Washington DC — Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), U.S. Representatives Peter Welch (D-VT-AL), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), and Susie Lee (D-NV-03), and Susan Wild (D-PA-07), and health care advocates and storytellers joined Protect Our Care for a press event to celebrate the Inflation Reduction Act’s game-changing measures to drive down health care costs for millions of working families and seniors nationwide. During the event, speakers discussed how the bill lowers premiums, gives Medicare the power to negotiate, caps drug costs for seniors, and reduces disparities in health care.
Protect Our Care was also joined by David Mitchell, President and Founder of Patients for Affordable Drugs, Richard Fiesta, Executive Director at the Alliance for Retired Americans, and Emily Gee, vice president and coordinator for Health Policy at the Center for American Progress.
“We’ve been trying for decades to enable the Secretary to negotiate for lower drug prices,” said U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). “This is a kitchen table issue. It is something that is a value to us, and we finally were successful in this legislation. We want to do more, but we have kicked open that door.”
“If you have your health, you have everything,” said Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD). “We have taken action. Lower drug prices, better care — that’s what we did. Every American cares about health care.”
“In addition to buying a Congress that held us hostage and kept us from doing what our job was for 16 years, Big Pharma preyed on the insecurity and the love that we have for people in our families who need medication. Those days are over with this price negotiation bill,” said U.S. Representative Peter Welch (D-VT-AL). “Let me say to Pharma: we have only begun to stop the rip off.”
“We all share a story of someone in our family rationing or cutting their prescription drugs because they can’t afford it, or not paying their rent because they have to buy prescription drugs,” said U.S. Representative Susie Lee (D-NV-03). “We delivered on our promise to finally hold Big Pharma accountable — and not one Republican stood with us. We will continue to put people over politics.”
“Today is one of my favorite days in Congress, because today is a health care day,” said U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14). “The Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits will make health care more accessible and affordable for 13 million Americans and help families of four save an average of $2,400 per year. Simply put, the Inflation Reduction Act is life changing.”
“The Republicans have this mission that they are going to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, and what that would mean to those 17,000 people in my district is that they would face a cliff where they can no longer afford their health insurance,” said U.S. Representative Susan Wild (D-PA-07). “We’re saving millions of dollars for taxpayers and we’re making health care more affordable and accessible. That’s real and it’s critically important. It’s an incredible victory to have passed the Inflation Reduction Act.”
“For me, a single mom, and for so many West Virginians and Americans, passage of the Inflation Reduction Act is a game-changer. It’s a historic and significant legislative package that makes health coverage and prescription drugs more affordable for millions of Americans,” said Dr. Jessica Ice, patient storyteller from West Virginia. “In my home, it means saving more than $200 a month on health insurance premiums.”
“As a two-time cancer survivor on Medicare, married to a type one diabetic on Medicare, the Inflation Reduction Act is a godsend,” said DonnaMarie Woodson, patient storyteller from North Carolina. “It improves the lives of millions of seniors across the country by lowering prescription drug costs and improving access to health care coverage. This piece of legislation is the greatest health care achievement since the passage of the Affordable Care Act — and the Affordable Care Act saved my life.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act is a true victory for the American people,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “We all know how high health care prices take a devastating toll on families when someone gets sick. After years of big drug companies and special interests pulling the strings in Washington, President Biden and Democrats delivered lower prescription drug and health care costs to millions of people — beginning as soon as next year. This legislation paves the way for a more affordable, accessible, and equitable health care system for many years to come.”