This evening, Protect Our Care hosted a Lite-Brite display outside of the White House commemorating the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan. On March 11, 2021 President Biden signed the historic American Rescue Plan into law, which has been the cornerstone of the American COVID-19 recovery, providing funding for vaccination distribution, delivering direct relief to families, supplying resources to keep schools and businesses open, and creating measures to make health care more affordable than ever before.
Earlier this week, Protect Our Care released a new report outlining the impact of the American Rescue Plan’s critical economic and health provisions. Over the past year, the law helped create more than 6 million jobs and led to record enrollment in affordable health coverage. Today, over 215 million Americans are fully vaccinated, with more getting vaccinated and boosted every day, leading to safer workplaces and communities. The lite-brite display comes as President Biden and Democrats in Congress are working to build on this progress and put more money in working families’ pockets by driving down prescription drug prices, lowering premiums, and further expanding access to affordable care.
***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 11 AT 7:00 PM ET***
FOR PLANNING PURPOSES CONTACT: Melissa Byrne, 609-364-4267
“Biden to the Rescue” Will Commemorate the Anniversary of the American Rescue Plan
Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Care will host a Lite-Brite display outside of the White House commemorating the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan. One year ago today, President Biden signed the historic American Rescue Plan into law, which has been the cornerstone of the American COVID-19 recovery, providing funding for vaccination distribution, delivering resources to keep schools and businesses open, and creating measures to make health care more affordable than ever before. The impact of the American Rescue Plan remains strong with record job growth and enrollment in affordable health coverage. The lite-brite display comes as President Biden and Democrats in Congress are working to build on this progress and put more money in working families’ pockets by driving down prescription drug prices, lowering premiums, and further expanding access to affordable care.
***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 11 AT 11:00 AM ET***
A Year Ago, Republicans Voted Against American Rescue Plan Which Made Health Coverage for West Virginians More Affordable, Expanded Access, and Helped Us Better Respond to the Pandemic
Huntington, WV — Today, March 11, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET, speakers will join Protect Our Care West Virginia to mark the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan by calling on Congress to pass legislation to make many of the law’s health care provisions permanent. The American Rescue Plan – which Democrats passed without Republican support – has put money into the pockets of families struggling to make ends meet, delivered robust funding for vaccine distribution, and helped safely reopen schools and the economy. The American Rescue Plan also lowered the cost of health care coverage for West Virginians with enhanced premium tax credits allowing four out of five eligible enrollees to find a plan for $10 or less per month.
In his first State of the Union, President Biden highlighted successful efforts to deliver significant relief to millions of American families. Thanks to Biden’s leadership over 30 million Americans now have health coverage, including a record14.5 million covered under the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. In fact, West Virginia saw an 19% increase in enrollment in the last year. Additionally, the ARP has helped 76 percent of Americans receive at least one dose of the vaccine, with 93 million receiving a booster shot to bolster protection against the omicron variant. Democrats continue to work to lower insurance premiums, give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices, close the coverage gap, extend Medicare benefits, and improve care for veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities.
VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE:
WHO: Mayor Steve Williams, Huntington, WV Dr. Jessica Ice, West Virginians for Affordable Health Care Ryan Frankenberry, West Virginia Working Families Party Lynette Maselli, Protect Our Care West Virginia
Washington, DC — Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined Protect Our Care to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan, which made health care premiums more affordable than ever. The senators also discussed the steps Congress can take now to further lower Americans’ health care costs, including capping insulin prices, giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices, and keeping health care premiums low.
Senator Warnock introduced new legislation that would limit out-of-pocket insulin costs to $35 per month for millions of diabetics with insurance. Lowering insulin costs is an essential step to drive down health care costs and put more money in working families’ pockets. If passed, these measures could put thousands of dollars in working families’ pockets and make health care affordable at a time when patients need relief most.
“While Senate Republicans propose destructive plans like ripping away health care from millions of Americans, I am standing on the side of working families to expand access to quality, affordable health care, and lower the cost of prescription drugs, like insulin,” said Senator Baldwin. “No one should lay awake at night wondering if the health care they have today will be gone tomorrow, and no one should go bankrupt just to get the medication they need to live a healthy life. We need to lower costs for people and cap the price of insulin at $35, so millions of Americans have the medicine they need at a price they can afford.”
“I’ve been fighting to improve Georgians’ access to affordable, quality health care long before I got into office. The American Rescue Plan, which lowered premiums and increased health care access for Georgians, was the first of many solutions that I’ve fought for in the Senate. In the past year, I’ve introduced legislation to cap the price of insulin at $35 a month and lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs. I’ve also fought to close the Medicaid coverage gap, and provide free and affordable coverage to over 640,000 Georgians, said Senator Warnock. I’m grateful to Protect Our Care, today’s storytellers, Teresa and Mary, and my partner in this important fight, Senator Baldwin. As Georgians and Americans work to recover from the pandemic, I’m going to keep fighting to make sure the federal government is doing its part to lower rising costs for hardworking Georgia families and small businesses.”
“I’m on Medicare, and I’ve been taking two insulins daily for the past few years. The first full year I was on Medicare, I found that because of the high retail cost of insulin, that after only a few months into the year, I fell into the donut hole,” said Mary Jonker, patient storyteller from Wisconsin. “I was told that my copay for my insulin after I went into the donut hole would be $850 for a three month period. So many people around this country are having the same problem. They’re deciding between insulin or food. They’re deciding whether to take their insulin every other day. I would like to thank Senator Baldwin and Senator Reverend Warnock for helping to ease the financial burdens on Americans purchasing insulin.”
“My 12-year-old, Bauer, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes just after his 6th birthday,” said Teresa Acosta, patient storyteller from Georgia. “When the pandemic hit, I had to be laid off. I was scared to be losing my income and health insurance in the middle of a pandemic, but thanks in part to the American Rescue Plan’s child tax credits and increased ACA premium subsidies, my family and I were able to keep our heads above water. I ended up enrolling my family on a plan through the Healthcare Marketplace exchange. This was a subsidized plan, which made it possible to afford insulin and the technology we rely on to keep Bauer healthy. The way I see it, the health care measures in the American Rescue Plan not only rescued me but invested in me, allowing me to follow my American Dream and start a business.”
“A year ago, President Biden signed the historic American Rescue Plan to improve our nation’s health and economic wellbeing by putting money in people’s pockets, strengthening our economy, and tackling the high health insurance costs. Since then, a record 14.5 million Americans enrolled in affordable health insurance through the ACA, and families are saving an average of $2,400 a year on their care,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “However, the work is not finished. We must continue lowering health care costs by passing legislation to reduce the cost of insulin, give medicare the power to negotiate for lower prices and make the American Rescue Plan’s health care provisions permanent.”
***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 10 AT 10:00 AM ET***
A Year Ago, Republicans Voted Against American Rescue Plan Which Made Health Coverage for Floridians More Affordable, Expanded Access, and Helped Us Better Respond to the Pandemic
Tampa, FL — Today, March 10, 2022 at 10:00AM ET, Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) and local advocates will join Protect Our Care Florida to mark the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan by calling on Congress to pass legislation to make many of the law’s health care provisions permanent. During the call, speakers will explain how the American Rescue Plan has made a huge impact in Floridians’ lives, with several advocates telling personal stories about the benefits they have personally experienced.
The American Rescue Plan – which Democrats passed without Republican support – has put money into the pockets of families struggling to make ends meet, delivered robust funding for vaccine distribution, and helped safely reopen schools and the economy. The American Rescue Plan also lowered the cost of health care coverage for Floridians with enhanced premium tax credits allowing four out of five eligible enrollees to find a plan for $10 or less per month.
In his first State of the Union, President Biden highlighted successful efforts to deliver significant relief to millions of American families. Thanks to Biden’s leadership over 30 million Americans now have health coverage, including a record14.5 million covered under the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. In fact, Florida saw a 28% increase in enrollment in the last year. Additionally, the ARP has helped 76 percent of Americans receive at least one dose of the vaccine, with 93 million receiving a booster shot to bolster protection against the omicron variant.
VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE:
WHO: Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) Jodi Ray, Project Director at Florida Covering Kids & Families Veronica Salsman, local healthcare storyteller Magdala Orelus, local healthcare storyteller
Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Care is releasing a new television ad on the urgent need to lower health care costs for the American people. The ad highlights President Biden and Democrats’ work to put more money in families’ pockets by giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, capping insulin costs, lowering premiums and expanding affordable coverage. On the other hand, Republicans are standing by big drug companies and other special interests and would rather play politics on inflation than reduce costs for the American people.
The ad is running on cable beginning on Thursday, March 10. Additionally, the ad will run on Facebook in several key states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
“The American people have made it resoundingly clear that they are tired of worrying about the rising cost of health care,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Measures to lower health care costs are among the most efficient ways to get more money in working families’ pockets. The contrast could not be clearer: while President Biden and Democrats are fighting to lower prescription drug prices and expand affordable care, Republicans are standing with the drug company lobbyists and shamefully playing politics with people’s lives.”
Ad Script:
Americans are filling the pinch of high prices like never before – at the pump and at the store…
But President Biden and Democrats in Congress have a plan to help Americans make ends meet…
Lower health care costs for American families…
Cap insulin costs at $35 per month for millions with insurance suffering from diabetes…
Give Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices on life saving medications…
And expand coverage and lower premium costs for Americans buying health insurance on their own.
These health care measures could lower costs for the American people and put money in their pockets now.
But Republicans are unanimously opposed.
They’d rather stand with the special interests like drug company lobbyists and CEOs than lower prices and improve care for the American people.
Call Senate and House Republicans and tell them to stop playing politics with inflation.
Lower healthcare costs for the American people — Now.
***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 10 AT 12:15 PM ET // 11:15 AM CT***
Senators Baldwin and Warnock Are Leading the Charge to Lower Prescription Drug Prices, Cap Insulin Costs, and Expand Affordable Coverage
Washington, DC — On Thursday, March 10 at 12:15 PM ET, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) will headline a virtual press conference hosted by Protect Our Care. Ahead of the American Rescue Plan anniversary, speakers will celebrate the law’s provisions to make health care premiums more affordable than ever and discuss the steps Congress can take now to further lower Americans’ health care costs.
Senators Baldwin and Warnock, joined by their Democratic colleagues, are working tirelessly to lower costs by capping insulin prices, giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices, and keeping health care premiums low. If passed, these measures could put thousands of dollars in working families’ pockets and make health care affordable at a time when patients need relief most.
PRESS CALL:
WHO: U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA)
Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care
Mary Jonker, retiree and patient storyteller from Wisconsin
Teresa Acosta, single mom to a Type 1 diabetic and small business owner from Georgia
Yesterday, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) made headlines after saying that Republicans should have a plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act if they win the White House in 2024. The news comes as Republicans are doing everything in their power to fight common sense measures to lower health costs, reduce prescription drug prices, and expand coverage. News coverage and reactions from Democratic allies and lawmakers confirm that the GOP playbook in coming years is raising taxes on working families and ripping away coverage and protections for patients with pre-existing conditions.
Coverage:
MSNBC: Why Ron Johnson’s New Rhetoric On ‘Obamacare’ Repeal Matters. “Just four years ago, Democrats won back the House majority in large part by focusing on Republican efforts to take health security away from tens of millions of families. Johnson, unprompted, opened the door to having that same election-year debate once more.” [MSNBC, 3/8/22]
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ron Johnson Signals Republicans Should Repeal And Replace Obamacare If The Party Retakes Control In 2024. “U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson signaled Monday that if Republicans regain control of Congress this year — and the presidency in 2024 — they should again try to repeal the Affordable Care Act.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/7/22]
Politico: The Return Of … Obamacare Repeal? — Paging Mitch McConnell. “[The] ACA has become even more popular since Biden took office, with more than 31 million people using the government health care system…But Johnson’s repeal idea alone could cause complications for McConnell’s strategy of making the election a referendum on Biden and Democrats.” [Politico, 3/8/22]
DCCC Spokesperson Nebeyatt Betre: “Republicans want to hurt working Americans by ripping away their health care and raising their taxes. A House Democratic majority won’t let that happen.” [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, 3/8/22]
Washington, DC — This week marks the one-year anniversary of President Biden signing the American Rescue Plan into law, and Protect Our Care is releasing a new report outlining the impact of its critical provisions. The American Rescue Plan has been the cornerstone of the nation’s COVID-19 recovery, providing funding for vaccination distribution, resources to local communities, and direct relief to families. As a result, the law reopened schools and businesses, and allowed millions of Americans to safely get back to work. Additionally, the American Rescue Plan included measures to make health care premiums more affordable than ever before, resulting in millions of Americans gaining health care coverage. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“Thanks to President Biden and Congressional Democrats, the American Rescue Plan fueled the greatest economic recovery in the history of this country. By delivering billions in state and local aid and robust funding for vaccine distribution, we have been able to keep schools and businesses open while protecting families and workers. With historic job growth and more Americans getting vaccinated and boosted, we are still seeing the impact of the American Rescue Plan every day. The anniversary of the American Rescue Plan serves as an important reminder of who is working for the American people and who is working against us. We can’t lose sight of the fact that, while President Biden and Democrats have worked tirelessly to put an end to this crisis, Republicans have done everything in their power to slow our recovery and make the pandemic worse for their political gain — as evidenced by not a single Republican voting for this vital legislation.”
Today, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) revealed the GOP plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act if they take back Congress and the White House. Not only are Republicans unified in their decision to fight widely popular legislation to lower prescription drug costs, expand coverage, and improve care, but they are going right back to their old playbook of threatening patients with pre-existing conditions and raising costs for working families. News reports and reactions from lawmakers and advocates make clear that electing Republicans means higher health care costs, worse care, and more money in the pockets of rich CEOs and big drug companies.
Coverage:
Axios: Johnson: GOP Should Be Ready To Repeal Obamacare If They Take Control In 2024. “The last time Republicans controlled the White House and Congress they were unable to successfully repeal and replace Obamacare. Republicans made numerous efforts to repeal Obamacare for almost a decade, before abandoning the push in 2018…Johnson told the Breitbart News Daily podcast on Monday that Republicans need to ‘get out act together’ for the 2024 election so they can ‘make good on what we’ve established as our priorities.’” [Axios, 3/7/22]
Washington Post: Sen. Ron Johnson Says Obamacare Should Be Repealed If GOP Wins Power Back. “Sen. Ron Johnson said he wants to see the GOP repeal the Affordable Care Act if his party wins the White House and the House and Senate majorities in 2024, a move that would resurrect a fight that Republicans had waged for nearly a decade, then largely abandoned in 2018…Since Biden took office, Obamacare has only grown more popular. The White House announced last year that about 31 million Americans now have health-care coverage through the ACA, a record high since the law was enacted in 2010.” [Washington Post, 3/7/22]
Statements:
DNC Chair Jaime Harrison: “Over the last few weeks, we’ve been reminded what a Republican majority would look like – raising taxes on over half of Americans, making health care coverage more expensive, and ripping protections away from millions of Americans with preexisting conditions. While Republicans double down on their harmful agenda and still don’t have any plan to lower costs for American families, President Biden and Democrats are working tirelessly to lower health care costs, cap prescription drug prices, and protect those with preexisting conditions from losing their coverage. The choice this November could not be more clear.” [Democratic National Committee, 3/7/22]
DSCC Spokesperson Amanda Sherman-Baity: “Voters are learning exactly what Republicans will do with a Senate majority, in their own words: raise taxes on seniors and working families, end Medicare and Social Security – and once again try to spike the cost of health care while ripping away coverage protections from Americans with pre-existing conditions. Republicans like Ron Johnson keep showing they only care about pushing the agenda of the ultra-rich and big corporations – while working families pay the price.” [Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, 3/7/22]
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Senate Communications Advisor Philip Shulman: “Ron Johnson broke his two term pledge to double down on his self-serving agenda of raising health care costs and ripping away protections for Wisconsinites with pre-existing conditions.” [Democratic Party of Wisconsin, 3/7/22]
Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse: “Republicans like Senator Johnson aren’t just vowing to return to Trump-era health care attacks, but the GOP is totally unified in opposing any measure to lower health care costs, including reducing prescription drug prices. The bottom line is that, while President Biden and Democrats in Congress are fighting for better health care, Republicans are going right back to their same old war on American health care.” [Protect Our Care, 3/7/22]
