April 2024

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 30***

April is the seventh annual Medicaid Awareness Month, and Protect Our Care is hosting nationwide events to recognize the crucial role Medicaid plays in Americans’ health care and highlight how recent Republican attacks come at a time when more Americans are relying on the program than ever before. Over 85 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid, which provides affordable care to people from all backgrounds, especially people with disabilities, people with mental health and substance use disorders, children, pregnant women, seniors in nursing homes, rural Americans, and people of color. 

But Republicans haven’t stopped their attacks. The latest GOP budget proposal slashes trillions from Medicaid through block grants, calls for work reporting requirements, and other bureaucratic measures designed to throw people off their coverage. GOP leaders in 10 states have failed to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), blocking 1.6 million people from lifesaving coverage. Medicaid has strengthened local economies, provided Americans with access to quality, affordable health care, and improved health outcomes across the country.

NEW YORK

WHO:
U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13)
U.S. Representative Dan Goldman (D-NY-10)
Dr. Dara Kass, Former Health and Human Services Director for Region 2
Fior Kinne, 1199SEIU Member
WHAT: Virtual Press Conference
WHERE: Register to join the Zoom event (Registration required)
WHEN: Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 12 PM ET

OHIO

WHO:
Maumee City Councilman Scott Noonan
Celeste Smith, former coordinator of the Toledo/Lucas County Commission on Minority Health, founding member of the Getting to 1 Coalition
Barb Kyle, senior advocate, former Executive Director of a local senior center
WHAT: Virtual Press Conference
WHERE: Register to join the Zoom event (Registration required)
WHEN: Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 12:30 PM ET

WISCONSIN

WHO:
U.S. Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI-04)
Wisconsin State Representative Robyn Vining
Health Care Advocates
WHAT: Virtual Press Conference
WHERE: Register to join the Zoom event (Registration required)
WHEN: Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 2 PM CT // 3 PM ET

Washington, D.C. — On Tuesday, April 30, the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing on “Legislative Proposals To Increase Medicaid Access And Improve Program Integrity.” Republicans on the committee are looking to stop the Biden administration from implementing new rules that would protect low-income seniors in nursing homes and ensure a livable wage for caregivers, most of whom are women of color.

April is Medicaid Awareness Month, and Protect Our Care is highlighting how Medicaid provides lifesaving care for millions of Americans, including children, older adults, and people with disabilities. While President Biden works to strengthen Medicaid, Republicans in Congress are fighting to cut the program and rip coverage away from the people who need it most. Read more on Republicans’ war on Medicaid here. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“It’s no surprise Republicans are jumping at the opportunity to undermine Medicaid access for the American people. It seems that any time Democrats move forward with measures to strengthen access to quality, affordable health care, Republicans want to take three steps backwards. The GOP bills under consideration are all a part of Republicans’ continued efforts to gut Medicaid, rip quality health care away from millions, and put funding for long-term care in complete jeopardy.”

Washington, DC — Today, the Biden administration reversed a Trump-era regulation that allowed insurance companies to sell association health plans. These junk plans lack patient protections under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and can discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions and fail to cover essential services like hospital visits, maternity care, and prescription drugs. Association health plans are particularly harmful to communities of color and other marginalized groups who are more likely to have poorer health and to be living in poverty. 

In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement: 

“Donald Trump’s scheme to expand association health plans was all a part of his efforts to deliberately sabotage the Affordable Care Act and line the pockets of big insurance companies. These junk plans can discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions, deny coverage for lifesaving care, and leave patients with thousands of dollars in unexpected medical bills. After failing to repeal the ACA in Congress, Trump did everything he could to undermine the law, leaving patients in the dust. Now, President Biden and his administration are working every day to strengthen the ACA and make sure that everyone has affordable and high-quality coverage.” 

Background

Association Health Plans And Short-Term Plans Leave Patients Behind. These plans are not required to cover the essential health benefits required by the Affordable Care Act and are allowed to charge people more based on their age, health status, and gender. AHPs have a long history of fraud and unpaid claims and provide weaker cost and protection coverage. The proposal also applauds efforts by the Trump administration to expand short-term limited-duration plans, which engage in predatory marketing practices, fail to protect people with pre-existing conditions, and put patients at risk of bankruptcy when they get sick. The Trump administration’s decision to expand access to these plans exposed consumers to scams and reduced transparency about coverage limits and hidden fees.

This week, eight of the biggest drug companies announced raking in $98.2 billion in revenue in the first quarter of this year. Also during the first few months of 2024, these companies distributed $15.1 billion to shareholders through stock buybacks and dividends. They make billions while charging Americans prices up to four times higher than in other countries, forcing patients to cut pills and skip doses to make ends meet.

Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Merck, which are suing to block Medicare’s new ability to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, announced their drugs subject to negotiation continue to bring in hundreds of millions or billions in revenue. 

While big drug companies lobby to protect their profits by telling lawmakers Medicare’s new ability to negotiate threatens innovation, they are telling investors the opposite. In fact, following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, investment in research and development spending reached $161 billion in 2023, a 16.6 percent increase over 2022 and a nearly 50 percent increase since 2018. And despite the pharmaceutical lobby arguing small molecule innovation is under threat, a recent investor report confirms that the opposite is true. 

Table 1: Drug Company Sales in Q1 2024 Reported This Week

Drug Company	Q1 2024 Revenue	Stock Buybacks	Dividends
Novartis	$11.8 billion	$1 billion	$7.6 billion
Roche	$15.8 billion*	n/a	n/a
AstraZeneca	$12.7 billion	n/a	$3 billion
Bristol Myers Squibb	$11.9 billion	n/a	n/a
Sanofi	$11.2 billion**	n/a	n/a
Merck	$15.8 billion	$100 million	$2 billion
Gilead	$6.7 billion	$400 million	$990 million
AbbVie	$12.31 billion	n/a	n/a

*14.4 billion CHF converted to USD based on an exchange rate of 0.91 CHF to $1.00

**10.5 billion EUR converted to USD based on an exchange rate of €0.94 to $1.00

Table 2: Drugs Selected For Medicare Negotiation By Revenue

Selected Drug	Manufacturer	Condition(s) Treated	Q1 2024 Revenue	Total Revenue Since Launch
Eliquis	Bristol Myers Squibb	blood clots	$3.7 billion	$73 billion
Farxiga	AstraZeneca	diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease	$1.9 billion	$22.8 billion
Entresto	Novartis	heart failure	$1.9 billion	$22.1 billion
Imbruvica	AbbVie	blood cancers	$838 million	$33.7 billion
Januvia	Merck	type 2 diabetes	$419 million	$53.7 billion

• Bristol Myers Squibb CEO Chris Boerner touted “added assets, capabilities and expertise that strengthen our ability to drive long-term growth,” reassuring investors that, “while [the Inflation Reduction Act] has an impact in the middle of the decade, we feel very good about being able to more than compensate for that with a very young and attractive growth profile coming from our growth portfolio and the pipeline.” The company spent $2.7 billion on R&D in Q1.
• AbbVie COO Rob Michael bragged that the company is “off to an excellent start to the year,” and announced that they would be increasing their full-year earnings projections. Michael assured investors, “we continue to advance our R&D pipeline and invest for long term growth,” and announced that the company spent $1.9 billion on R&D while completing its acquisition of ImmunoGen for $10.1 billion in Q1. The company is also on track to acquire Cerevel Therapeutics for $8.7 billion. 
• Merck CFO Caroline Litchfield said the company will “continue to invest in our innovative pipeline,” telling investors, “Our excellent execution and continued investments in innovation will enable us to deliver value to patients, customers and shareholders now and well into the future.”
• Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan touted “ongoing investment in R&D” as well as “innovation milestones” in drug development. He also announced the planned acquisition of biopharmaceutical company MorphoSys for €2.7 billion and a licensing deal with pharma company Arvinas, telling investors, “we are very actively looking across a range of both partnering, licensing and of course, bolt-on M&A.”
• Roche CEO Thomas Schinecker bragged that the company has continued to launch two new drugs every year, noting that “55 percent of our portfolio sales are from the new portfolio” of drugs launched since the end of 2015. In Q1, Roche announced an agreement to acquire point of care technology from biotech company LumiraDx.
• Astellas CEO Naoki Okamura bragged about increasing R&D investments by JPY22.8 billion year-over-year, telling investors, “We will continue to invest those strengths in primary focus and R&D functions in general.”
• AstraZeneca CFO Aradhana Sarin bragged about increasing R&D spending by 19 percent, while CEO Pascal Soriot confirmed that the company will continue to pursue mergers and acquisitions.
• Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson told investors the company had “an excellent start in 2024 with 7 percent sales growth,” noting that the result “further demonstrates our ability to execute successful launches and bring new medicines to patients.” During the earnings call, executives bragged about R&D spending increasing 10 percent to €1.7 billion compared to Q1 2023. In Q1, Sanofi announced the acquisition of drug company Inhibrx for approximately $1.7 billion.
• Gilead CEO Dan O’Day touted a “strong first quarter,” noting, “sales growth for the quarter reflected the diversity of our portfolio.” The company spent $1.5 billion on R&D and completed its acquisition of CymaBay for $4.3 billion in Q1.

Over 80 percent of voters support giving Medicare the power to negotiate, making it the most popular provision in the Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act brings down prescription drug costs for everyday Americans, especially seniors, by capping the price of insulin at $35 per month and providing free vaccines including shingles, giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, and limiting the amount people have to pay each year for prescription drugs to $2,000 annually starting in 2025. 

Read more:

FACT SHEET: Big Drug Companies Are In Court To Stop Medicare From Negotiating Lower Prices In Order To Protect Sky-High Profits

FACT SHEET: New Estimates Find That Medicare Negotiations Will Lower Drug Prices By Thousands of Dollars Every Year, Finally Limiting the Power of Big Drug Companies

REPORT: Why Medicare Needs the Power to Negotiate for Lower Drug Costs: The Five Drugs That Tell the Story

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 25, AND FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024***

HHS Regional Director Melissa Herd, State Senator Gladys Robinson (NC-28), State Representative Sarah Crawford (NC-66), Delegates Kannan Srinivasan (VA-26), Mark Sickles (VA-17), Rodney Willett (VA-73), and Health Care Advocates Headline Events Across the Nation

This week, Protect Our Care will host events in three states to celebrate Medicaid Awareness Month, recognize the crucial role Medicaid plays in Americans’ health care, and highlight how recent Republican attacks come at a time when more Americans are relying on the program than ever before.

Over 85 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid, which provides affordable care to people from all backgrounds, especially people with disabilities, people with mental health and substance use disorders, children, pregnant women, seniors in nursing homes, rural Americans, and people of color. But Republicans haven’t stopped their attacks. The latest GOP budget proposal slashes trillions from Medicaid through block grants, calls for work reporting requirements, and other bureaucratic measures designed to throw people off their coverage. GOP leaders in 10 states have failed to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), blocking 1.6 million people from lifesaving coverage. Medicaid has strengthened local economies, provided Americans with access to quality, affordable health care, and improved health outcomes across the country.

PENNSYLVANIA

WHO:
Melissa Herd, Region 3 Director, Department of Health and Human Services
Dr. Val Arkoosh, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
Devon Trolley, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority (Pennie)
Antoinette Kraus, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Health Access Network
Michael Berman, Protect Our Care Pennsylvania

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

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

WHEN: Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 12 PM ET

NORTH CAROLINA

WHO:
Kody Kinsley, Secretary, NC Department of Health and Human Services
State Senator Gladys Robinson (NC-28)
State Representative Sarah Crawford  (NC-66)
Protect Our Care North Carolina

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHEN: Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 2 PM ET

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

VIRGINIA

WHO:
Delegate Mark Sickles (VA-17)
Delegate Rodney Willett (VA-73)
Delegate Kannan Srinivasan (VA-26)
Jill Hanken, Retired Health Policy Attorney, Virginia Poverty Law Center
Leslie Mehta, Storyteller
Katie Baker, Protect Our Care Virginia

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHEN: Friday, April 26, 2024 at 9:30 AM ET

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

President Biden and Democrats in Congress Expanded Access to Free Vaccines to Adults on Medicaid and Seniors

This World Immunization Week, Protect Our Care is celebrating the historic expansion of recommended vaccines. Free access to vaccines has expanded substantially under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Inflation Reduction Act. Under the ACA, nearly half of Americans – over 150 million people – have insurance plans that are required to cover over two dozen vaccines recommended by health experts at the CDC without any out-of-pocket costs. Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, people on Medicare and adults on Medicaid have free access to even more vaccines, including the shingles vaccine, under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Americans from all backgrounds are benefiting from access to free vaccines. All of these provisions help seniors as well as people of color, rural populations, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQI+ community who have faced greater levels of poverty and worse health outcomes due to racism, discrimination, and other systemic barriers.

While President Biden and Democrats in Congress are hard at work bringing down the cost of health care, MAGA Republicans continue to escalate their war on health care. The latest GOP plan repeals the Inflation Reduction Act, including free vaccine coverage, and jeopardizes Medicaid coverage for millions by radically restructuring the program and imposing new requirements designed to throw people off their coverage. Extremists are also in the courts trying to rip away a key portion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires insurers to cover lifesaving preventive services for free, including vaccines. They are working to rip away protections, raise health care costs, and throw the health care system into chaos. 

If Republicans Got Their Way:

• GONE: Free immunizations for more than 151 million people with private insurance, for over two dozen recommended vaccines guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act.
• GONE: Free immunizations for 52.4 million Medicare beneficiaries, for over two dozen recommended vaccines guaranteed by the Inflation Reduction Act.
• GONE: Free immunizations for approximately 47 million adults on Medicaid for over two dozen recommended vaccines.

The Affordable Care Act Guarantees Free Vaccines For Nearly 1 In 2 Americans. The ACA guarantees that private insurers cover over two dozen vaccinations free of charge. HHS has estimated that, as of 2020, around 151.6 million people were enrolled in plans required to cover these preventive immunizations without co-pays. The ACA also extended free vaccines to the Medicaid expansion population, about 24 million people as of 2024. The full list of free vaccines covered by the ACA includes: 

• Anthrax
• Cholera
• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• COVID-19
• Dengue Fever
• Diphtheria
• Ebola
• Encephalitis (Japanese and Tick-Borne)
• Flu (influenza)
• Haemophilus Influenzae (Hib)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
• Measles
• Meningococcal
• Mpox (Orthopoxvirus)
• Mumps
• Polio
• Pneumococcal
• Rabies
• Rotavirus
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
• Rubella
• Shingles (Zoster)
• Smallpox (Orthopoxvirus)
• Tetanus
• Typhoid Fever
• Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
• Yellow Fever

The Inflation Reduction Act Guarantees Even More Free Vaccines For Over 50 Million Seniors. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, 52.4 million Medicare beneficiaries are eligible to receive the 27 different vaccinations recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for free, including the often expensive shingles vaccine. In 2021, 3.4 million Medicare received a covered vaccine, 82 percent of whom were immunized with the two-part shingles vaccination. With a single shot of Shingrix costing more than $180, seniors on Medicare Part D saved over $400 on average on vaccinations in 2023. The high out-of-pocket cost of the shingles vaccine has been a key factor in low vaccination rates, especially among Black and Latino communities. This extends an important affordable preventive service to seniors on Medicare; Americans with private insurance can typically receive shingles vaccinations at no cost.

The Inflation Reduction Act Requires Medicaid To Cover Free Vaccines For All Adults on Medicaid. The Inflation Reduction Act also requires state Medicaid programs to cover the 27 vaccinations recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for free, without any out-of-pocket costs. About 47 million adults have coverage through Medicaid. More accessible vaccinations will particularly help low-income families who rely on Medicaid, many of whom are people of color and people with disabilities.

Washington DC — Today, the Biden-Harris administration finalized several rules to improve the quality of care for millions of people enrolled in Medicaid. The new rules will ensure that people who rely on Medicaid have meaningful access to health care services including primary care, behavioral health and substance use disorder services, and OB/GYN care by establishing national standards for the maximum time patients must wait to see a provider and the distance they must travel to see those providers. 

The rules will also strengthen access to quality home care services and improve staffing standards at nursing homes in order to promote safety and high-quality care for 1.2 million seniors and people with disabilities. Today’s actions build on the hard work of the Biden-Harris administration to strengthen Medicaid for children and families, support the caregiving workforce, and ensure everyone has access to the care they need to live with dignity. 

April is Medicaid Awareness Month, and this week Protect Our Care is highlighting how Medicaid provides lifesaving care for seniors and people with disabilities. While President Biden works to strengthen Medicaid, Republicans in Congress are fighting to cut the program and rip coverage away from the people who need it most. Read more on Republicans’ war on Medicaid here. 

In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement: 

“The Biden-Harris administration has demonstrated what it means to put the health and well-being of the American people first. Not only have President Biden and Democrats lowered the cost of prescription drugs and health care, but they have also taken action to improve the quality of care for millions of Americans, including children, older adults, and people with disabilities. This is a stark contrast from Republicans’ efforts to cut Medicaid, rip health care away from millions, and put funding for long-term care in complete jeopardy.”

Representatives Ruben Gallego, Adriano Espaillat, HHS Director Melissa Herd Headline Events Across the Nation

April is the sixth annual Medicaid Awareness Month, and Protect Our Care is hosting nationwide events to recognize the crucial role Medicaid plays in Americans’ health care and highlight how recent Republican attacks come at a time when more Americans are relying on the program than ever before. Over 85 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid, which provides affordable care to people from all backgrounds, especially people with disabilities, people with mental health and substance use disorders, children, pregnant women, seniors in nursing homes, rural Americans, and people of color. But Republicans haven’t stopped their attacks. The latest GOP budget proposal slashes trillions from Medicaid through block grants, calls for work reporting requirements, and other bureaucratic measures designed to throw people off their coverage. GOP leaders in 10 states have failed to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), blocking 1.6 million people from lifesaving coverage. Medicaid has strengthened local economies, provided Americans with access to quality, affordable health care, and improved health outcomes across the country.

Throughout the month, Protect Our Care also released a series of fact sheets on how Medicaid is a lifeline for women and children, communities of color, rural Americans, seniors, and people with disabilities, as well as a report on Republican threats to Medicaid.

Upcoming Events:

ARIZONA

WHO:
Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03)
UnidosUS
Chicanos Por La Causa
Protect Our Care Arizona

WHAT: Roundtable Discussion

WHERE: To RSVP and receive address and meeting room information, please email [email protected] with your name, title, and media outlet.

WHEN: Monday, April 22, 2024 at 10 AM MT // 1 PM ET

PENNSYLVANIA

WHO:
Melissa Herd, Region 3 Director, Department of Health and Human Services
Val Arkoosh, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
Devon Trolley, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority (Pennie)
Antoinette Kraus, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Health Access Network
Protect Our Care Pennsylvania

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

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

WHEN: Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 12 PM ET

NORTH CAROLINA

WHO:
Sen. Sydney Batch (NC-17)
Rep. Sarah Crawford  (NC-66)
Kody Kinsley, Secretary, NC Department of Health and Human Services
Protect Our Care North Carolina

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

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

WHEN: Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 2 PM ET

VIRGINIA

WHO:
Delegate Kannan Srinivasan (VA-26)
Delegate Mark Sickles (VA-17)
Delegate Rodney Willett (VA-73)
Protect Our Care Virginia

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

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

WHEN: Friday, April 26, 2024 at 10 AM ET

NEW YORK

WHO:
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13)
Protect Our Care New York

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

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

WHEN: Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 12 PM ET

Past Events:

ARIZONA

Wednesday, April 17 – Medicaid Awareness Month Virtual Event with Leading Arizona Health Care Experts: Arizona health care advocates from Children’s Action Alliance, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, Valle del Sol Community Health Center, Chicanos Por La Causa joined Protect Our Care Arizona to discuss the importance of Medicaid and how expanding the program has benefited Arizonans of all ages. “The Affordable Care Act expansion of Medicaid to lower-income adults is preventing thousands of premature deaths for adults aged 55 to 64,” said Claudia Boyer, Director of Resource Navigation Systems for Chicanos Por La Causa.  “Together AHCCCS and Kids Care are responsible for record-high rates of health insurance for kids nationally and in Arizona. They help protect families from medical debt, give them peace of mind, and allow their kids to grow up healthy and succeed in life,” said Matt Jewett, Health Policy Director for Children’s Action Alliance. You can watch the event here and view the post-event release here.

NEVADA 

Thursday, April 18 – Medicaid Awareness Month Event with Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Advocates: Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Holly Welborn, Executive Director of Children Advocacy Alliance joined Protect Our Care Nevada to highlight the vital role the Medicaid program serves in providing affordable health care coverage and access to services for Nevadans. One in four Americans relies on Medicaid for access to health care, and the program serves people from all backgrounds, including children, mothers, people of color, people with disabilities, working families, rural Americans, and seniors. “Medicaid covers more than 40% of births in the United States. “Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, states were given the option to extend coverage to new mothers for one year postpartum, which improves maternal health outcomes,” said Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizarro. “In Nevada, I made that permanent by sponsoring and passing Senate Bill 232. New mothers in Nevada went from having 2 months of postpartum coverage to 12 months.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.

Coverage:

• KTVN (CBS): NV Dems Highlight Medicaid Impact on Statewide Healthcare Reform
• KTVN (CBS): Democratic leaders join Protect Our Care to discuss providing health coverage to low income families