Press Call

***PRESS CALL ON SEPTEMBER 28 AT 10:30 ET // 9:30 AM CT***

PRESS CALL: U.S. Representatives Colin Allred and Sharice Davids Join Protect Our Care to Call for Lower Drug Prices Now

U.S. Reps. Allred & Davids Will Call for Congress to Pass Medicare Negotiation for Lower Drug Prices in Budget Agreement

Washington, DC — On Tuesday, September 28 at 10:30 ET // 9:30 AM CT, U.S. Representatives Colin Allred (D-TX-32) and Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) will join Protect Our Care for a virtual press conference to call on their colleagues in Congress to deliver lower costs and better care to Americans by passing all of President Biden’s health care priorities in the Build Back Better budget package, including allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Reps. Allred and Davids recently joined U.S. Representatives Cindy Axne (D-IA-03), Andy Kim (D-NJ-03), and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) on an Op-Ed in the Washington Post outlining the strong case for allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices.

Congress is closing in on a budget agreement that will transform the lives of American families nationwide. President Biden and Democrats are leading the charge to include Medicare negotiation and other key health care priorities in the Build Back Better package, but the fight is not over: Big Pharma is ramping up its lobbying and scare tactics to protect its profits and lie to the American people. This event will make clear that this is not the time for half measures; Congress must give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices for all Americans. 

PRESS CALL: 

WHO:
U.S. Representative Colin Allred (D-TX-32)
U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS-03)
Brad Woodhouse, Executive Director of Protect Our Care

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference to Discuss Urgent Need to Lower Drug Prices

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Tuesday, September 28 at 10:30 AM ET // 9:30 AM CT

 

***PRESS CALL ON SEPTEMBER 20 AT 2:30 PM ET***

PRESS CALL: Protect Our Care, Center for American Progress Action Fund, and Hart Research to Discuss the State of Play in Washington With New National Poll On the Build Back Better Act and Health Care

New Poll Shows Strong, Unwavering Support for Build Back Better Health Care Priorities

Washington, DC — On Monday, September 20 at 2:30 PM ET, Hart Research’s Geoff Gain and the Center for American Progress Action Fund CEO Patrick Gaspard will join Protect Our Care to discuss the political situation in Washington as Congress works to pass budget reconciliation legislation and to present findings from a new national survey on voters’ attitudes towards the Build Back Better Act and health care. The poll found that President Biden’s health care priorities, including reducing health care costs and the price of prescription drugs, are essential to the package’s overall support. 

The event comes as Congress is closing in on a budget agreement that will transform the lives of American families nationwide. President Biden and Democrats are fighting tirelessly to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices, close the Medicaid coverage gap, expand Medicare benefits to include vision, dental and hearing, and reduce health care costs for millions of people purchasing coverage on their own. However, the fight is not over: Big Pharma and other special interests are ramping up their lobbying and scare tactics to protect profits and lie to the American people. The new survey makes clear that voters’ attitudes remain unswayed by these influences, and that every single one of these health care priorities are central to the bill’s success. 

WHO:
Patrick Gaspard, CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund
Geoff Garin, President of Hart Research
Brad Woodhouse, Executive Director of Protect Our Care

WHAT: Briefing to Discuss Findings From POC’s New National Survey on the Build Back Better Act and Health Care

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Monday, September 20 at 2:30 PM ET

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR FRIDAY, JULY 30 AT 1:00 PM ET // 10:00 AM PT***

PRESS CALL: U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, Alliance for Retired Americans, and Protect Our Care to Discuss How Reducing Drug Prices Would Help Expand Medicare Benefits to Include Dental, Vision, and Hearing

Protect Our Care to Mark 56th Medicare Anniversary With New Report on How the Robust Savings From Medicare Negotiation Could Be Reinvested in Improving Health Care For Millions

Washington, DC — On Friday, July 30 at 1:00 PM ET // 10:00 AM PT, U.S. Representative Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA-08) and Jackie Boschok, President of the Washington State Alliance for Retired Americans will join Protect Our Care for a virtual press conference to mark Medicare’s 56th anniversary and unveil a new report on how prescription drug pricing reform will generate robust savings that could be used to expand Medicare benefits to include dental, vision, and hearing. As it stands, millions of Medicare beneficiaries are currently without coverage in all three areas, profoundly impacting the health and well-being of seniors and people with disabilities. 

The event is part of Protect Our Care’s Lower Rx Summer campaign, which consists of themed weeks of action to illustrate the urgent need for legislation to lower drug prices principally by giving Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for all Americans. 

In the coming months, President Biden and members of Congress have an unprecedented opportunity to finally take action to lower drug prices. In 2019, the House of Representatives passed the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), historic legislation that would lower drug prices for all Americans. H.R. 3 would save patients over $150 billion and reduce the price of the costliest drugs by as much as 55 percent. Not only does giving Medicare the power to negotiate help patients at the pharmacy counter, but it would save the federal government $500 billion, which could be reinvested in strengthening Medicare to include dental, vision, and hearing benefits. 

PRESS CALL:

WHO:
U.S. Representative Kim Schrier (D-WA-08)
Jackie Boschok, President of the Washington State Alliance for Retired Americans
Brad Woodhouse, Executive Director of Protect Our Care

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference to Discuss How Reducing Drug Prices Would Help Expand Medicare Benefits to Include Dental, Vision, and Hearing

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Friday, July 30 at 1:00 PM ET // 10:00 AM PT

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR FRIDAY, JULY 23 AT 1:00 PM ET // 12:00 PM CT***

PRESS CALL: U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, Small Business for America’s Future and Protect Our Care to Highlight Impact of High Drug Prices on Small Businesses

Call Will Convey Urgent Need To Stand Up To Big Pharma And Give Medicare the Power to Negotiate for Lower Drug Prices 

Washington, D.C. — On Friday, July 23 at 1:00 PM ET // 12:00 PM CT, U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Kristi Martin, Senior Advisor for Small Business for America’s Future, and Candace Combs, owner of Combs Business Consulting and In-Symmetry Spa and Small Business for America’s Future Small Business Council Member, will join Protect Our Care for a virtual press conference to discuss how high drug prices are harming small businesses. The event comes after Protect Our Care released a report co-sponsored by Small Business for America’s Future as part of Week 7 of Lower Rx Summer. 

In June, Protect Our Care announced Lower Rx Summer as part of The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices. Lower Rx Summer consists of themed weeks of action to illustrate the urgent need for legislation to lower drug prices principally by giving Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for all Americans. 

In the coming months, President Biden and members of Congress have an unprecedented opportunity to finally take action to lower drug prices. In 2019, the House of Representatives passed the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), historic legislation that would lower drug prices for all Americans. H.R. 3 would save patients over $150 billion and reduce the price of the costliest drugs by as much as 55 percent. Negotiation would also raise revenue for businesses and reduce employer provided health insurance costs. Lowering drug prices would help small businesses recover from the pandemic and thrive for years to come. 

PRESS CALL:

WHO:
U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-MN-02)
Kristi Martin, Senior Advisor, Small Business for America’s Future
Candace Combs, Owner of Combs Business Consulting and In-Symmetry Spa and Small Business for America’s Future Small Business Council Member
Brad Woodhouse, Executive Director of Protect Our Care

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference to Highlight Impact of High Drug Prices on Small Businesses

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Friday, July 23 at 1:00 PM ET // 12:00 PM CT

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 21 AT 1:30 PM ET // 12:30 PM CT***

PRESS CALL: U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, Former Biden COVID-19 Senior Advisor Andy Slavitt, Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo (Johns Hopkins), Dr. Jeff Huebner, Protect Our Care Will Counter Flood of COVID-19 Disinformation

Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, July 21 at 1:30 PM ET // 12:30 PM CT, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), former Obama and Biden administration advisor and former acting CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt, Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, senior scholar and associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Dr. Jeff Huebner, a public health expert and family physician from Madison, Wisconsin; and Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach will hold a virtual press conference with Defend the Science to counter the disinformation and wacky conspiracy theories that are endangering millions of Americans and discuss the efforts of the Biden administration.

Right now, coordinated disinformation efforts from Republicans like unvaccinated Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Jim Jordan have led to vaccine hesitancy among millions of Americans and causing unnecessary deaths, despite widespread availability of the vaccine. As the Delta variant becomes dominant in the world and thousands of younger, unvaccinated Americans are becoming sick with this new strain of Covid-19, the time is now to end the disinformation that is keeping 37% of American adults unvaccinated. 

At Tuesday’s hearing of the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Republican Senators Rand Paul and Roger Marshall repeated ridiculous conspiracy theories to cover for the Trump Administration’s disastrous handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. They want to shift blame to public health experts who are leading us out of the crisis, like Dr. Anthony Fauci. In the process, they are threatening the lives of far too many Americans. 

PRESS CALL:

WHO:
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Andy Slavitt, former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and senior advisor to the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator
Jennifer Nuzzo, DrPH, SM, Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering and the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a Senior Fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Jeff Huebner, MD, practicing family physician from Madison, Wisconsin, and Board of Directors, Doctors for America
Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference to Counter Flood of COVID-19 Disinformation

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Wednesday, July 21 at 1:30 PM ET // 12:30 PM CT

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23 AT 10:00 AM ET // 9:00 AM CT***

PRESS CALL: U.S. Reps Jim Clyburn & Robin Kelly to Call for Action On Closing the Medicaid Coverage Gap in Upcoming American Families Plan Legislation

Call Will Demonstrate Need for a Federal Solution To Give Millions of Americans, Including 2.4 Million People of Color, Access to Health Care in States That Have Refused To Expand Medicaid

Washington, DC — On Wednesday, U.S. House Majority Whip Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC-06) and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) will join Protect Our Care for a press call advocating for federal action to close the Medicaid coverage gap. To date, Republican leaders in 12 states have rejected Medicaid expansion, blocking millions of people from access to coverage.

Research confirms that Medicaid expansion increases access to care, improves financial security, and leads to better health outcomes. Medicaid expansion has played a vital role in reducing racial disparities in health care access and has served as a critical safety net during the pandemic. However, in the 12 states that have failed to expand Medicaid, four million uninsured people have been locked out of this essential coverage option. At least 2.4 million people of color, 500,000 people with disabilities and almost a million older Americans who are currently uninsured could gain Medicaid coverage if the remaining states adopted Medicaid expansion.

The press call comes after leaders of the Congressional Tri-Caucus, which includes the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), joined more than 60 of their colleagues on a letter to Congressional leadership and President Biden calling for adopting a federal solution to close the coverage gap in the upcoming American Families Plan legislation. The letter reads: “Closing this gap is one of the single most important steps we can take to reduce health inequities across the United States.”  

PRESS CALL:

WHO:
U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn (D-SC-06), House Majority Whip
U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02)
Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care
Yvette Fontenot, Policy and Legislative Affairs Consultant for Protect Our Care

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference to Call for Action on Closing the Medicaid Coverage Gap

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Wednesday, June 23 at 10:00 AM ET // 9:00 AM CT

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 17 AT 12:30 PM ET ***

PRESS CALL: Protect Our Care Reacts to Resounding SCOTUS Health Care Victory

Washington, DC — Today, June 17 at 12:30 ET, Andy Pincus, a noted Supreme Court expert who played an important role in defending the Affordable Care Act against Republican legal challenges at the Supreme Court, along with Protect Our Care will hold a press call to react to the Supreme Court decision in California v. Texas, the Trump-Republican lawsuit to overturn the ACA. Today, in an 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court delivered a massive repudiation of the Republican war on health care. By throwing the lawsuit out on standing, the court protected the health care coverage of more than 20 million Americans and prevented more than 135 million people with pre-existing conditions from losing the protections they rely on, and many other key ACA provisions. The decision to affirm the ACA should mean the end of the road for Republicans’ endless attacks on the law and increases the momentum behind President Biden’s and the Democratic majorities in Congress to deliver on their health care agenda that voters elected them to enact. 

PRESS CALL:

WHO:
Andy Pincus, Visiting Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School
Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care
Brad Woodhouse, Executive Director of Protect Our Care

WHAT: Protect Our Care Responds to California v. Texas Decision

WHERE: Dial-In: 877-229-8493, PIN: 118261

WHEN: Thursday, June 17 at 12:30 PM ET

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 15 AT 3:00 PM ET // 2:00 PM CT***

PRESS CALL: U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Protect Our Care to Call Out Big Pharma for Its Lies About Drug Pricing Reform

Call Will Convey Urgent Need To Stand Up To Big Pharma And Give Medicare the Power to Negotiate for Lower Drug Prices 

Washington, D.C. — On Tuesday, June 15 at 3:00 PM ET // 2:00 PM CT, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Dr. Richard Frank of Harvard Medical School will join Protect Our Care for a virtual press conference to push back against Big Pharma’s boldest lies to patients about the cost of drug prices. As costs skyrocket, Big Pharma continues to tout lies about how efforts to bring down drug prices will harm research and innovation, all while lining their executives’ pockets and spending billions on stock buybacks. 

The event is part of Week 2 of Lower Rx Summer, which is focusing on debunking Big Pharma’s most powerful scare tactics. Throughout the week, Protect Our Care will host events and release additional research to push back on Big Pharma’s biggest lies. Protect Our Care recently announced Lower Rx Summer as part of The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices. Lower Rx Summer consists of themed weeks of action to demonstrate the urgent need for legislation to lower drug prices principally by giving Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for all Americans.

In the coming months, President Biden and members of Congress have an unprecedented opportunity to finally take action to lower drug prices. In 2019, the House of Representatives passed the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), bold legislation to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower prices — the single most effective measure to bring down drug costs for patients. In April, House Democrats reintroduced this legislation, giving Congress another opportunity to lower prescription drug prices and meet the demands of voters across the political spectrum.

PRESS CALL:

WHO:
U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Energy and Commerce Committee Member
Dr. Richard Frank, Margaret T. Morris Professor of Health Economics, Harvard Medical School
Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference to Call Out Big Pharma for Its Lies About Drug Pricing Reform

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Tuesday, June 15 at 3:00 PM ET // 2:00 PM CT

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR MONDAY, JUNE 7, AT 11:15AM ET***

PRESS CALL: Health Care Advocates and Storytellers React to New Poll Showing Delawareans’ Broad Support for Prescription Drug Reform

West Health Poll Shows Strong Support For Medicare Negotiation Among Voters in Delaware

DOVER, DE — On Monday, June 7, State Senator Sarah McBride and a patient storyteller from Dover will join Protect Our Care for a virtual press conference to discuss a new poll conducted by Global Strategies Group on behalf of West Health showing health care is a top priority for Delaware voters. 

Lowering prescription drug prices in particular remains a priority for Delaware voters, with an overwhelming majority of Delawareans reporting that they support giving Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices for all Americans. The poll also shows that voters reject drug companies’ arguments on innovation. 

Protect Our Care recently launched The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices, a seven-figure investment to demonstrate the urgent need for comprehensive legislation to lower drug prices. Protect Our Care will host events both nationally and in 13 key states, including Delaware, throughout the summer. 

PRESS CALL: 

WHO:

• Sarah McBride, State Senator for Delaware’s 1st District

• Brad Woodhouse, Executive Director of Protect Our Care

• Vanessa Ladson, Dover resident who faces high prescription drug costs
• Anne Shoup, Communications Director for Protect Our Care

WHAT:
Virtual Press Conference and Poll Briefing on Reducing Drug Prices for Delawareans

WHERE:
Register for the virtual press conference here.

WHEN: 

MONDAY, JUNE 7, at 11:15AM ET