As we recover from the shock and disappointment of the 2024 election, I want to pause for a moment to thank everyone in the Protect Our Care family for your extraordinary commitment to making equitable and affordable health care a reality for everyone in America. We will never stop fighting.
I founded Protect Our Care in 2017 to stop Donald Trump from repealing the Affordable Care Act – and we succeeded. But today, the threat to our health care is even more severe. Trump’s nomination of anti-vaccine zealot and conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be HHS Secretary makes it clear that the second Trump administration will be more dangerous to health care in America than any presidential administration in modern American history.
Protect Our Care has been here before. We protected the ACA, Medicaid, and Medicare in the first Trump term. Together, we will protect them again.
This will be a difficult struggle and the consequences of failure are enormous. In addition to the devastation to health care that an RFK Jr. run HHS would cause, Trump and his MAGA Republican allies will also seek to repeal and/orsabotage the Affordable Care Act. This would remove protections for pre-existing conditions and raise health care costs for tens of millions. Trump also plans to enact draconian funding cuts and work requirements that would devastate Medicaid and threaten health care for its 73 million enrollees. These include low income children and adults as well as people with disabilities and seniors who need long-term care. Republicans have further vowed to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, which will raise drug prices for millions of seniors.
Protect Our Care will be the “tip of the spear” in this battle to protect our health care from Trump’s extreme agenda. We are an action-oriented organization that combines experience and expertise in policy, politics, legislative strategy, advocacy, message development, communications, and organizing. We are already convening allies, strategizing with leaders in Congress, and expanding our targeted state based efforts.
I am so proud of what we have achieved together and thankful for your partnership. The battle goes on and with your continued support there are more victories to come in the future.
Washington D.C.—New reporting indicates that Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are planning to make deep cuts to Medicaid and food assistance in order to fund their outrageous tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“Trump is more interested in taking care of his billionaire friends like Elon Musk than health care for over 75 million Americans. This is the dangerous MAGA agenda on full display. Trump and his GOP minions are not wasting any time ripping away Medicaid from millions of Americans — all so they can cash in more tax breaks for the richest one percent and big corporations. As a result, millions of people would lose their health care and costs would go up across the board. Let’s be clear: Medicaid is a lifeline that covers one in four Americans, including kids, moms, seniors, people of color, rural Americans, and people with disabilities. It is unfathomable that MAGA Republicans continue to put growing the wealth of a few over the livelihood and well-being of millions. We cannot let them rip away our health care.”
“A Clear And Present Danger To Public Health” and “Extraordinarily Bad Choice” Set To Regulate Health Sector – Over 17 Percent Of The U.S. Economy
Last night, Donald Trump moved to undermine the health care of millions of Americans and the public health of our nation by nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. RFK Jr. is a MAGA loyalist that will put the personal interests of Donald Trump ahead of the needs of the American people. Headlines across the nation make clear that, as a known conspiracy theorist with dangerous anti-science and anti-vaccination policy positions, RFK Jr. is unqualified to lead HHS and radically out of step with the American people. If he gets confirmed, American lives will be at risk.
HEADLINES
Axios: RFK Jr. Pick Sets Off Alarms In Public Health.
“’To put it plainly, RFK Jr. is deeply unqualified, deeply unserious, and deeply dangerous. This nomination would be a joke if it wasn’t so deadly serious and every United States Senator who cares about the health of their constituents should oppose it,’ Brad Woodhouse, executive director of the advocacy group Protect Our Care, said in a statement.”
Inside Health Policy: RFK Jr., Trump’s Choice To Lead HHS, Sets Stage For Health Information War.
“‘If RFK Jr. becomes Secretary of HHS, millions of American lives will be at risk. Full stop,” Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, said in a statement. “The selection of Kennedy to lead HHS is a devastating choice for the health and well-being of the American people, especially children. The consequences of this nomination will touch nearly every household in the nation.’”
The Washington Post: Trump Taps Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Vaccine Skeptic, To Lead HHS.
“‘If Trump gets his way, millions of Americans will lose access to critical care they need to stay healthy, disproportionately impacting people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, seniors, women, and people with disabilities,’ Leslie Dach and Brad Woodhouse, who lead Protect Our Care, a Democrat-aligned health-care advocacy group, wrote in a memo this month.”
The Guardian: RFK Jr Condemned As ‘Clear And Present Danger’ After Trump Nomination.
“Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert F Kennedy Jr as US secretary of health and human services has prompted widespread criticisms towards Kennedy, an anti-vaccine activist who has embraced a slew of other debunked health-related conspiracy theories.Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert F Kennedy Jr as US secretary of health and human services has prompted widespread criticisms towards Kennedy, an anti-vaccine activist who has embraced a slew of other debunked health-related conspiracy theories.”
“In response to Kennedy’s nomination, Public Citizen, a progressive nonprofit organization focusing on consumer advocacy, said: ‘Robert F Kennedy Jr is a clear and present danger to the nation’s health. He shouldn’t be allowed in the building at the department of health and human services (HHS), let alone be placed in charge of the nation’s public health agency. ‘Donald Trump’s bungling of public health policy during the Covid pandemic cost hundreds of thousands of lives. By appointing Kennedy as his secretary of HHS, Trump is courting another, policy-driven public health catastrophe,” the organization added.”
Newsweek: RFK Jr. Appointment Leaves Doctors Aghast: ‘Extraordinarily Bad Choice’.
“The appointment of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Donald Trump’s Cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) has left many doctors and medical professionals stunned, with one calling it an ‘extraordinarily bad choice.’”
“Following the decision by the president-elect, many medical professionals were left aghast that a man who has previously been accused of amplifying conspiracy theories—most notably about the COVID vaccine—could potentially be in charge of the health of 350 million Americans from January if he is confirmed by the Senate. ‘I think this is an extraordinarily bad choice,’ Dr. Ashish Jha, a former Biden administration COVID-19 coordinator and the dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. Jha also noted that past HHS secretaries from both Republican and Democratic administrations have typically allowed scientists in their agencies to make decisions based on evidence. ‘RFK Jr. has signaled that he doesn’t intend to follow this approach,’ Jha said. ‘Instead of relying on rigorous analysis and evidence, he seems poised to prioritize his own views in decision-making.’”
The New York Times: Trump Picks RFK Jr. to Be Head of Health and Human Services Dept.
“If he is confirmed, Mr. Kennedy would have sweeping control of a department with 80,000 employees across 13 operating divisions that run more than 100 programs. Its agencies regulate the food and medicine that Americans encounter in their daily lives, decide whether Medicare and Medicaid will pay for drugs and hospital treatments, guard against infectious disease, and conduct billions of dollars of medical research into diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.”
“Many Democrats and public health experts were appalled by Mr. Trump’s selection. Dr. Richard E. Besser, the chief executive of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting director of the C.D.C., said that having Mr. Kennedy in the health secretary job ‘would pose incredible risks to the health of the nation,’ because Mr. Kennedy’s assault on the nation’s public health apparatus was worsening the mistrust lingering after the coronavirus pandemic. ‘Robert F. Kennedy is part of the problem and cannot be part of the solution,’ Dr. Besser said.”
“But Mr. Kennedy has spread false information about vaccines, including that they cause autism — a theory that has long been debunked. He has publicly contradicted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation that communities fluoridate their water to guard against tooth decay. He has embraced raw milk, despite the Food and Drug Administration’s warning that drinking it is risky, particularly amid a bird flu epidemic among dairy cows. And he has promoted hydroxychloroquine, a drug whose emergency authorization as a Covid-19 treatment was revoked by the Food and Drug Administration after a study of 821 people found it lacked effectiveness.”
“The overriding rule of medicine is: First, do no harm. We’re certain installing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head Health and Human Services breaks this rule.”
“A radical, prolonged and confused transition ordered by a guy like RFK Jr., who will use his high office to spout his controversial beliefs, leaves a lot of room for things to go wrong — and for people to wind up harmed or even dead.”
“Donald Trump won on promises to fix the economy, the border and soaring global disorder; his team needs to focus on delivering change on those fronts — not spend energy either having to defend crackpot theories or trying to control RFK Jr.’s mouth. We fear the worm that he claims ate some of his brain some years ago is contagious and there’s been an outbreak at Mar-a-Lago.”
KFF: Scientists Fear What’s Next for Public Health if RFK Jr. Is Allowed To ‘Go Wild’.
“Many scientists at the federal health agencies await the second Donald Trump administration with dread as well as uncertainty over how the president-elect will reconcile starkly different philosophies among the leaders of his team.”
“If Kennedy makes good on his vision for transforming public health, childhood vaccine mandates could wither. New vaccines might never win approval, even as the FDA allows dangerous or inefficient therapies onto the market. Agency websites could trumpet unproven or debunked health ideas. And if Trump’s plan to weaken civil service rights goes through, anyone who questions these decisions could be summarily fired. ‘Never has anybody like RFK Jr. gotten anywhere close to the position he may be in to actually shape policy,’ said Lewis Grossman, a law professor at American University and the author of ‘Choose Your Medicine,’ a history of U.S. public health.”
NBC News: FDA Employees Consider How To Handle RFK Jr., Including Leaving.
“Some staff members at the Food and Drug Administration are considering a quick exit as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being floated as a potential health official in the incoming Trump administration, according to three former and one current government official who were granted anonymity to speak freely about sensitive issues. The former officials are still in touch with colleagues who work at the FDA.”
“It’s not yet known what kind of health role Kennedy will have in the administration — if any — but Trump has said he’ll let the former independent presidential candidate and vaccine skeptic ‘go wild on health.’ Meanwhile, Kennedy is promising a shakeup at the federal health agencies, including the FDA, telling NBC News the day after the election that ‘in some categories, there are entire departments, like the nutrition department at the FDA that are, that have to go.’”
CNN: RFK Jr.’s To-Do List To Make America ‘ Healthy’ Has Health Experts Worried.
“Kennedy’s official selection for the nation’s top health post sent shockwaves through the public health world, concerned about his potential effects on vaccination rates, research on infectious diseases and misrepresentation of established science.”
“Advocates for public health did not mince words with their criticism. […] Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told CNN before the election that he felt compelled to weigh in publicly on Kennedy’s views because of concerns about potential Trump policies and what he referred to as Kennedy’s ‘pseudoscience.’ ‘Everything that we see and know about what a Trump administration would look like would devastate public health in this country,’ said Osterholm, who noted that he’d served in a health policy role in every presidential administration since Ronald Reagan’s and thinks of himself as a ‘nonpartisan public health soldier.’”
STAT: Trump Taps RFK Jr. To Run HHS, Nominating Vaccine Skeptic For Nation’s Top Health Role.
“If confirmed, RFK Jr. will take the reins at a $1.7 trillion agency that oversees vaccines, medicines, scientific research, public health infrastructure, and the health care plans of Americans who rely on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act’s markets. The directors of the Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, yet to be nominated, all report to the HHS secretary.”
“Donna Shalala, who led HHS during the Clinton administration, called RFK Jr. ‘totally unqualified’ for the role. ‘This is a very dangerous appointment,’ she said. ‘He’s dangerous to people’s health in our country and around the world.’ Several health care advocacy groups stated that they opposed the nomination.”
PBS News: Trump Will Nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Who Has Promoted Vaccine Misinformation, As Health Secretary.
“Kennedy’s anti-vaccine nonprofit group, Children’s Health Defense, currently has a lawsuit pending against a number of news organizations, among them The Associated Press, accusing them of violating antitrust laws by taking action to identify misinformation, including about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines. Kennedy took leave from the group when he announced his run for president but is listed as one of its attorneys in the lawsuit.”
NPR: What Happens When A Vaccine Skeptic Leads Health Policy? Ask Florida.
“President-elect Trump says he’s going to let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ‘go wild on health.’ That has many pediatricians nervous, because of RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine rhetoric. When another vaccine skeptic, Joseph Ladapo, became surgeon general in Florida, some doctors there say vaccine hesitancy got worse.”
“Vaccine hesitancy has been growing in Florida. When Ladapo was appointed in September of 2021, the routine childhood vaccination rate for kindergartners was 93.3%. It has now dropped to 90.6%. That’s the lowest rate in more than a decade — and it’s well below the threshold needed for herd immunity against highly contagious diseases like measles.”
The Washington Post: 10 RFK Jr. Conspiracy Theories And False Claims, In His Own Words.
“The ascension of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, to the nation’s top health post has alarmed medical experts, who point to his history of trafficking in conspiracy theories as disqualifying to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.”
“Here are 10 false health claims Kennedy has publicly made over the years: What To Know. Kennedy has falsely linked vaccines to autism. Kennedy falsely called the coronavirus vaccine the ‘deadliest vaccine ever made’. Kennedy promotes raw milk, stem cells and other controversial or debunked medical treatments. Kennedy argues government employees have an interest in ‘mass poisoning’ the American public. Kennedy has falsely linked antidepressants to mass shootings. Kennedy incorrectly suggests AIDS may not be caused by HIV. Kennedy falsely argues children’s gender identity can be impacted by water. Kennedy has falsely touted ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine as effective covid treatments. Kennedy argued that covid-19 was ‘ethnically targeted’ to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people. Kennedy claims 5G high-speed wireless network is used to ‘control our behavior’.”
Forbes: RFK Jr.’s Conspiracy Theories: Here’s What Trump’s Pick For Health Secretary Has Promoted.
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now primed to take over as President-elect Donald Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services next year, drawing renewed scrutiny to a string of false claims he has helped spread over the better part of the past two decades. Kennedy Jr., a well-known environmental lawyer, veered into fringe theories the early 2000s when he began promoting conspiracies about vaccines and the 2004 presidential election—and many more have followed.”
Axios: Trump Taps RFK Jr. For Health Secretary Position.
“Why it matters: Trump’s pick would put one of the nation’s foremost vaccine skeptics in charge of America’s health care agencies. Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again campaign’s proposals have already alarmed some public health experts. Trump posted on Truth Social that HHS under Kennedy would ‘play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country.’”
Politico: Trump To Select Robert F. Kennedy Jr. To Lead HHS.
“Trump promised to let Kennedy ‘go wild’ with health and food policy in his administration after Kennedy dropped his own presidential bid to endorse the now-president-elect.”
“House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said it’s up to the Senate to confirm or reject Kennedy but was skeptical that he was the right choice. ‘Is RFK Jr. the best qualified person in the United States of America to lead us forward as we grapple with an enormous amount of health challenges in this country? The answer is clearly he is not,’ Jeffries said.”
CNN: Trump Picks Robert F. Kennedy Jr. To Be His Department Of Health And Human Services Secretary.
“Kennedy, who accepted the offer Thursday, has been one of the nation’s most prominent anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists for years and hasfrequently spread false conspiracy theories about the safety and efficacy of vaccines. He has been in Palm Beach, Florida, for several days following the election.”
“If confirmed as the top public health official in the country, Kennedy would oversee the operations of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid. […] Kennedy would also be involved in any changes Trump and congressional Republicans attempt to make to Medicaid, which provides health care coverage for low-income Americans. In Trump’s first term, the agency tried to institute work requirements, which was largely blocked in court, and lawmakers unsuccessfully sought to reduce the program’s funding. The program, which covers nearly 72.5 million Americans, is expected to be a target in Trump’s second term, especially as the GOP seeks savings to offset the tax relief they hope to implement.”
STAT: Trump’s Pick of RFK Jr. at HHS: The Scientific Community, And Biopharma Investors, Respond.
“Industry veterans, investors, lab leaders, and others were in some cases shocked and deeply disillusioned by the announcement, while some insisted that Kennedy’s selection may not be the death knell for vaccines and evidence-based medicine that more pessimistic voices made the pick out to be.”
“‘I’m very concerned. I think at the minimum it will delay any kind of M&A until there’s clarity on the regulatory side, and clarity on whether there’s a chance of broader healthcare reform, including drug pricing,’ said another health care investor and portfolio manager of a biotech-focused fund, requesting anonymity.”
“But the notion of putting Kennedy, founder of a prominent anti-vaccine group, in a position to shape health policy has alarmed some federal health officials and public health experts, as well as the food industry. They worry about his stated desire to fire nutritionists at the Food and Drug Administration; his promotion of products and medicines the agency has previously warned against, such as raw milk and hydroxychloroquine; and his history of making debunked claims about vaccine safety.”
“On social media and talk shows, Kennedy repeatedly hammers the food industry, claiming it is ‘mass poisoning’ the American public. He has said Trump wants to ‘get the chemicals’ out of food. Kennedy has targeted McDonald’s fries and falsely claimed Froot Loops in Canada have just two or three ingredients. He has argued against consuming seed oils, though nutritionists push back against scientifically questionable claims that such oils are toxic. And he wants to bar food stamps from being used to buy soda or processed foods.”
An Anti-Vaccine Zealot and Conspiracy Theorist, Kennedy Poses a Threat to Health Care and Public Health
Washington, D.C. – Today, Donald Trump took a devastating step towards undermining the health care of millions of Americans and the public health of our nation by nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy is an anti-vaccine zealot and conspiracy theorist with no experience or qualifications for any role in managing our nation’s health care, least of all leading the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy’s anti-vaccination beliefs alone could put millions of American lives at risk as vaccine skepticism has grown in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic – which was fueled by the very disinformation and conspiracy theories RFK Jr. has peddled for years.
On the campaign trail this year alone, RFK Jr. endorsed dangerous anti-vaccination beliefs, spread baseless lies and conspiracy theories about fluoride in the water supply, and promised to stop research on drug development and infectious diseases for eight years. Recently, he proposed a plan that includes radical ideas like slashing funding for the Food and Drug Administration in half and firing over 600 people from the National Institutes of Health. Kennedy’s ideas are completely detached from reality and if he is confirmed, it would be a matter of life or death for countless Americans.
In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued a statement:
“If RFK Jr. becomes Secretary of HHS, millions of American lives will be at risk. Full stop. The selection of Kennedy to lead HHS is a devastating choice for the health and well-being of the American people, especially children. The consequences of this nomination will touch nearly every household in the nation. Not only does he have a long history of pushing dangerous and outlandish anti-vaccine and other health-related conspiracy theories, but he will undoubtedly support MAGA efforts to increase health care costs and slash coverage by repealing the Affordable Care Act, slashing Medicaid and repealing measures to lower drug prices for seniors.
“The American people deserve a leader at HHS who believes in science, who believes in vaccines, and who is committed to building on the progress we have made since the passage of the Affordable Care Act – not someone who will put health care for millions at risk. To put it plainly, RFK Jr. is deeply unqualified, deeply unserious, and deeply dangerous. This nomination would be a joke if it wasn’t so deadly serious and every United States Senator who cares about the health of their constituents should oppose it.”
While Kamala Harris Wants to Lower Costs for Seniors and Working Families, Donald Trump Threatens to Throw the American Health Care System Into Chaos
Election day is finally here, and the future of American health care is at stake. Vice President Kamala Harris has proven to be a health care champion throughout her career in public service. She has fought tirelessly to improve the health and well-being of people across the country. Harris voted time and time again to protect Americans’ health care, to ensure those with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable health care, and to lower costs for American families.
As Vice President, Harris casted the deciding vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act. She is responsible for lowering prescription drug prices, lowering premium costs for millions of hardworking families, and capping insulin copays at $35 per month. As a senator from California, Harris has helped defeat Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and helped protect women’s rights. From day one, the Biden-Harris administration has fought tooth and nail to lower costs and make affordable health care a reality for seniors and families across the nation. Read more here:Kamala Harris Is a Health Care Champion.
On the other hand, Donald Trump is an existential threat to American health care. MAGA Republicans have vowed to repeal the ACA and Inflation Reduction Act, slash Medicaid and Medicare funding, take away protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and raise prescription drug and premium costs. Under the MAGA agenda, millions of Americans will lose coverage and costs will skyrocket. Read more here:Donald Trump Is an Existential Threat to Our Health Care
Over 70 Elected and Appointed Officials and Dozens of Health Advocates Drove Home the Contrast Between the Democratic and MAGA Visions for America’s Health Care
Over the last six weeks, Protect Our Care’s Care Force One bus drove almost 12,000 miles to make over 50 stops across 17 states to make sure Americans across the country understand that our health care is at stake. During each stop, national and local elected officials, health care advocates, and storytellers sounded the alarm about the threat Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans pose to American health care and celebrated the historic steps the Biden-Harris administration has taken to provide working families the quality, affordable care they need to stay healthy.
Protect Our Care was joined by four senators, 22 representatives, one governor, five attorneys general, lieutenant governors and auditor generals, 39 local officials, and dozens of health care advocates. Headliners of the events included Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Representatives Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02), Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08), Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Susan Wild (D-PA-07), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Chris Pappas (D-NH-01), Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Haley Stevens (D-MI-11), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01), Pat Ryan (D-NY-18), Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-08), Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Attorney General Keith Ellison, and health care advocates at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth to to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
KQDS-TV (FOX-Duluth): AG Ellison, Health Care Advocates Speak at POC Bus Tour Kickoff
KQDS (FOX-Duluth): AG Ellison, Health Care Advocates Speak at “Lower Cost, Better Care” Bus Tour Kickoff in Duluth
KBJR (CBS-Duluth): Protect Our Care Bus Tour Kickoff in Duluth with Jen Schultz and AG Ellison
Watch the event here and a video with Attorney General Keith Ellison here.
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, and health care advocates at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
KMSP-TV (Fox-Minneapolis):Protect Our Care Kicks Off Nationwide Bus Tour Highlighting Inflation Reduction Act
KMSP (FOX-Minneapolis): Protect Our Care Bus Tour Kicks off with Advocates Fighting for Families To Pay Affordable Prices For Health Care
Watch the event here and personal videos with health care advocates Kathleen Oganovich here and Jessica Intermill here.
MADISON, WISCONSIN
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Attorney General Josh Kaul, and health care advocates at Madison Labor Temple in Madison to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
WISC (CBS): AG Kaul Headlines Healthcare Tour Stop
Spectrum News 1: Protect Our Care Bus Tour Coming to Wisconsin Today
WKOW (ABC-Madison): AG Kaul Advocates at POC Bus Tour
WQOW (ABC-La Crosse): AG Kaul, Health Care Advocates speak at POC Bus Tour Kickoff
Wisconsin Examiner: Advocacy groups put health care on the election year agenda
APG Media: Advocacy groups put health care on the election year agenda
Watch the event here, a video with Attorney General Josh Kaul here, and a personal video with health care advocate Samantha Crowley here.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and health care advocates at Sherman Phoenix in Milwaukee to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Spectrum News 1 (Wisconsin): Protect Our Care Brings Care Force One to Wisconsin As Part Of Nationwide Bus Tour
WisPolitics: “Protect Our Care: “Lower Costs, Better Care” bus tour makes stops in Madison and Milwaukee”
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Representative Penelope Tsernoglou, and health care advocates at the Michigan Dept of Energy in Lansing to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
MIRS: Rep. Tsernoglou, Former Michigan Community Health Director Headline “Lower Costs, Better Care” Bus Tour Stop in Lansing
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by health care advocates at Garfield Park in Grand Rapids to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by City Council President Carrie Hartman, Lucas County Commissioners Pete Gerken and Lisa Sobecki, and health care advocates at the Lucas County Courthouse in Toledo to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
The Blade: Local elected officials champion Affordable Care Act, Harris ahead of election
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Mayor Jamael Tito Brown, and health care advocates at Covelli Centre in Youngstown to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Mahoning Matters: Youngstown Mayor participating in ‘Lower Costs, Better Care’ bus tour stop this week
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, and health care advocates in Greensburg, Pennsylvania to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
TribLive: Pa. Lt. Gov. Austin Davis stumps in Greensburg, touts Dems’ health care measures
Watch the event here and a video with Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis here.
ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Representative Susan Wild (D-PA-07), and health care advocates at the IBEW Local 375 in Allentown to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Watch the event here and a video with Representative Susan Wild here.
HUDSON VALLEY, NEW YORK
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Representative Pat Ryan (D-NY-18), and health care advocates at Academy Green Park in Kingston to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Mid Hudson News: Congressman Ryan helps kick off National Protect Health Care Bus Tour
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Assembly Member Michaelle Solages, and health care advocates at Kennedy Park in Hempstead to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Representative Chris Pappas (D-NH-01), and health care advocates at Victory Park in Manchester to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Rebecca Perkins Kwoka, and health care advocates at the Love Mural in Prescott Park in Portsmouth to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Assemblymember Patricia Fahy, and health care advocates at Beman Park in Troy to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Watch the event here and a video with Representative Paul Tonko here.
UTICA, NEW YORK
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), and health care advocates at Character Coffee in Utica to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
WKTV (NBC): Sen. John Mannion joins Lower Costs, Better Care Bus Tour
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08), Mayor Harry Kelly, and health care advocates at the public square in Wilkes-Barre to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Representative Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), and health care advocates at Diversity Thrift in Richmond to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Virginia Mercury: National bus tour stops in Va., boosts Democrats’ promise to protect ACA, Inflation Reduction Act
Watch the event here and a personal video with health care advocate Rev. Dr. Lacette Cross here.
HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Mayor Deanna Reed, and health care advocates at Ralph Sampson Park in Harrisonburg to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Sen. Natalie Murdock, and health care advocates at Durham Central Park in Durham to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Representative Alma Adams (D-NC-12), and health care advocates at Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center in Charlotte to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02), and health care advocates at The Bibb Mill Event Center in Columbus to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
WRBL: Georgia democratic reps advocate for low-cost, better quality healthcare
Aol.com: Georgia democratic reps advocate for low-cost, quality healthcare
Yahoo.com: Georgia democratic reps advocate for low-cost, quality healthcare
Watch the event here and a video with Representative Sanford Bishop here.
ATHENS, GEORGIA
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Representative Spencer Frye, and health care advocates at Rashe’s Cuisine in Athens to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Athens Flagpole: Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff Will Campaign in Athens With Michael Stipe
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Sonya Halpern and State Representative Jasmine Clark, and health care advocates at IBEW Local 613 in Atlanta to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Gwinnett Daily Post: Clark to Voters: Protect Efforts To Lower Health Care Costs
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Representative Bobby Scott (D-GA-03), and health care advocates at Teamsters Union Hall in Norfolk to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-1), and health care advocates at the Civic Plaza in Albuquerque, NM to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Watch the event here and a video with Representative Melanie Stansbury here.
LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02), and health care advocates at Plaza de Las Cruces in Las Cruces, NM to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
KVIA ABC El Paso: The “Lower Costs, Better Care” Bus Tour Campaigns to Keep the Affordable Care Act in Place
KRWG: Local leaders push to defend federal healthcare policies
Watch the event here and a video with Representative Gabe Vasquez here.
TUCSON, ARIZONA
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Former State Sen. Kirsten Engel, and health care advocates at the YWCA in Tucson, AZ to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), and health care advocates at City Hall in Tempe, AZ to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), and health care advocates at the Arizona State Capitol Building in Phoenix, AZ to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Palm Springs Councilmember Lisa Middleton and health care advocates at Ruth Hardy Park in Palm Springs, CA to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
My News LA: Palm Springs Councilmembers Set to Attend Nonprofit Healthcare Summit
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA-49), and health care advocates at Crown Valley Park Amphitheatre in Laguna Niguel, CA to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Daily Beans Podcast: Technical Difficulties – Complicated Business (feat. Laura Packard)
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Representatives Judy Chu and Jimmy Gomez, Attorney General Rob Bonta and health care advocates at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument in Los Angeles to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Anna Caballero, and health care advocates at Rasmussen Senior Center in Bakersfield to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Assemblywoman Natha Anderson, and health care advocates at Community Health Alliance in Reno to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Representative Dina Titus, and health care advocates at SEIU Local 1107 in Las Vegas to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Watch the event here and a video with Representative Dina Titus here.
PUEBLO, COLORADO
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by The Honorable Lily Griego, and health care advocates at Pueblo Union Depot in Pueblo to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Senator John Hickenlooper and Representatives Yadira Caraveo and Brittany Pettersen, and health care advocates at PipeFitters 208 in Denver to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Colorado Times Recorder: The ‘Lower Cost, Better Care’ Tour Visits Denver As Democrats Push Health Care & Abortion Rights
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Senator Amy Klobuchar and Congresswoman Angie Craig, state legislators, and health care advocates at the Dakota Child & Family Clinic in Burnsville, MN to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Red Lake Nation News: Senator Amy Klobuchar and Congresswoman Angie Craig Headline “Lower Costs, Better Care” Bus Tour Stop in Burnsville, Minnesota
Watch the event here and a personal video with health care advocate Alexis Stanley here.
ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Liz Boldon, and health care advocates in Rochester, MN to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
KAAL (ABC Rochester) (6am) Protect Our Care Bus Tour Comes to Rochester Advocating for Quality and Affordable Healthcare (Preview)
KAAL (ABC Rochester) (6pm): State Legislators and Healthcare Advocates Join Protect Our Care’s Bus Tour in Rochester to Advocate for Quality and Affordable Healthcare
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Governor Tony Evers, and health care advocates at Armstrong Park in Beloit, WI to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Beloit Daily News: Baldwin, Evers stop in Beloit to tout health care advances
MyStateline.com: Wisconsin: Baldwin, Hovde opposed on abortion rights, Affordable Health Care Act
WMTV: One week from Election Day, Wisconsin Senate candidates on campaign trail
WQRF (FOX): Senator Baldwin stops in Beloit to Discuss Affordable Healthcare, Abortion Rights
Watch the event here and a video with Senator Tammy Baldwin here.
KENOSHA, WISCONSIN
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Governor Tony Evers, Former Congressman and Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, and health care advocates at Kenosha Union Club in Kenosha, WI to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
WisPolitics: Protect Our Care: Evers headlines “Lower Costs, Better Care” bus tour stop in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Haley Stevens, and health care advocates at Congregational Church of Birmingham in Bloomfield Hills, MI to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
Alternative Fix: Protect Our Care Bus Travels Across the U.S.
Watch the event here and a video with Representative Haley Stevens here.
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Greg Landsman, and health care advocates at Washington Park in Cincinnati, OH to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Watch the event here and a video with Representative Greg Landsman here.
CLEVELAND, OHIO
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by City Council President Blaine Griffin, and health care advocates at Willard Park in Cleveland, OH to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, State Representative Arvind Venkat, MD, and health care advocates at City/County Building Portico in Pittsburgh, PA to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Watch the event here and a video with Former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale here.
TOLEDO, OHIO
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur, and health care advocates at University of Toledo Medical Center in Toledo, OH to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Coverage:
WTVG: Congresswoman Kaptur to join Protect Our Care’s “Lower Costs, Better Care” bus tour
WTVG: Congresswoman Kaptur joins Protect Our Care’s “Lower Costs, Better Care” bus tour
WTOL: Congresswoman Kaptur focused on health care today and focused on the Affordable Care Act
WTVG: Congresswoman Kaptur stops to talk about lowering health care costs
Vice President Harris Promises Lower Costs and Better Care While Trump Pushes For Higher Premiums and Worse Coverage
As tens of millions of voters head to the polls on Tuesday, the stakes couldn’t be higher – especially for the future of health care in this country. While Vice President Kamala Harris has promised to build on the Inflation Reduction Act and Affordable Care Act (ACA) by continuing to lower prescription drug costs and expand affordable coverage, MAGA Republicans are trying to turn back the clock and throw millions of people off their health care.
The last Trump administration was disastrous for the American health care system, and with Project 2025 as their blueprint, MAGA Republicans have big plans to raise costs or take away health care for nearly every American. Time and again, MAGA Republicans have declared they want to fight tooth and nail to raise costs, deny coverage to millions of people, and slash funding for Medicare and Medicaid. Trump and his MAGA allies are looking to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures that make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors, impose burdensome Medicaid paperwork requirements designed to throw people off of coverage, weaken protections for over 100 million people with pre-existing conditions, and even repeal the ACA entirely.Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans have made it clear that they intend to take America backwards. Key points of the GOP health care plan include:
MAGA Republicans Want to Repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Donald Trump sabotaged affordable health care and pre-existing condition protections while he was in office, and has renewed his calls to “terminate” the ACA at least seven times over the last several months with MAGA Republicans echoing his calls. If Trump doesn’t succeed at repealing the ACA altogether, he will stop at nothing to gut it and other critical protections that the American people rely on.
MAGA Republicans Will Rip Away Protections For Pre-Existing Conditions. MAGA Republicans want to remove many protections for the over 100 million Americans with pre-existing conditions made possible through the ACA, allowing insurers to deny coverage or charge more. MAGA Republicans also want to codify rules put forth by the Trump administration that expanded junk health insurance plans.
MAGA Republicans Will Raise Premium Costs on Middle Class Families. MAGA Republicans want to end enhanced premium tax credits that lower insurance costs for Americans, which were originally enacted in the American Rescue Plan and extended through 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act. These enhanced tax credits have reduced ACA Marketplace enrollees’ premiums by an average of $800 per year and contributed to record enrollment.
MAGA Republicans’ Health Care Plan Will Raise Drug Costs For Seniors. MAGA Republicans want to fully repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s prescription drug provisions that are saving Americans thousands of dollars on health care. They want to raise costs on seniors while giving more tax breaks to drug companies and their CEOs.
MAGA Republicans Will Slash Medicare and Medicaid Funding. MAGA Republicans continue to push for raising the retirement age, which would cut benefits for millions of American seniors, and they have proposed cutting Medicaid spending by over 54 percent in the next decade and ripping coverage away from tens of millions of children, seniors, and people with disabilities.
If Republicans are successful in enacting their health care plan, 46 million Americans across the country risk losing coverage, 20 million will see higher premiums, and 67 million people on Medicare will have to pay increased drug costs for lifesaving medications.
If The Affordable Care Act Is Repealed:
GONE: Protections for more than 100 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, including 54 million people with a pre-existing condition that would make them completely uninsurable.
GONE: Quality, affordable coverage for over 21.4 million people who buy insurance on their own.
GONE: Lower prescription drug prices for over 54 million seniors who would have to pay more for prescription drugs because the Medicare ‘donut hole’ will be reopened.
GONE: Critical funding for rural hospitals.
GONE: Lower costs and better care for more than 67 million Medicare beneficiaries who will face disruptions to their medical care.
GONE: Coverage for 2.3 million adult children who are on their parents’ insurance.
GONE: Ban on insurance companies being able to charge women more than men
GONE: Ban on insurance companies having annual and lifetime caps on coverage.
GONE: Requirements that insurance companies cover prescription drugs and maternity care.
If The Inflation Reduction Act Is Repealed:
GONE: A $35 monthly insulin cap for 4 million Americans on Medicare.
GONE: Prescription drug savings for people on Medicare, including a $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap and protections from drug company price hikes through inflation rebates. Nearly 19 million American seniors are expected to save an average of $400 per year.
GONE: Free vaccines for52 millionpeople on Medicare, including for shingles and pneumonia.
GONE: Medicare’s power to negotiatelower prices for the most popular and expensive prescription drugs. Nearly 9 million people take the first ten drugs that were selected for Medicare negotiation, which accounts for 20 percent of annual Medicare Part D spending.
GONE: Prescription drug savings for 400,000 low-income seniors through the Medicare Part D Extra Help program.
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), U.S. Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Haley Stevens (D-MI-11), Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), And Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers Headlined “Lower Costs, Better Care” Bus Tour Events
On the sixth and final week of Protect Our Care’s nearly 12,000-mile“Lower Costs, Better Care” bus tour, “Care Force One” made stops in five states to make sure everyone understands how they continue to benefit from legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Affordable Care Act – while also making it clear the stakes for American health care have never been higher. During each stop, national and local elected officials, health care advocates, and storytellers sounded the alarm about the threat Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans pose to American health care. MAGA Republicans want us to go back to the days when insurance companies made the rules and could deny people coverage. As Republicans fight to raise costs on working families, deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, and repeal the Inflation Reduction Act and Affordable Care Act, the Biden-Harris administration continues to improve access to quality and affordable health care.Over six weeks, Care Force One traveled to more than 17 states, made more than 50 stops, and traveled nearly 12,000 miles.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Senator Amy Klobuchar and Congresswoman Angie Craig, state legislators, and health care advocates at the Dakota Child & Family Clinic in Burnsville, MN to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by State Senator Liz Boldon, and health care advocates in Rochester, MN to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Governor Tony Evers, and health care advocates at Armstrong Park in Beloit, WI to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Governor Tony Evers, Former Congressman and Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, and health care advocates at Kenosha Union Club in Kenosha, WI to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Haley Stevens, and health care advocates at Congregational Church of Birmingham in Bloomfield Hills, MI to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Greg Landsman, and health care advocates at Washington Park in Cincinnati, OH to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by City Council President Blaine Griffin, and health care advocates at Willard Park in Cleveland, OH to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by Former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, State Representative Arvind Venkat, MD, and health care advocates at City/County Building Portico in Pittsburgh, PA to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One was joined by U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur, and health care advocates at University of Toledo Medical Center in Toledo, OH to highlight how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have delivered on their promise to drive down health care costs and how health care remains under threat by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2024***
U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) and Former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale Headline Events in Ohio and Pennsylvania as Care Force One Wraps Up Its Travels Across 17+ States, Makes Over 50 Stops, and Covers Nearly 12,000 Miles
On the final day of Protect Our Care’s “Lower Costs, Better Care” bus tour, U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) and Former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale will join health care advocates and Protect Our Care for events in Pittsburgh and Toledo to make sure everyone understand how the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress worked to lower health care costs for Americans. By passing the Inflation Reduction Act, they lowered costs for people who purchase insurance on their own, capped the monthly cost of insulin, and gave Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices. While we celebrate this progress, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are fighting to go backwards, raise costs, take away protections for pre-existing conditions, and leave millions of people without critical coverage. MAGA Republicans want us to go back to the days when insurance companies made the rules and could deny people coverage.
During each stop, national and local elected officials, health care advocates, and storytellers are sounding the alarm about the threat Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans pose to American health care and celebrating the historic steps the Biden-Harris administration has taken to provide working families the quality, affordable care they need to stay healthy. Over six weeks, Care Force One traveled to more than 17 states, made more than 50 stops, and traveled nearly 12,000 miles.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA:
WHO: Former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale State Representative Arvind Venkat, MD Laura Packard, cancer survivor and health care advocate
WHERE: City/County Building Portico
WHEN: Friday, November 1, 2024 at 11:00 AM ET
TOLEDO, OHIO
WHO: U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) Health care advocates
WHERE: Outside of the University of Toledo Medical Center at the corner of Arlington Ave. and Hospital Dr., Toledo, OH
A Record Breaking Number of Americans Signed up for Health Coverage Through the Marketplace Last Autumn, With 4 in 5 Accessing Care For $10 Or Less
Washington, D.C. — Beginning today, millions of Americans will visit HealthCare.gov to sign up for low-cost health coverage for the start of the 2025 open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. Last year’s open enrollment period saw more than a 31 percent increase in signups, resulting in a record-breaking 21.4 million people gaining health care thanks to the ACA. This spike in coverage is largely thanks to new savings under the Biden-Harris administration as well as their investment in outreach and education to help people enroll, with a particular focus on communities that are so often left behind: people in rural areas, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+ people.
The Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have made incredible progress to ensure millions more Americans have the health care they deserve, but Republicans want to roll back this progress and hike costs for people nationwide. Just this week, House Speaker Mike Johnson openly confirmed that the health care agenda if Donald Trump is elected includes “no Obamacare.” Donald Trump’s Republican Party wants to “take a blowtorch” to the Affordable Care Act, destroying protections for more than 100 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, ripping coverage away from more than 45 million Americans, and raising costs across the board for everyday Americans.
While in office, Trump attempted to repeal the ACA and was just one vote short in 2017. Under his administration, Trump did everything in his power to sabotage the ACA, resulting in millions of Americans losing their health insurance coverage, drug prices skyrocketed, and Republicans gave billions in tax breaks to drug and insurance companies and their CEOs.
In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“If Donald Trump and his allies get their way, this year could be the end of health care as we know it. With the uncertainty of the election looming, we do know one thing; Trump will stop at nothing to destroy the Affordable Care Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and other critical protections that tens of millions of American people rely on. Trump’s first goal as president was to repeal the ACA. When he failed, he spent his entire presidency sabotaging it until the bitter end, now he’s getting ready to do it all over again.
“Last year’s record numbers show that Americans want and need the affordable, quality health care made possible through the ACA. Under Democratic leadership, the nation’s uninsured rate is at the lowest it has ever been in history. Let’s continue that trend until every American has access to the high-quality, low-cost health care they need to thrive.”
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