support mothers and their families and to save lives.” 

Across the country, health care experts, lawmakers, and advocates joined Protect Our Care to discuss the ACA Open Enrollment 2023 which began on November 1 and provides Americans with the resources they need to enroll in quality, affordable coverage. 

More people have access to affordable health insurance than ever before thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. It is historic legislation that reduces health care premiums for 13 million families purchasing coverage on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. Last year, a record-breaking 14.5 million people signed up for coverage through the ACA marketplaces. Ahead of this open enrollment period, the Biden administration announced the single-largest investment ever in the Navigators program, to help connect even more people to coverage, with a focus on outreach to racial and ethnic minorities, people in rural communities, LGBTQ+ communities, and other particularly underserved communities. President Biden also eliminated the family glitch, allowing an additional 1 million people to be eligible for affordable health care on the marketplace and receive premium subsidies. With the enhanced subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Biden administration’s historic investment in the Navigator program, new enrollments are up nearly 40% over last year. 

The Inflation Reduction Act will keep health care costs low for those enrolling in ACA marketplace plans this year. Four out of five people are eligible for coverage at $10 or less. On average, families will save thousands of dollars a year on health care thanks to these enhanced subsidies and the Biden administration’s historic investment in the Navigator program. These savings are a game-changer, giving average middle-class families much-needed breathing room to pay for other essentials like rent, groceries, and gas. These actions ensure access to quality, affordable, and equitable care for years to come

ARIZONA

Tuesday, November 22, HHS Regional Director, Dr. Jeffrey Reynoso joined Protect Our Care Arizona to discuss the ACA Open Enrollment 2023 period, which began on November 1, 2022, and provided Arizonans with the resources they need to enroll in quality, affordable coverage. “President Biden and HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra both believe healthcare should be a human right, not a privilege. Every American deserves the peace of mind that quality, affordable health insurance brings. Americans facing illness should never have to worry about how they are going to pay for their treatment, or face a choice between buying life saving medications and putting food on the table, especially during this holiday season.” said Dr. Jeffrey Reynoso. “In 2021 when we were signing up for our 2022 coverage, we celebrated the fact that because of the American Rescue Plan there were subsidies extended to average, working Americans like us,” said Anna Laidlaw, Arizona ACA enrollee. “It helped take the financial burden off of the decision making process. It meant that we no longer had to dip into our savings every month just to pay our premiums.” You can watch the event here.

COVERAGE:

• Arizona Public Media: Health insurance open enrollment sees lower premiums

IOWA

Tuesday, November 22, Iowa State Rep. John Forbes and Joseph Palm, Regional Director, HHS Region 7 joined Protect Our Care to discuss the upcoming ACA Open Enrollment 2023 period which began on November 1 and provides Iowans with the resources they need to enroll in quality, affordable coverage.“The Inflation Reduction Act is desperately needed. For many, the bill will lower the cost of healthcare by thousands of dollars a year – giving them breathing room to pay for other necessities like food, gas, and rent. The legislation also makes sure more Iowans will be able to sign-up for and afford health care coverage during the open enrollment period.” said Joseph Palm, Regional Director, HHS Region 7. “Americans pay three times more for the same drugs as people in other countries while big drug companies make record-breaking profits,” said Iowa Rep. John Forbes. “In the wealthiest nation on earth, no one should have to choose between putting food on the table and affording the medications they need to survive. The Inflation Reduction Act represents crucial progress in increasing affordable and equitable health care coverage for all Iowans.” You can watch the event here.

COVERAGE:

• KFXA-IOW (FOX): Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment in Iowa 
• KMEG (CBS): Enrollment for health coverage through Affordable Care Act is now open
• KGAN-IOW (CBS): Finding Affordable Health Insurance 
• KTVO (ABC): Affordable Care Act Offers Iowans Affordable Health Insurance
• Public News Service: HHS Exec Encourages Iowans to Check Health Insurance Options
• CBS 2 (Iowa): Enrollment for health coverage through Affordable Care Act is now open
• Iowa Capital Dispatch: Deadlines loom for subsidized health insurance enrollment
• Dubuque Telegraph Herald: Deadlines loom for subsidized health insurance enrollment

MICHIGAN

Wednesday, October 26, State Rep Sarah Anthony and Michigan Health Care Advocates joined Protect Our Care to urge families and individuals who need insurance to sign up for health care as the open enrollment period begins Tuesday, Nov. 1 – and as the new Inflation Reduction Act offers ways to save. “Too many families across Michigan are being forced to make an impossible decision: choose between seeking the medical care they need or putting food on the table,” said State Rep. Sarah Anthony. “It is a choice no one should ever have to make, and it is vital that we let folks know about the various ways families and individuals can reduce their health care costs through the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act – specifically, saving money on prescription drugs, on insulin, and on health insurance premiums.” You can watch the event here.

COVERAGE:

• Michigan Radio: Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans starts November 1

NEW JERSEY

Friday, November 4, HHS Regional Director Dr. Dara Kass and Laura Waddell, Health Care Program Director at NJ Citizen Action joined Protect Our Care New Jersey to answer questions about the ACA Open Enrollment 2023 period, which started on November 1, 2022 and provided New Jerseyans with the resources they need to enroll in quality, affordable coverage. “This open enrollment period is especially important for the millions of people who were enrolled in New Jersey FamilyCare over the past couple of years, but may now need to look at other health insurance options,” said Dr. Dara Kass, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Director. “With help from the Inflation Reduction Act, families in New Jersey will have access to quality, affordable and equitable care.” You can watch the event here.

OHIO

Wednesday, November 23, State Rep. Juanita Brent, President, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus; Dennis González, Executive Officer – Office of the Secretary, HHS; Steven Wagner, Executive Director, UHCAN Ohio; and Samuel Camacho, Certified Navigator, Affordable Care Act, UHCAN Ohio  joined Protect Our Care to discuss the upcoming ACA Open Enrollment 2023 period which began on November 1 and provides Ohioans with the resources they need to enroll in quality, affordable coverage. “Every day, when people are thinking about how they’re going to take care of their families, one thing we don’t want them to be concerned about is their health care,” said State Rep. Juanita Brent. “The Inflation Reduction Act is a key step in making sure people can keep more money in their pockets so they can live their American dream.” Dennis González with HHS highlighted key upcoming dates for open enrollment. He said, “Open enrollment started on November 1st and it ends January 15th. That’s very important to remember because after January 15th, unless you have a special circumstance, you can’t enroll until the following November. Also, if you want coverage by January 1st, you have to enroll by December 15th.” You can watch the event here.

COVERAGE:

• WDTN (Dayton NBC): Affordable Care Act open enrollment deadlines for Ohio

WEST VIRGINIA

Tuesday, November 1, WV State Senator Dr. Ron Stollings and Health Care Advocates joined Protect Our Care West Virginia to discuss how the Inflation Reduction Act will keep health care costs low for West Virginians enrolling in ACA marketplace plans this year. With Open Enrollment for 2023 Marketplace plans starting on November 1, advocates also provided West Virginians with the resources they need to enroll in quality, affordable coverage. “The Inflation Reduction Act will save the lives of thousands of West Virginians,” said Dr. Ron Stollings, who represents Boone County in the West Virginia Senate.  “For so many, this is the difference between worrying about how to afford prescription drugs or going to the doctor and making ends meet. We have been asking and waiting for this day, and now we are so grateful help is on the way. The Inflation Reduction Act will lower the cost of prescription drugs, make premiums more affordable, and strengthen health care for millions of Americans.” You can watch the event here.

COVERAGE:

• Dominion Post: Healthcare advocates tout new benefits of Inflation Reduction Act as ACA enrollment period opens

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2022***

HHS Regional Directors Dr. Jeffrey Reynoso and Joseph Palm, Lawmakers and Advocates to Discuss ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment in Ohio, Iowa, and Arizona

Today, Protect Our Care will host events in three states with two regional directors of Health and Human Services, state lawmakers, and health care advocates to discuss the ACA Open Enrollment 2023 period, and will provide resources needed to enroll in quality, affordable coverage.

The Inflation Reduction Act will keep health care costs low for the ACA marketplace plans this year. It is historic legislation that reduces health care premiums for 13 million families purchasing coverage on the ACA marketplaces. On average, families will save thousands of dollars a year on health care, giving them the much-needed breathing room to pay for other essentials like rent, groceries, and gas.

DES MOINES, IA
WHO: 
Joseph Palm, HHS Regional Director, Region 7
Susan Blocker, Breast Cancer Survivor
Timi Brown-Powers, Iowa State Representative  
Matt Sinovic, Progress Iowa & Protect Our Care Iowa

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

WHEN: Tuesday, November 22, at 11:00 a.m. (CST)

COLUMBUS, OH
WHO:
State Rep. Juanita Brent, President, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus
Dennis González, Executive Officer, HHS Region 5
Steven Wagner, Executive Director, UHCAN Ohio
Samuel Camacho, Certified Navigator, Affordable Care Act, UHCAN Ohio

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

WHEN: Tuesday, November 22, at 11:00 a.m. (EST)

PHOENIX, AZ
WHO: 
Dr. Jeffrey Reynoso, HHS Regional Director
Chris Stead, Lead Navigator & Community Development Supervisor, El Rio Community Health Center, Tucson
Anna Laidlaw, Arizona ACA Enrollee

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

WHEN: Tuesday, November 22, 12:00 p.m. (MST)

Washington DC — Today, following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s historic announcement, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer also confirmed he would not seek an elected leadership position in the 118th Congress. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:

“Majority Leader Hoyer has worked tirelessly on behalf of the American people to make sure everyone has access to affordable health care. Under his leadership, Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act, protected Medicare and Medicaid from Republican attacks, and took on Big Pharma to lower prescription drug costs. This year, Majority Leader Hoyer’s leadership was pivotal in negotiations for the Inflation Reduction Act, which lowers premium and prescription drug costs for millions of families. We owe a great deal of thanks to Majority Leader Hoyer and his work that has helped pave the way for quality, affordable, and equitable health care for Marylanders and people across the nation. Whether in congressional leadership or not, Steny Hoyer will always be a health care champion.”

Washington DC — Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her intention to step down from House leadership and pass the torch to the next generation of Democratic lawmakers. Nancy Pelosi made history in 2007 when she became the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House. In the years since, she has worked tirelessly to fight for affordable health care for every American. 

“This is the end of an era. Speaker Pelosi is a fearless health care champion. We were privileged to work with a legislative giant who made such an incredible difference in the lives of so many. She has dedicated decades of service to making health care more affordable, accessible, and equitable,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “In her time as Speaker, she has passed the Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan, and the Inflation Reduction Act, she has taken on Big Pharma to give Medicare the power to negotiate, and she has fought Republican efforts to repeal the ACA and its protections for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions. These policies have touched the lives of nearly every person in the nation, providing patients with lifesaving care while ensuring their families can afford to make ends meet. We look forward to watching her continue in Congress and help usher in a new generation of leadership.”

“Nancy Pelosi is the greatest Speaker in American history, and she has done more to deliver affordable health care to Americans than any elected official,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “She started her work in public service to fight for better health care during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and she led the Democratic effort to protect and expand affordable health care for the American people. She kept her caucus together at a perilous time to pass The Affordable Care Act in 2010 and, in just the last few years, she defied all odds and stopped the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, taking back the House in 2018 and building on the ACA to deliver lower health care and prescription drug costs for families across the nation. Every day Nancy Pelosi was speaker, the nation had a champion for working people. As Pelosi transitions to her new role, Democrats will continue to thrive thanks to her dedication, and the party could not be better equipped to continue the fight for affordable health care.” 

Nancy Pelosi’s health care record by the numbers:

• • 35 million Americans have coverage now because of the Affordable Care Act. 
  • 7.1 million people are covered under CHIP. 
  • 129 million Americans with pre-existing conditions are protected from discrimination. 
  • 49 million Medicare beneficiaries will benefit from lower drug prices thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.
  • 3.3 million Medicare beneficiaries using insulin will have copays capped at $35 each month.
  • Millions of lives saved in the United States and all over the world by efforts to contain the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

 

They All Voted Against the American Rescue Plan, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Affordable Care Act (Every Time They Could)

Republican leaders in the House are completely out of step with the American people on health care. The GOP plan means it will be more expensive to go to the doctor and more expensive to get the drugs Americans rely on to stay healthy. Under Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s radical leadership, Republicans want to return to attacking people with pre-existing conditions, repealing the Affordable Care Act, slashing Medicare, and hiking drug and health insurance costs. Once again, we see how a Republican majority means playing politics with people’s lives in order to support Big Pharma and other special interests. 

Kevin McCarthy: Speaker of the House

Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) won the GOP nomination to become the next Speaker of the House if he is able to secure 218 votes on January 3. 

• Kevin McCarthy Is Open To Using Debt Limit Negotiations To Force Cuts To Medicare And Social Security. Kevin McCarthy told Punchbowl News that he would not “predetermine” whether Social Security and Medicare cuts would be part of debt-limit negotiations. Those comments suggested that, unlike in past negotiations, Republicans could demand future cuts to the programs in order to raise America’s borrowing limit and avoid a default on government debt. Mr. McCarthy later told CNBC that he had not brought up the programs and was committed to “strengthening” them, though he did not provide details.
• Kevin McCarthy Is A Relentless Foe Of The ACA And Efforts To Reduce Health Care Costs. Since taking office in 2007, Kevin McCarthy has been a relentless opponent of the Affordable Care Act, including voting against initial passage of the law, and serving in GOP House leadership during at least 60 attempts to repeal or substantially alter the law. McCarthy also led Republican efforts to try to block passage of the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, which have lowered premiums and established a program to allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors. 

Steve Scalise: Majority Leader

Steve Scalise (R-LA) will serve as Majority Leader in the Republican House. 

• Steve Scalise Led GOP Efforts To Repeal The ACA In 2017 And Now He’s A Cheerleader For The Push To Cut Medicare And Social Security. In 2017, Steve Scalise was the House Majority Whip during the frantic Republican attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and rip away health coverage and protections for pre-existing conditions for millions of Americans. Now, Scalise is defending GOP plans to cut Medicare and Social Security. Scalise claims that what Republicans have proposed is “strengthening” the programs, but he’s a member of the Republican Study Committee, which recently released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and convert the program to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare. 
• Steve Scalise Has Opposed The Affordable Care Act Since Its Inception. Since taking office in 2008, Steve Scalise has been a relentless opponent of the Affordable Care Act, including voting against initial passage of the law, voting for at least 60 attempts to repeal or substantially alter the law, including serving as GOP Whip during the failed repeal attempts during the Trump administration. Scalise also helped lead Republican efforts to try to block passage of the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, which have lowered premiums and established a program to allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors. 

Republican Conference Chair

Elise Stefanik was elected to a second term as Republican Conference Chair 

• Elise Stefanik Is A Donald Trump Loyalist Who Belongs To The Medicare-Slashing Republican Study Committee. Elise Stefanik was initially elected to the House in 2014 as a relatively moderate Republican, but in recent years she has transformed herself into an ultra-MAGA Donald Trump loyalist, who is often mentioned as a potential VP pick for Trump’s presidential run in 2024. Stefanik is also a member of the Republican Study Committee, which recently released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and convert the program to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare. 
• Elise Stefanik Has Voted Eight Times To Repeal The ACA And Opposes Allowing Medicare To Negotiate Lower Prescription Drug Prices. Since taking office in 2015, Stefanik has voted for at least eight attempts to repeal or substantially alter the Affordable Care Act. Stefanik claims that House Republicans will, “Lower healthcare costs through transparency, choice, and competition,” but she opposed the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan, which lower premiums for millions of Americans and give Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors. Stefanik has also peddled the false claim that Medicare drug price negotiation will harm national security or encourage drug manufacturers to “move to China.” 

Majority Whip

Tom Emmer (R-MN) defeated Jim Banks (R-IN) in the race to be Majority Whip 

• Tom Emmer Is A Member Of The Medicare-Slashing Republican Study Committee And The Point Person For Electing A Republican Anti-Health Care Majority. Tom Emmer is a member of the Republican Study Committee, which recently released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and convert the program to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare. Emmer is also the chairman of the NRCC, a position he used to push misleading claims to help elect an extremist GOP anti-health care majority. 
• Tom Emmer Has Has Voted Eight Times To Repeal The ACA And Opposes Allowing Medicare To Negotiate Lower Prescription Drug Prices. Since taking office in 2015, Emmer has voted for at least eight attempts to repeal or substantially alter the Affordable Care Act and he voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. 

Budget Committee

Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) and Jodey Arrington (R-TX) are seen as the favorites to serve as Budget Committee chair in a Republican-controlled House. Buddy Carter (R-GA) has also expressed interest in the post. 

• Jodey Arrington Has Opposed The Affordable Care Act Since The Day He Got To Congress. Jodey Arrington’s official website still calls for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which he says is a “travesty” that has left America “sick.” Arrington’s first floor speech as a member of the House in 2017 was a jeremiad against the ACA and has never given up on destroying the law, blaming the Senate for hurting the Republican Party by failing to completely repeal during the Trump administration. Since taking office in 2017, Arrington has voted three times to repeal the Affordable Care Act and voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. 
• Jodey Arrington Called For “Eligibility Reforms” To Medicare And Social Security. Arrington has expressed interest in holding the nation’s full faith and credit hostage to force cuts to Medicare and Social Security. Arrington told Bloomberg that a bipartisan negotiation on Social Security and Medicare would likely start with Democrats pushing for more revenue, while “Republicans have a list of eligibility reforms, and we don’t like the tax increases.” He has said that an increase in the eligibility age for both programs would be a commonsense change. Arrington is a member of the Republican Study Committee, which recently released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and convert the program to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare. 
• Lloyd Smucker Wants To Reduce Benefits For Medicare And Social Security Beneficiaries. Lloyd Smucker has also indicated that he wants to use negotiations over the debt ceiling to impose cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Smucker told Bloomberg that reducing benefits for wealthier Americans via “some sort of means-testing” is a good way to cut costs. Smucker is a member of the Republican Study Committee, which recently released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and convert the program to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare.
• Lloyd Smucker Has Voted To Repeal The Affordable Care Act And Opposed Measures To Lower Premiums And Drug Prices. Since taking office in 2017, Lloyd Smucker has voted three times to repeal the Affordable Care Act and voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. 
• Buddy Carter’s Top Priority Is Repealing Medicare’s Ability To Negotiate Lower Prescription Drug Prices. Buddy Carter told Fox News in September that increasing prescription drug prices for millions of Americans will be one of his top priorities if Republicans control the House, stating that, “We’ve been asking that question not only about student debt loans, but also about a number of initiatives that have been instigated and put into place by the Biden administration, just like in the Inflation Acceleration Act that I mentioned before with the prescription drug pricing. That is something I’m very interested in as a pharmacist. I’ve been asking my colleagues, ‘How are we going to undo that when we get into the majority?’” Carter also remains a vehement opponent of the Affordable Care Act, insisting on his official website that, “Improving health care in America begins with repealing this disastrous law.” 
• Buddy Carter Wants “Everything On The Table” When It Comes To Social Security And Medicare Cuts. Buddy Carter has said that as chair of the Budget Committee, “Our main focus has got to be on nondiscretionary — it’s got to be on entitlements.” Carter went on to say that “everything is on the table” for Medicare and Social Security and that he plans to use the nation’s debt ceiling and the threat of catastrophic default to force changes to the programs. Carter is a member of the Republican Study Committee, whose recent budget outlined radical proposals like raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and converting Medicare to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare. Carter is a member of the Republican Study Committee, which recently released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and convert the program to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare.
• Buddy Carter Has Voted Eight Times To Repeal The Affordable Care Act And Opposed Measures To Lower Premiums And Drug Prices. Since taking office in 2017, Buddy Carter has voted eight times to repeal the Affordable Care Act and voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. 

Education And Labor Committee

Virginia Foxx (R-NC) is seeking a waiver to circumvent term limit rules to serve as chair of the Education and Labor Committee. If she is unsuccessful, the gavel will most likely go to Tim Walburg (R-MI) 

• Virginia Foxx Is Still Committed To Repealing The Affordable Care Act And Opposed Allowing Medicare To Negotiate Lower Drug Prices For Seniors. Virginia Foxx’s official website still states that she remains “committed to replacing ObamaCare with patient-centered health care that works for the American people.” Since taking office in 2005, Virginia Foxx has been a relentless opponent of the Affordable Care Act and other efforts to expand health coverage and lower costs, including voting against initial passage of the law and voting for at least 60 attempts to repeal or substantially alter the ACA. Foxx has strongly opposed granting Medicaid the power to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors, voting against the Inflation Reduction Act and against 2019 prescription drug negotiation legislation, which she called a “socialized drug pricing scheme.” 
• Virginia Foxx Is A Member Of The Medicare-Slashing Republican Study Committee. Foxx is also a member of the Republican Study Committee, whose recent budget outlined radical proposals like raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and converting Medicare to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare
• Tim Walberg Has Voted Dozens Of Times To Repeal The ACA And Opposed Measures To Bring Down Costs And Allow Medicare To Negotiate Lower Drug Prices For Seniors. Since taking office in 2011, Tim Walberg has voted for at least 60 attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. 
• Tim Walberg Is A Member Of The Medicare-Slashing Republican Study Committee. Walberg is also a member of the Republican Study Committee, whose recent budget outlined radical proposals like raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and converting Medicare to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare

Energy And Commerce

Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA) is the most likely Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee in a Republican House.

• Cathy McMorris Rodgers Voted Against Lowering Drug Prices For America’s Seniors And Promises Aggressive Oversight To Potentially Derail Prescription Drug Price Negotiations. Cathy McMorris Rodgers voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. McMorris Rodgers has promised aggressive oversight of HHS drug price negotiations if she is Chair of Energy and Commerce in a potential effort to delay or derail the program. 
• Cathy McMorris Rodgers Has Voted Dozens Of Times To Repeal The Affordable Care Act. Since taking office in 2005, Cathy McMorris Rodgers has been a relentless opponent of the Affordable Care Act and other efforts to expand health coverage and lower costs, including voting against initial passage of the law and voting for at least 60 attempts to repeal or substantially alter the ACA. 
• Cathy McMorris Rodgers Is A Member Of The Medicare-Slashing Republican Study Committee. McMorris Rodgers is also a member of the Republican Study Committee, whose recent budget outlined radical proposals like raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and converting Medicare to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare

Ways And Means

Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Jason Smith (R-MO), and Adrian Smith (R-NE) are locked in a tight battle for the chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee. 

• Vern Buchanan Has Voted Dozens Of Times To Repeal The ACA And Opposed Measures To Bring Down Costs And Allow Medicare To Negotiate Lower Drug Prices For Seniors. Since taking office in 2007, Vern Buchanan has been a relentless opponent of the Affordable Care Act, including voting against initial passage of the law, voting for at least 60 attempts to repeal or substantially alter the law. Buchanan also voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. 
• Vern Buchanan’s Priority For Ways And Means Would Be Extending Donald Trump’s Tax Cuts For The Wealthiest Americans. Vern Buchanan’s top priority on the Ways and Means Committee is making Donald Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy permanent, a proposal that experts say will only worsen inflation. Buchanan is also a member of the Republican Study Committee, which recently released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and convert the program to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare. 
• Jason Smith Wants To Use The Debt Ceiling To Force Joe Biden To “Reverse” His Agenda. Smith told Axios in a phone interview he thinks Republicans should leverage debt limit negotiations to ‘reverse’ the administration’s ‘radical’ policies — including by sending a bill gutting the Democratic agenda to President Biden’s desk and daring him to reject it. ‘If Republicans are trying to cut spending, surely he wouldn’t try to default. If we were trying to bring down inflation … trying to secure our border, surely he wouldn’t default,’ Smith said. 
• Jason Smith Promised To Hold “A Lot Of Hearings” On Cuts To Medicare And Social Security. Asked about Republican plans to overhaul Social Security and Medicare, Jason Smith told Axios, “We’re going to have a lot of hearings on this. I’m not going to get into the inner details.” Smith is a member of the Republican Study Committee, which recently released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and convert the program to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare. 
• Jason Smith Has Voted More Than 20 Times To Repeal The ACA And Opposed Measures To Bring Down Costs And Allow Medicare To Negotiate Lower Drug Prices For Seniors. Since taking office in 2007, Jason Smith has been a relentless opponent of the Affordable Care Act, including voting against initial passage of the law, voting for at least 26 attempts to repeal or substantially alter the law. Smith also voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. 
• Adrian Smith Wants To Use The Debt Ceiling To Force Spending Cuts. Adrian Smith told the Washington Post, “The debt ceiling is an important tool for addressing debt and deficit. After two years of irresponsible spending by Democrats driving historic inflation, American families can’t afford for us to not have a serious debate about government spending.” Smith is also a member of the Republican Study Committee, which recently released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and convert the program to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare.
• Adrian Smith Has Voted Dozens Of Times To Repeal The ACA And Opposed Measures To Bring Down Costs And Allow Medicare To Negotiate Lower Drug Prices For Seniors. Since taking office in 2007, Adrian Smith has been a relentless opponent of the Affordable Care Act, including voting against initial passage of the law, voting for at least 60 attempts to repeal or substantially alter the law. Smith also voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. 

Oversight

James Comer (R-KY) is considered the Republican chairman-in-waiting of the Oversight Committee. 

• James Comer Will Use The Oversight Committee To Attack Science And The Nation’s Pandemic Response. James Comer has outlined an oversight agenda that includes attacks on the CDC and the nation’s pandemic response. Comer will use the committee’s resources to investigate the origins of the coronavirus and federal funds supporting research done at Wuhan Institute of Virology as well as pandemic-era guidance from the CDC that Comer calls “confusing.” Comer and other Republicans also plan to lay the blame for high drug prices on prescription drug middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers in oversight hearings.
• James Comer Has Voted To Repeal The Affordable Care Act And Opposed Measures To Lower Premiums And Drug Prices. Since taking office in 2017, James Comer has voted three times to repeal the Affordable Care Act and voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Comer is also a member of the Republican Study Committee, which recently released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and convert the program to a “premium support” system where seniors received a subsidy they could use on private plans competing against traditional Medicare.