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ashoup
In News

“Health Care Ought to Be a Right”: President Biden Celebrates Lower Inhaler Costs for Millions of Americans

Washington, D.C. — Today, President Biden hosted an event to celebrate lower inhaler costs, which have been under scrutiny for years. More than 27 million people across the country have asthma, which disproportionately impacts low-income Americans, seniors, Black Americans, Latinos, and American Indians and Alaska Natives, and the cost of inhalers has soared to as much as $600 per month — putting the lifesaving medication out of reach for families struggling to make ends meet.

President Biden and Democrats have taken on Big Pharma and won. In January, Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led by Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Ed Markey (D-MA), launched an investigation to determine why drugmakers charge Americans far more for inhalers than people in other countries. For example, Teva charges Americans with asthma $286 for its QVAR RediHaler — which costs just $9 in Germany. The FTC recently cracked down on drug companies that use improper patents to keep the price of inhalers too high. In response, two drugmakers have capped out-of-pocket costs for some top-selling inhalers at $35 per month. 

These actions to lower the cost of inhalers build on the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower the cost of prescription drugs, which will especially help people with chronic illnesses like asthma. The landmark law caps seniors’ insulin costs at $35 per month and total out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 per year, stops price hikes outpacing inflation, makes vaccines available for free, and lowers premium costs for people purchasing coverage on their own. Right now, the Biden administration is negotiating with drug companies for lower prices under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Negotiation Program. Just yesterday, the Biden administration announced it responded to drugmakers’ counter offers and will continue to negotiate for lower prices.

In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, Americans can breathe easier knowing they can afford the prescriptions they need. The outrageous cost of inhalers exemplifies why we need the Inflation Reduction Act and other measures to rein in drug prices for hardworking families. While Democrats have been laser-focused on lowering costs, Republicans are proposing to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act and roll back all of this progress in order to line the pockets of big drug companies. 

“After years of drugmakers hiking the cost of inhalers and making them unaffordable for patients, people are finally getting some relief. We must build on this momentum and continue the work of making lifesaving medications affordable for everyone in this country.”

ashoup
In Report, News, Research

NEW REPORT: 85 Million Depend on Medicaid and CHIP, But GOP Doubles Down on Plan to Rip Coverage Away

Medicaid Awareness Month: Republicans Wage War on Medicaid As 85 Million Americans Rely on The Program for Affordable Health Care

Read the Full Report Here.

Washington, D.C. — On the first day of Medicaid Awareness Month, Protect Our Care is releasing a new national report detailing Republican plans to slash Medicaid and rip coverage away from millions of Americans. While Medicaid Awareness Month is a celebration of how this vital health care program has touched millions of families across the nation, it is also an important reminder that Medicaid remains under attack by Republicans. 

“Republican lawmakers are playing a dangerous game as they escalate their attacks against Medicaid and affordable health care,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “If MAGA Republicans get their way, Medicaid coverage will be ripped away from kids, seniors, and working people who count on it, reversing all of the progress made by Democrats and the Biden-Harris administration. The consequences of the GOP plans for Medicaid would be devastating, and they are entirely out of step with voters across parties.”

More than one in four Americans are covered through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP), and the program serves people from all backgrounds, including children, mothers, people of color, people with disabilities, working families, rural Americans, and seniors. Yet Republicans won’t stop trying to make it harder to access affordable care. The latest GOP budget proposal slashes trillions from Medicaid through block granting and 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. Three states under GOP leadership have also failed to expand Medicaid coverage to mothers for 12 months postpartum, refusing to help address the growing maternal mortality rate as one in three pregnancy-related deaths occurs between six weeks and one year after birth. 

On the other hand, President Biden and Democrats in Congress have defended Medicaid from GOP attacks, created multi-billion dollar incentives for Medicaid expansion, stopped onerous work requirements, pushed for expanded postpartum coverage, and worked to minimize the impacts of Medicaid unwinding. The contrast with Republicans could not be clearer. 

Protect Our Care will continue to host events and activities throughout Medicaid Awareness Month, which includes the following themes each week:

  • Week 1: Republican threats to Medicaid. Week one will focus on how Republicans are actively seeking cuts to Medicaid while GOP leaders in 10 states continue to block Medicaid expansion. 
  • Week 2: Medicaid helps people of color and rural Americans. Week two will highlight how Medicaid is a critical tool to expand access to coverage, which together with policies that address other social and structural determinants of health, narrow stark disparities in health care, improve families’ financial security, and make people healthier. 
  • Week 3: Medicaid helps women and kids. Week three will bring attention to the vital role of Medicaid for mothers and children across the country.
  • Week 4: Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities. The final week will focus on how Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities access lifesaving care.
ashoup
In News, Statement

STATEMENT: Biden Administration Cracks Down on MAGA Short-Term Junk Plans, Protecting People with Pre-Existing Conditions and Preserving Essential Benefits

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Biden administration issued a final rule to protect consumers and limit short-term junk plans. When Donald Trump was in office, he let insurance companies sell short-term junk plans, which can deny coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and can refuse to cover basic benefits guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) like hospitalization and prescription drugs. This move by President Biden will protect consumers from junk insurance that often uses deceptive marketing practices and leaves American families with staggering medical bills. The President’s action is in stark contrast to the MAGA Republican efforts to enshrine junk plans into law.

In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“President Biden is reversing the deliberate efforts by Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans to gut protections for pre-existing protections and give insurance companies the right to deny coverage for basic benefits like prescription drugs and maternity care. The contrast between President Biden’s health care agenda and MAGA Republicans’ could not be clearer. Republicans continue to push these junk plans in their newest budget proposal, aiming to make these junk plans widely available. President Biden is on the side of the American people as he aims to make sure families aren’t scammed into substandard coverage that can deny lifesaving care.”

Background

President Biden And Democrats Delivered Lower Health Care Costs And Now A Record Number Of Americans Were Able To Purchase Quality and Affordable Health Care Through the ACA. A record-breaking 21.4 million Americans signed up for coverage with 80 percent of people able to find coverage through the Marketplace for $10 or less per month. The ACA has generated record savings and improved access to care and financial security for families. 

The Latest GOP Budget Expands Junk Plans. The latest budget proposal from the Republican Study Committee would codify rules put forth by the Trump administration that expanded health insurance plans known as association health plans (AHPs). These plans are not required to cover the essential health benefits put in place 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.

The Trump Administration Cut Critical ACA Health Subsidies & Expanded Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance (STLDI) Plans That Did Not Meet ACA Requirements. In late 2017, after Congressional Republicans’ efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) failed to advance, then-President Trump ordered sweeping changes to health insurance policy with a pair of executive actions. He first announced that the sale of certain cheap policies with few benefits or protections – known as short-term, limited-duration insurance (STLDI) – would be allowed to be sold for up to 364 days with renewals for up to three years instead of three months, then announced cuts to critical health subsidies helping pay out-of-pocket costs for low-income people in America. In response, many patient and physicians groups raised concerns that junk plans would “cause significant economic harm to women and older, sicker Americans who stand to face higher-cost and fewer insurance options,” and “draw younger and healthier people away from the exchanges and drive additional plans out of the market.” The changes were solidified in August 2018 as a final rule allowing STLDI plans to be considered a form of individual health insurance coverage that would meet the ACA’s individual mandate.

Junk Plans Enabled By The Trump Administration Have Left Patients Without Protections For Pre-Existing Conditions Afforded By the ACA. “Because they tend to look less expensive up front, short-term plans continue to find buyers, and they have been championed by the Trump administration (which has loosened restrictions on them) as an alternative for consumers. […] Consumer advocates have long sounded alarm bells about short-term plans and others that don’t comply with the Affordable Care Act rules — rules that require plans to provide comprehensive benefits to all comers, regardless of their health. The ACA also prohibits annual or lifetime dollar limits on coverage for any plan sold on the federal or state health insurance exchanges.” [NPR, 12/3/20]

Patient Advocacy Groups, Health Policy Experts, and Insurance Insiders Alike Have Warned Against Junk Plans’ Lack of Transparency and Coverage. Patient advocacy groups and health policy experts have long warned about the fraud risks that come with STLDI and other non-ACA-compliant plans. In January 2019, the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute found that consumers searching online for ACA-compliant plans were often directed, instead, to “junk plans.” Another study sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society found that junk plans often rely on misleading marketing, are often misunderstood by consumers who purchase them with no right to appeal plan decisions, drive up patients’ out-of-pocket costs, and “threaten prices across the insurance market.” In March 2021, 30 patient organizations published a report pushing for greater regulation of dozens of different types of “junk insurance,” including STLDI plans. Even health insurance industry insiders have warned that the “very profitable” plans are inadequate, and state insurance regulators have expressed concerns that STLDI plan administrators have been misleading and taking advantage of consumers while offering substandard coverage.

ashoup
In News

HEADLINES: President Biden and Vice President Harris Celebrate Efforts to Lower Costs and Expand Affordable Coverage While Calling Out Trump’s Dangerous Repeal Threats

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, joined by Governor Roy Cooper, made a joint appearance in North Carolina on Tuesday to celebrate the state’s expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and to warn against looming Republican threats to destroy the law. North Carolina is the 40th state to expand Medicaid, extending affordable health care to 600,000 North Carolinians. At the event, Democratic leaders highlighted record enrollment under the ACA, lower premiums for people who buy coverage on their own, and prescription drug savings for millions of Americans.

President Biden also laid out a vision for the future of American health care, highlighting priorities to further lower costs and expand affordable health care. This is in stark contrast to Republican priorities on health care, which includes repealing the ACA and Medicaid expansion, ripping away protections for people with pre-existing conditions, increasing insurance premiums and prescription drug costs, and putting Medicaid coverage for tens of millions in jeopardy. Presumptive GOP presidential nominee 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 if re-elected at least seven times over the last several months.

HEADLINES

The Hill: Biden Seeks To Draw Contrast With Trump On Health Care In North Carolina. “President Biden and Vice President Harris traveled Tuesday to North Carolina to tout the recent anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and bash Republicans’ health care agenda. Biden delivered remarks in Raleigh, the capital of a state his campaign has cited as a potential flip opportunity in November after he lost it to former President Trump by roughly 75,000 votes in 2020. The visit was timed around the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law, but Biden used the trip to more broadly chastise Trump and Republicans for their efforts to restrict abortion and roll back health care coverage. ‘Kamala and I have come back to North Carolina to celebrate the Affordable Care Act and remind all of us that we can’t take anything for granted,’ Biden said. Biden noted Trump and the Republicans in Congress unsuccessfully tried dozens of times to repeal the law known as ObamaCare. He also seized on a budget proposal from the Republican Study Committee that called for cuts to the Affordable Care Act and entitlement programs.” [The Hill, 3/26/24]

The News & Observer (Opinion): “An Even Bigger Deal”: In Winnable NC, Biden And Harris Remind Voters What’s At Stake. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris rolled into Raleigh on Tuesday for a rare double appearance. Their mission was celebrating the 14th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act as well as North Carolina’s decision, at long last, to take advantage of the ACA’s incentives for states to expand Medicaid eligibility. At the time of the ACA’s passage, then-Vice President Biden was famously caught on mic whispering to President Barack Obama that the new health care law was ‘a big (expletive) deal.’ On Tuesday, after apologizing for his language, he said, ‘It’s an even bigger deal today.’ […] In their one-two delivery, Harris focused on what the Biden administration has done to improve women’s access to health care and the president emphasized how Republicans have tried to repeal the ACA and failed to support legislation that has lowered the price of some drugs, most notably insulin for seniors. Biden said, ‘We finally beat big pharma.’” [The News & Observer (Opinion), 3/26/24]

Cardinal & Pine: Biden And Harris Tout Healthcare Access Expansion Success At Raleigh Visit. “Tuesday afternoon, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visited Raleigh to discuss the administration’s achievements in lowering healthcare costs and expanding access to health insurance. […] This visit comes just days after the 14th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and as Donald Trump is on the campaign trail expressing support for repealing the law. […] Biden hit back at former President Donald Trump, who as president came within one vote of repealing the ACA, when the late John McCain voted to save the law in the US Senate in 2017. Now the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party, Trump has been on the campaign trail renewing threats to repeal the ACA. ‘Now they want, to quote his words, ‘terminate’ the ACA, as my predecessor says. If that were ever to happen, we can also terminate a lot of lives as well,’ Biden warned. Biden went on to describe the real world consequences of repealing the ACA for many Americans. ’45 million people nationwide would lose their health insurance, including 1.4 million right here in North Carolina. 100 million people with preexisting conditions, from heart disease to asthma could lose their protection as well,’ Biden explained.” [Cardinal & Pine, 3/26/24] 

The Washington Post: Biden And Harris Argue That Democrats Will Preserve Health Care And Republicans Would Take It Away. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday promoted their health care agenda in the battleground state of North Carolina, arguing that Democrats like themselves would preserve access to care while Republicans would reverse gains made over the past decade and a half. Fourteen years after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, the White House still sees health care as a winning issue during a campaign in which Biden has sometimes found himself on the defensive when it comes to immigration or the economy. Republicans have opposed Biden’s signature initiatives to lower medical costs, and they’ve seized opportunities to restrict abortion rights after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. ‘It’s sick. Now they want to quote, his words, terminate the ACA, as my predecessor says,’ Biden said, referring to Republican former President Donald Trump. ‘If that were ever to happen, we’d also terminate a lot of lives as well. But we’re not going to let that happen, are we? We’re not going to let that happen.’” [The Washington Post (AP), 3/26/24] 

Roll Call: Takeaways As Biden, Harris Take Aim At Trump, Try To Flip North Carolina. “Taking the stage in a Raleigh community center before her boss, Harris said ‘extremists … want to take away’ coverage for seniors, working families and Americans with pre-existing conditions. […] Biden called on Congress to pass a measure that would expand tax credits granted by the Affordable Care Act after vowing Trump ‘and his MAGA friends’ would not be able to repeal the 2010 health care law. He touted his record, including helping the Medicare program negotiate lower prescription drug costs, and said he wants to expand that to more Americans in a second term. White House aides during a Monday evening call previewing the event contended that Biden, working with the state’s outgoing Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, had expanded Medicaid coverage via the Affordable Care Act to 600,000 residents there. The aides, granted anonymity to speak candidly, told reporters those same North Carolinians could lose that coverage if Trump’s campaign proposals become law.” [Roll Call, 3/26/24] 

CNN: Biden And Harris Team Up For A Rare Joint Appearance In North Carolina To Take On GOP Over Health Care. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took on Republicans over health care in North Carolina on Tuesday, looking to press what they believe is a winning issue ahead of November’s election. The Raleigh stop marked a rare joint appearance on the road by the president and vice president, highlighting the emphasis the duo will place on health care as they prepare to face off against former President Donald Trump. It came the same day the Supreme Court heard arguments on access to the abortion medication mifepristone, teeing up a summer decision that could have major implications for abortion rights. Biden’s advisers believed Tuesday’s visit would provide a stark contrast between the Democratic ticket’s vision for health care and reproductive rights and proposals put forth by Republicans. It’s taking place on the heels of a campaign push slamming Trump for threatening to repeal the Affordable Care Act if he’s elected to a second term.” [CNN, 3/26/24]

Spectrum News: Biden Talks Lowering Health Care Costs As He Hopes To Put North Carolina Into Play This November. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris rallied supporters around their vision to lower health care costs and strengthen the Affordable Care Act during a visit to North Carolina on Tuesday. It marked the latest stop on Biden’s post-State of the Union swing state tour as he looks to put the Tar Heel State into play this November. Speaking at a community center in Raleigh on Tuesday, Biden touted what he considers some of his most significant accomplishments in terms of health care costs, such as enabling Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, capping insulin costs at $35 a month and total out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 per year for seniors on Medicare. ‘Folks, I want to extend those savings to everyone who needs lifesaving insulin, whether you’re a senior or not — everyone, everyone,’ Biden said of the insulin price cap before later echoing that message when it comes to the $2,000 a year ceiling. The president has also called for Medicare to have the power to negotiate the price of 50 drugs per year rather than 20. It comes less than a week after the White House marked the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, known colloquially as Obamacare, highlighting that a record 21.4 million people enrolled in health insurance plans through its marketplaces during the 2024 open enrollment period.” [Spectrum News, 3/26/24]

Firstpost: Biden and Harris Argue That Democrats Will Preserve Health Care And Republicans Would Take It Away. “In the crucial state of North Carolina on Tuesday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris pushed their health care programme, claiming that Democrats like them would protect access to care while Republicans would undo progress achieved over the previous fifteen years. In a campaign when Joe Biden has occasionally found himself on the defence when it comes to immigration or the economy, the White House continues to view health care as a winning topic, fourteen years after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. Republicans have fought Biden’s flagship efforts to cut healthcare costs, and since the US Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, they have taken advantage of opportunities to limit access to abortion.” [Firstpost, 3/27/24] 

WXII 12: President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris Visit North Carolina And Talk About Affordable Care Act. “President Biden and Vice President Harris told the crowd that health care is a right, not a privilege, so they stressed the importance of protecting the Affordable Care Act. The president said it’s not just about protecting but also strengthening the plan and expanding coverage. It’s something the president said he and his administration have a plan for, so that no Americans go without coverage. ‘At the most vulnerable point in your life, so many Americans heard these words: ‘Sorry, you’re on your own.’ For God’s sake, this is the United States Of America. We’re so much better than that, and that’s why the Affordable Care Act is so important and why Kamala and I will make it stronger than ever before,’ President Joe Biden said.” [WXII 12, 3/26/24]

ABC45 News: President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris Visit North Carolina To Talk Healthcare. “President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage in Raleigh to talk health care. Last year North Carolina expanded Medicaid that provided coverage to over 600,000 people through the Affordable Cares Act. Sot: ’21 million people covered under the ACA, a 75 percent increase since Kamala and I came into office and that includes over 1 million folks right here in North Carolina,’ said President Joe Biden. Lowering health care, increasing mental health coverage, & maintaining Medicaid for North Carolinians are focal points Biden wants to tackle.” [ABC45 News, 3/26/24]

ashoup
In News, Statement

STATEMENT: Biden Administration Finalizes Rule to Make Enrolling in Medicaid and CHIP Easier for Millions of Children and Families

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Biden administration announced a final rule that improves how millions of Americans, including children, apply for and renew coverage through Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Basic Health Program (BHP). The rule standardizes enrollment and renewal processes nationwide and applies consumer protections from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, like banning lifetime limits and waiting periods.

This action to ensure more families have access to affordable coverage and cut paperwork requirements is in direct contrast to Republicans’ proposals, which gut funding for Medicaid and impose more red tape and bureaucratic barriers to make it harder for children to stay covered. For example, in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis is fighting to rip CHIP coverage away from children if their parents can’t pay their premiums on time. The Republican party is dead set on raising the cost of health care for working families, denying coverage to millions of people, and slashing funding for critical programs. 

The Biden administration also announced that over 17 million children are now protected from losing coverage thanks to the new law that keeps eligible kids on Medicaid covered for at least a full year before needing to renew their coverage. 

In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“President Biden is cutting burdensome red tape, waiting periods, and annual and lifetime limits that make it harder for families to stay covered and access health care. Today’s action builds on key steps taken by the Biden administration to lower health care and prescription drug costs and ensure American families can get the care they need to stay healthy. While Republicans fight to cut Medicaid and kick people off of coverage, the Biden administration is fighting tooth and nail to lower costs and make affordable health care a reality for families across the nation.”

Background

The final rule includes: 

  • Eliminating annual and lifetime limits on children’s coverage in CHIP
  • Ending the practice of locking children out of CHIP coverage if a family is unable to pay premiums
  • Eliminating waiting periods for CHIP coverage so children can access health care immediately
  • Improving the transfer of children seamlessly from Medicaid to CHIP when a family’s income rises
  • Requiring states to provide all individuals with at least 15 days to provide any additional information when applying for the first time and 30 days to return documentation when renewing coverage
  • Prohibiting states from conducting renewals more frequently than every 12 months and requiring in-person interviews for older adults and those with disabilities
ashoup
In News

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Jerry Nadler, Rep. Grace Meng, Dr. Dara Kass, Local Advocates Celebrate 14-Year Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR MARCH 27 AT 12:00 PM ET***

Event Will Feature Exclusive Footage of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Celebrating the Legacy of the ACA 

President Biden and Congressional Democrats are Building on the ACA by Lowering Costs and Expanding Health Care for New Yorkers, while Trump and Congressional Republicans Threaten Repeal

New York, NY – Today, March 27 at 12 PM ET, U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler (NY-12), U.S. Representative Grace Meng (NY-6), former HHS Regional Director Dr. Dara Kass, NYS Chapter President of the Alliance for Retired Americans Bill Spreter, Director of Metro New York Health Care for All and Coordinator of Healthcare for America Now’s New York State Network Mark Hannay and Senior VP for Health Initiatives at the Community Service Society of NY and co-founder of Health Care for All New York Elisabeth Benjamin will join Protect Our Care NY to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. Sponsored by Health Care for America Now – New York State, Metro New York Health Care for All, and Upper West Side Action Group, along with Medicaid Matters New York, Citizen Action of New York and the Medicare Rights Center, the virtual event will highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for New Yorkers since its passage. A record breaking 21 million Americans enrolled in health coverage through ACA marketplaces for 2024, an increase of approximately 8 million since President Biden took office.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Republicans are threatening to repeal the ACA, despite record-setting enrollment numbers and the law’s overwhelming popularity. Speakers will contrast Republican efforts to cut Medicaid and rip away health care with the Biden administration’s record of  ensuring health care remains accessible and affordable for New Yorkers and Americans across the country.

WHO:
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (recorded video)
U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler (NY-12)
U.S. Representative Grace Meng (NY-6)
Dr. Dara Kass, former HHS Regional Director
Bill Spreter, NYS Chapter President, Alliance for Retired Americans
Mark Hannay, Director of Metro New York Health Care for All and Coordinator of Healthcare for America Now’s New York State Network.
Elisabeth Benjamin, Senior VP for Health Initiatives at the Community Service Society of NY and co-founder of Health Care for All New York
Amelia Bittel, Member of Citizen Action of New York, Central NY Chapter
Michael Evrensel, Member of Citizen Action of New York, Southern Tier Member
Protect Our Care New York

WHEN: Wednesday, March 27th at 12:00 PM ET

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

ashoup
In News

Next Week Is Medicaid Awareness Month: While Republicans Propose Cuts, Democrats Fight to Protect Affordable Health Care

Washington, D.C. – Monday, April 1 kicks off the seventh annual Medicaid Awareness Month. One in four Americans rely on Medicaid for access to health care, and the program serves people from all backgrounds, including children, mothers, people of color, working families, people with disabilities, rural Americans, and seniors. 

President Biden and Democrats in Congress have been champions for lowering health care costs and improving care for the American people. They have defended Medicaid from GOP attacks, created multi-billion dollar incentives for Medicaid expansion, stopped onerous work requirements, pushed for expanded postpartum coverage, and worked to minimize the impacts of Medicaid unwinding. The contrast with Republicans could not be clearer. Republican lawmakers continue to escalate their attacks against Medicaid and affordable health care. The latest GOP budget slashes trillions from Medicaid through block granting and calls for work reporting requirements and other bureaucratic measures designed to throw people off their coverage. GOP leaders in 10 states have also failed to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), blocking 1.6 million people from lifesaving coverage. 

Throughout the month of April, Protect Our Care will release reports, publish fact sheets, and host events nationwide with elected officials, storytellers, and health care advocates. These activities will highlight Medicaid’s critical role in America, underscore what needs to be done to protect and strengthen the program, and make clear the dire consequences of the Republican agenda. 

To mark the start of Medicaid Awareness Month, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement: 

“Medicaid Awareness Month is a celebration of how this vital health care program has touched millions of families across the nation, but it is also an important reminder that Medicaid remains under attack by Republicans. Medicaid coverage improves people’s health, keeps hospitals open, increases families’ financial security, and saves lives. Yet Republicans want to slash Medicaid and throw millions of people off of their coverage. 

“Nothing better exemplifies the GOP war on health care than their relentless attacks on Medicaid. Just last week, Republicans proposed their latest plan to slash Medicaid by trillions through block grants and paperwork requirements that are designed to throw people off of their health coverage. At the same time, Republicans in 10 states are blocking Medicaid expansion under the ACA, leaving 1.6 million Americans without a place to turn for affordable health care. President Biden and Democrats in Congress, on the other hand, are working to protect and strengthen Medicaid for years to come.”

The month will include the following themes each week:

  • Week 1: Republican threats to Medicaid. Week one will focus on the contrast between President Biden’s work to protect and expand Medicaid versus Republicans’ fight to cut the program and rip coverage away from millions.
  • Week 2: Medicaid helps people of color and rural Americans. Week two will highlight how Medicaid is a critical tool to expand access to coverage, which helps narrow stark racial and geographic disparities in health care, improve families’ financial security, and make people healthier. 
  • Week 3: Medicaid helps women and kids. Taking place during Black Maternal Health Week, week three will bring attention to the vital role of Medicaid for mothers and children across the country. 
  • Week 4: Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities. The final week will focus on how Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities access lifesaving care.
ashoup
In News

Oral Arguments Heard by Supreme Court in Mifepristone Case That Will Decide the Fate of Drugs Relied on by Millions

Washington, D.C. — Today, a group of anti-abortion activists and organizations presented arguments before the Supreme Court in FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine and Danco v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine. The plaintiffs in this case are challenging the FDA’s expansion of the drug which would affect its delivery and distribution, as well as barring telemedicine prescriptions and shipments by mail. A safe, effective medication, mifepristone has been FDA-approved for 24 years and is one of two medicines most commonly used in medication abortion in the United States. Last year, Republican-appointed judges in Texas and on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of plaintiffs, issuing separate orders severely restricting access to mifepristone, but the Supreme Court stayed this decision. 

This case’s potential repercussions go far beyond abortion care — it opens the door for the politically-motivated removal of other safe and effective drugs from the market — throwing the entire U.S. drug approval process into chaos. The consequences of this ruling would be most detrimental for women of color, people living in rural areas, and lower-income Americans who face the steepest barriers to accessing care. FDA’s approval of mifepristone remains unchanged at the moment, but the Supreme Court will issue a ruling on the case by early July. Read Protect Our Care’s fact sheet on Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA.

In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“The plaintiffs’ arguments undermine decades of research and the FDA’s scientific judgment that mifepristone is safe and effective and could throw our entire drug approval process into chaos. This is a deliberate attack by MAGA extremists to deny people the freedom to make their own reproductive health decisions. The justices were right today to strongly question the plaintiffs’ standing and arguments. Patients and families deserve access to medication they need without unnecessary political and judicial interference. If the courts ultimately side with the plaintiffs, it will be an unprecedented situation, opening the door for more fringe extremist groups with a political agenda to challenge any medication they disagree with.”

ashoup
In News

President Biden Heads to North Carolina to Tout Lower Costs and Outline Vision to Build on Health Care Victories

Washington DC — Today, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are headed to North Carolina to celebrate all of the progress that the administration has made to expand and protect affordable health care. Specifically, they will point to record enrollment under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), lower premiums for people who buy coverage on their own, and prescription drug savings for millions of Americans. President Biden will also outline plans to further expand affordable health care for people across North Carolina and the nation. 

North Carolina is a pivotal state in discussing President Biden’s health care accomplishments. Last year, North Carolina passed Medicaid expansion, extending access to affordable health care to an estimated 600,000 people. Democratic Governor Roy Cooper fought tirelessly for expansion, making it one of his central priorities since taking office in 2017. As of March 5, over 385,000 North Carolinians are covered thanks to Medicaid expansion. 

Meanwhile, Republicans are continuing their fight to reverse all of the progress made by Democrats and the Biden-Harris administration. Trump has escalated his threats to repeal the ACA while Republican lawmakers and their allies are working overtime to dismantle reproductive care, hike premiums, slash Medicare and Medicaid, reverse recent coverage gains, and raise prescription drug costs for the American people. 

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

“President Biden and Vice President Harris visiting North Carolina is no coincidence. Just last year, North Carolina became the 40th state to expand Medicaid thanks to the hard work of Governor Cooper, Democratic lawmakers, and advocates. As a result, hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians now have access to lifesaving care. North Carolinians are directly benefiting from President Biden’s lower cost, better care agenda and today’s event will underscore just how important the issue of health care is as we inch closer to November. The Biden administration has delivered on their promises, and they are just getting started. 

“Republicans, on the other hand, are singing the same old song. After years of obstructing Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, they still want to take health care away from hardworking families. They want to raise prescription drug costs, repeal the ACA, slash Medicaid, and make it harder for people to make ends meet. There are two distinct visions for health care in America and, as more people benefit from affordable health care championed by Democrats, it’s unbelievable that anyone would want to go backward.”

Background

Democrats Delivered Lower Health Care Costs, and Now a Record Number of Americans Were Able to Purchase Quality and Affordable Health Care Through the ACA. A record-breaking 21.4 million Americans signed up for coverage with 80 percent of people able to find coverage through the Marketplace for $10 or less per month. The ACA has generated record savings and improved access to care and financial security for families. 

The Actions President Biden and Congressional Democrats Have Taken on Health Care Are Extremely Popular. Navigator polling from October 2023 reveals that voters view lowering drug costs as President Biden’s #1 accomplishment. The poll specifically named giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug costs and capping insulin costs for seniors at $35 per month, which were both included in the Inflation Reduction Act. 

Voters Support Democratic Priorities on Health Care, Like Expanding Medicare’s Power to Negotiate Drug Prices and Capping Insulin Costs for Everyone. Navigator polling from February 2024 found that voters overwhelmingly support liberal health care policies, particularly expanding the prescription drug savings in the Inflation Reduction Act. 

Republicans Are Escalating Their War On Health Care. Presumptive GOP presidential nominee 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.

The GOP FY 2025 Budget Resolution Includes More Than $2 Trillion in Cuts to Mandatory Health Spending, Which Largely Reflects Drastic Cuts to Medicaid. Additionally, the GOP budget includes a proposal to institute work requirements for Medicaid and an attack on Medicare drug price negotiations in the guise of supporting “medical innovation.”

More North Carolinians’ Lives Will Be Saved. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Medicaid expansion saved the lives of at least 19,200 older adults aged 55 to 64 between 2014 and 2017. A study published in the Journal of Health Economics found that Medicaid expansion reduced mortality in non-elderly adults by nearly four percent. Medicaid expansion is already insuring over 365,000 North Carolinians, saving them millions of dollars and increasing access to quality and affordable health care.

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In News

Protect Our Care Marks 14th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act with Nationwide Events and Activities

Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach Stands With Congressional Democratic Leadership During A Bicameral Celebration of the 14th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.

To celebrate the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) 14th anniversary, Protect Our Care hosted events with elected officials and health care advocates across the country, placed op-eds, and hosted a digital day of action. All of the activities highlighted the contrast between Democrats protecting and expanding the ACA and Republicans threatening to repeal the law and rip coverage away from millions. President Biden has made building on the ACA to lower health care costs and expand coverage a top priority, and now a record number of Americans enrolled in quality, affordable coverage. Additionally, Americans continue to depend on the cost savings and protections of the law, including protections for millions of people with pre-existing conditions, savings for over 45 million with premium tax credits and coverage through Medicaid expansion, and free cancer screenings and preventive care for over 150 million patients. Read Protect Our Care’s ACA anniversary fact sheet here. 

Highlights and Coverage From Protect Our Care’s Events:

NATIONAL

Monday, March 18 – MSNBC Op-Ed on Protecting the ACA by Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach: Protect Our Care placed an opinion piece in MSNBC by Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. In the piece, Dach discusses the threats to the ACA and the importance of protecting it. Dach writes, “Some have been quick to dismiss Trump’s recent comments as an empty threat. This is a mistake. During his time in office, Trump successfully undermined the law, leading to a drop in enrollment, and weakened protections for people with pre-existing conditions. He was just one vote short of total ACA repeal in 2017, and now, the Republican Party has only grown more extreme and motivated to fall in line with Trump.” You can read the full text here.

Thursday, March 21 – House and Senate Democratic Leadership Press Conference:  House and Senate Democratic Leadership held a press conference to commemorate 14 years since the Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said, “Protect Our Care helped us save [the ACA] from the destruction that was wrought by the Republicans after they took control of Congress.” Watch the full event here. 

Wednesday, March 20 – Digital Day of Action: Protect Our Care hosted a digital day of action featuring videos of real people benefiting from the ACA and Congresspeople who support the law. Former President Obama shared some of the videos on his X account. 

Storyteller Videos:
Senator Tammy Baldwin
Representative Deborah Ross
Teresa Acosta
Ali Farrell
Martin Fitzgerald
Steve Gomez
Linda Hamacher
Steven Martin
Gigi Milinchak
Amy Raslevich
Eric Schneidewind
Martha & Travis Smith Thereault
Jean Westcott
DonnaMarie Woodson

Friday, March 22 – Statements from Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach and Executive Director Brad Woodhouse: Ahead of the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach and Executive Director Brad Woodhouse released statements highlighting the importance of the ACA and how it is under attack. Dach says, “The ACA has been essential to reducing inequities in health care and has laid a strong foundation to do more to ensure everyone — no matter who they are or where they live — has access to the health care they need.” Woodhouse says, “While President Biden and Democrats in Congress are working tirelessly to build on the ACA and expand affordable, quality health care to every American, the MAGA-Republicans are still fighting in Congress and in the courts to gut the ACA and undermine the law’s protections.” You can read the statements in full here. 

Fact Sheets

IN THE STATES

Arizona

Tuesday, March 26 – ACA Anniversary Event with Arizona State Senator Lela Alston, Honest Arizona: Arizona State Senator Lela Alston, and Honest Arizona will join Protect Our Care Arizona to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy the own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Arizonans since it’s passage.

California

Monday, March 25 – ACA Anniversary Event with Reps. Tony Cárdenas Ted Lieu, Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan: Representatives Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan, and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care California to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy the own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Californians since it’s passage.

Georgia 

Thursday, March 21 – Biden For President ACA Anniversary Event with Senator Doug Jones and Protect Our Care ACA Storyteller Himali Patel: Ahead of the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, former Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) and health care advocates highlighted Trump’s years-long mission to gut the ACA, ending protections for thousands of Georgians with pre-existing conditions and raising costs for thousands more. Speakers laid out the stakes for Georgians’ health care this November as Trump tries to gut this critical program.

Michigan

Wednesday, March 20 – ACA Anniversary Event with State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet and Advocates: Michigan Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care Michigan to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Michiganders since its passage. “The Affordable Care Act has been game-changing for my constituents and all Michiganders since it became law 14 years ago,” said Michigan Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet. “Despite the ACA’s overwhelming benefits for Michiganders wanting health care coverage, many Republicans remain fixated on dismantling it. Just as I’m fighting to make prescription drugs more affordable so families don’t have to go without life-saving medicine, I’ll do everything possible to keep ACA protections in place so we have lower health care costs and better care services.” 

  • Michigan Advance: Democrats hail ACA ahead of anniversary, blast GOP efforts to repeal it
  • The ‘Gander TikTok: The Affordable Care Act allows kids to stay on their parent’s health insurance plans until age 26. 
  • Michigan Information & Research Service Inc.: Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care Michigan to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight “how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Michiganders since its passage.” 

Nevada

Saturday, March 23 – ACA Anniversary Event with Rep. Dina Titus, For Our Future: Representative Dina Titus (D-NV-01) and For Our Future joined Protect Our Care Nevada to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy the own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Nevadans since it’s passage.

  • KSNV (NBC): Local leaders mark the 14th anniversary of the ACA
  • CW Las Vegas: Nevada leaders celebrating the passage of the ACA

New York

Wednesday, March 27 – ACA Anniversary Event with Rep. Jerry Nadler, Dr. Dara Kass, Local Advocates: Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), former HHS Regional Director Dr. Dara Kass, and NYS Chapter President of the Alliance for Retired Americans Bill Spreter will join Protect Our Care NY to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for New Yorkers since it’s passage.

Wednesday, March 20 – ACA Anniversary/Young Invincibles’ ACA Report Event with Josh Riley and Cornell College Democrats: Cornell University College Democrats and lawyer and community advocate Josh Riley joined Protect Our Care NY to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for New Yorkers since it’s passage. “For the past 14 years, the Affordable Care Act has provided Americans the affordable, quality healthcare they deserve. On this momentous anniversary, it’s more important now than ever to strengthen and expand health care protections for Americans. We will not let House Republicans, who are working every day to undermine the ACA, succeed.” said Josh Riley, attorney and community advocate. 

Saturday, March 16 – Buffalo News Op-Ed on Protecting the ACA by State Senator Tim Kennedy: Protect Our Care New York placed an opinion piece in the Buffalo News by State Senator Tim Kennedy. Kennedy writes “In Western New York, the Affordable Care Act is more than just a piece of legislation or a talking point. It’s a promise to our neighbors that no one will go bankrupt because they are sick, a promise that no one will be discriminated against or overcharged based on pre-existing conditions, and a promise that everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care. This is a promise I’m committed to keeping.” You can read the full text here.

North Carolina

Monday, March 18 – ACA Anniversary Event with Congresswoman Deborah Ross, State Senator Rachel Hunt, and advocates: Congresswoman Deborah Ross, State Senator Rachel Hunt, and NCHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley joined Protect Our Care North Carolina to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy the own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for North Carolinians since it’s passage. “Fourteen years later we can see and celebrate the tangible progress we’ve made and the lives we’ve saved thanks to the ACA,” said Congresswoman Ross. 

Pennsylvania

Thursday, March 21 – Biden For President ACA Anniversary Event with Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis: Protect Our Care Pennsylvania provided two speakers for a Biden for President ACA Anniversary event in Pittsburgh, PA, including Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis and Health Care Advocate Amy Raselvich. Speakers celebrated the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlighted how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Pennsylvanians since its passage.

  • WPXI: Austin Davis and health care advocates discuss the ACA’s 14th anniversary

Wisconsin

Friday, March 22 – ACA Anniversary Event with Senator Baldwin and Attorney General Josh Kaul: Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Attorney General Josh Kaul joined Protect Our Care Wisconsin to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Wisconsinites since it’s passage. “The Affordable Care Act has been a force for good for Wisconsin families – expanding health care coverage, cutting costs for families, protecting people with pre-existing conditions, and – a provision I was proud to author – allowing young people to stay on their parents’ insurance until they are 26,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin. 

  • WFRV (CBS): 14th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act
  • WisPolitics: Protect Our Care: With U.S. Sen. Baldwin, AtG. Kaul to mark 14-year anniversary of the ACA
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