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Washington, D.C. — Today, the Biden administration announced that dozens of drug companies will be required to pay a rebate to Medicare because they raised prices faster than the rate of inflation. In total, 48 drugs under Medicare Part B hiked prices faster than inflation in the last quarter of 2023, and now the rebate payments are expected to save seniors who take these drugs up to $2,786 per dose. This afternoon, President Biden is expected to provide an update on implementing the Inflation Reduction Act and lowering drug costs for seniors across the nation, including savings from inflation rebates, the $35 monthly cap on insulin, and free vaccines. The president will also highlight how these policies are saving nearly 15 million patients an average of $800 per year on their health insurance premiums. 

“Thanks to the Biden administration, the Inflation Reduction Act is lowering drug costs for seniors and families across the nation,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Gone are the days when drug companies could raise prices higher than inflation any time they wanted to and without consequence. Now, seniors and taxpayers are saving billions of dollars, and fewer seniors will have to choose between the drugs they need and the drugs they can afford. Meanwhile, Republicans are fighting to repeal all of the Inflation Reduction Act’s drug pricing provisions and savings for families. President Biden stood up to the greed of big drug companies and won, and families are seeing the benefits.” 

The Biden administration also announced a new policy to ensure the best value for taxpayers by establishing a fair pricing standard for medical products purchased by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. Additionally, the administration released a new report on the first 10 drugs selected for Medicare negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act. Seven of the 10 drugs used taxpayer dollars during development and the rate of growth in spending for these 10 drugs was more than 3 times as fast as for all Part D drugs over the same period. 

These announcements follow a long line of actions the Biden-Harris administration has taken to reduce prescription drug and health care costs for the American people. The Inflation Reduction Act lowered drug prices for millions of seniors by capping insulin costs at $35 per month, limiting outrageous price hikes, and making essential vaccines free for people on Medicare. Soon, total out-of-pocket drug costs will be capped at $2,000 per year for seniors and lower drug prices from Medicare negotiation will take effect. Together, these measures could save seniors thousands of dollars on their health care. 

At the same time, Republicans in Congress are fighting to roll back this progress and repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s historic measures to lower drug prices for seniors. Repealing these policies would cost seniors billions of dollars — only putting money back in the pockets of big drug companies. 

Background:

President Biden’s Health Care Accomplishments Tracker 

On the 4th day of repeal, the GOP took from me: free preventive care.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created access to free preventive care for millions of Americans across the nation. Under the ACA, health plans must cover preventive services — like vaccinations, cancer screenings, contraception, and mammograms – at no cost to consumers. The Inflation Reduction Act expanded this access to include free critical vaccines for seniors, such as shingles and pneumonia. Access to preventive care has improved health outcomes, reduced economic inequity, and saved families money by preventing serious diseases that lead to costly treatments.

If either of these historic laws gets repealed, millions of Americans could once again have to pay for preventive care. Not only are Republicans in Congress advocating for this, but conservatives have taken to the courts to dismantle this core protection. 

In March, a Texas District Judge struck down a provision of the ACA that requires insurers to cover lifesaving preventive services without cost sharing in a politically-driven effort to dismantle the ACA, brought by longtime foes of abortion rights, women’s health, LGBTQI+ rights, and affordable health care. If this ruling stands, it puts millions at the mercy of insurance companies and employers, who could eliminate the benefits entirely or start charging for them, increasing costs for patients by thousands of dollars a year and creating major obstacles to care.

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Court Approves Agreement on Partial Stay in Braidwood Case

Washington, DC — Today, the Supreme Court of the United States announced it will hear Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration next term. Earlier this year, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk invalidated the FDA’s approval of mifepristone and the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals severely restricted access to mifepristone, but the Supreme Court stayed this decision. The case threatens safe and legal abortion access and would create chaos in the FDA drug approval process by allowing any judge to overrule the evidence-based and scientific approval of medications. 

Watch Protect Our Care’s event with legal and public health experts discussing the dangers of this case here.

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

“This case threatens the entire U.S. drug approval process and puts the health of Americans at risk. The stakes couldn’t be higher for millions of patients across the nation. If the lower courts’ decisions are allowed to stand, any judge could overturn the FDA’s world-class drug approval process, ripping away access to safe, effective, and lifesaving drugs. It would create chaos in our drug approval process.” 

On the 3rd day of repeal, the GOP took from me: Medicaid expansion.

With Medicaid currently serving over 92 million Americans, the largest enrollment in history, this program has never been more important to the lives of everyday Americans. Research confirms that Medicaid expansion saves lives and drastically reduces racial health disparities as well as improves financial security for families and helps local economies thrive.  According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Medicaid expansion saved the lives of 19,200 older adults aged 55 to 64 between 2014 and 2017. Cancer deaths have dropped more in states that accepted Medicaid coverage under the ACA than in states that have held out, and expansion has also been tied to fewer heart-related deaths. 

Medicaid expansion has been a critical part of working towards the goal of every American having access to affordable and quality health insurance, but Republicans in 10 states have not yet implemented expansion of the program, blocking millions from coverage and access to essential health care. Often Republicans know that Medicaid Expansion would be the best program for their state, but continue to refuse to expand it or, in some states, will try to implement a milquetoast replacement program.

If Republicans get their way and repeal the Affordable Care Act, more than 22 million people across the nation will lose coverage. 

Read More:

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Republicans’ Threats to Medicaid Are A Clear and Present Danger

On the 2nd day of repeal, the GOP took from me: rural hospitals.

If the Affordable Care Act gets repealed, Medicaid expansion will be eliminated, threatening vital funding for rural hospitals nationwide. Medicaid expansion provides key support for rural hospitals and, in states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, rural hospitals are drowning under financial pressure. Low occupancy rates, high levels of uncompensated care, competition with other hospitals, and struggling local economies create a financial burden that rural hospitals face all over the country. 

Republicans continue to block Medicaid expansion in 10 states, keeping millions from accessing coverage and essential health care. Since 2005, more than 150 rural hospitals have closed, including 20 closures in 2020 alone. In 2023, over 600 rural hospitals are at risk of closing in the near future, and it is estimated that if those hospitals shut down, 99,000 health care jobs in rural communities will be lost. If the GOP gets their way, rural hospitals will be left without critical funding, turning a bad problem into a worse one. 

Read More:

The MAGA Republican War on American Health Care

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Medicaid Works For Rural Americans

Washington, D.C. — House Republicans have announced their intent to launch a formal impeachment inquiry into President Biden. Under the extreme leadership of Mike Johnson, House Republicans are pursuing impeachment instead of prioritizing kitchen table issues like efforts to lower health care costs. In this year alone, President Biden and Democrats in Congress have made incredible progress to lower costs and ensure millions more Americans have the health care they deserve. This includes key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act taking effect that save seniors hundreds of dollars on their health care costs, making affordable coverage available for new moms and children, and fighting Republican efforts to slash Medicaid. Meanwhile, Republicans have vowed to repeal the ACA and overturn the Inflation Reduction Act. Read more about President Biden’s health care accomplishments here and the Republican war on health care here. 

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

“House Republicans have the wrong priorities and are completely out of step with the American people. Instead of tackling the issues like access to affordable health care, House Republicans are focused on an evidence free impeachment. This isn’t about helping the American people – it’s about helping one person: Donald Trump.”

On the 1st day of repeal, the GOP took from me: the care I need to stay healthy.

For years, Republicans have been fighting tooth and nail to dismantle vital health care programs that the American people rely on. They want to go backwards by repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), slashing Medicare and Medicaid, raising drug prices for seniors, and ripping away all of the new benefits under the Inflation Reduction Act.

If the MAGA Republicans get their way, people won’t be able to afford to see a doctor when they need it or to get medicine when they get sick. They’re siding with the drug and insurance companies at the expense of working people, families, and seniors. 

At a time when people are struggling to pay the bills, the GOP is aiming to take away health care from working people, raise costs for families, and put health care at risk for everyone. 

Read More:

The MAGA Republican War on American Health Care

As Savings Soar Ahead of First Anniversary of Inflation Reduction Act, Republicans Threaten Repeal

Trump Vows to “Never Give Up” MAGA-Republican Efforts to Repeal the Affordable Care Act, Ripping Health Care Away From Millions