Washington, D.C. — Following the announcement that the Supreme Court will hear Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration next term, Protect Our Care is releasing a new report that describes what is at risk if the Supreme Court sets the precedent of allowing courts to overrule the FDA’s drug approval decisions. The report provides a detailed look at the categories of drugs that could be most at risk from ideological opponents and friendly judges.
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. A decision to ban mifepristone would threaten millions of women’s access to safe and legal abortions and open the door for the politically motivated destruction of the entire drug approval process.
The report explains if the Supreme Court opens the door, the public could lose access to other critical and lifesaving health care such as:
other abortion and contraception products
common vaccines opposed by anti-vaxxers
drugs and vaccines that were developed with fetal cell lines, including ones that protect against Hepatitis A
vital treatments for gender-affirming care and HIV prevention
innovative cell and gene therapies
embryonic stem cell research
investments into future treatments with the potential to treat or cure diseases like Parkinson’s, cancer, and diabetes
“A dark cloud looms over the drug approval and development processes as the Supreme Court weighs allowing politics to trump science,” said Leslie Dach, chair of Protect Our Care. “If the lower courts’ decisions stand, any third party with a political agenda can challenge a medication they object to, and judges could ignore expert opinions and arbitrarily rip away lifesaving drugs and vaccines from patients who rely on them. The entire FDA approval process would be thrown into chaos and millions of people across the nation would suffer.”
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.
Washington, DC — Today, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair (CAPAC) Judy Chu (CA-28) and CAPAC Healthcare Task Force Co-Chair Barbara Lee (CA-12) joined Protect Our Care and the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum to discuss how the Inflation Reduction Act is benefiting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPIs) communities across the nation. By lowering health care premiums and prescription drug prices, the Inflation Reduction Act is making care more affordable for AA and NHPIs, and addressing longstanding disparities in access to care and health outcomes.
Efforts to make health care more affordable and accessible are particularly important for AA and NHPIs, who have historically faced greater barriers to achieving and maintaining optimal health. The 25.2 million Asian Americans and 1.5 million Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders living in the U.S. have long been more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions like kidney failure, heart disease, and hypertension, and Asian American seniors are more likely than their white counterparts to report difficulty affording prescription medications. During the call, speakers will discuss how the Inflation Reduction Act is working to benefit AA and NHPIs, and other actions President Biden is taking to ensure everyone has the health care they need to thrive.
“I was so proud to work with my Democratic colleagues in Congress to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, landmark legislation to lower the costs of health care and prescription drugs and make real, tangible differences in the lives and livelihoods of people across the nation,” said U.S. Representative Judy Chu (CA-28), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair. “With the findings from today’s report by Protect Our Care and Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, we can now confirm how AANHPIs, who disproportionately suffer from certain chronic health conditions and diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure, have benefited from the law’s provisions. I look forward to future collaboration with my colleagues and outside advocates to ensure no one in America faces the prospect of going without necessary health care or prescription drugs because of exorbitant cost.”
“It’s been over a year since House Democrats successfully fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, and we’re starting to see the vast benefits in communities across the country—especially to our health care system,” said U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (CA-12), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Healthcare Task Force Co-Chair. “Thanks to this report by Protect Our Care and APIA Health Forum, we can see just how much the IRA is lowering the health care and prescription drug costs for AANHPI families, especially those in California. I thank Chairwoman Chu for her leadership in the AANHPI community, and look forward to continuing our work together.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act includes significant provisions that alleviate barriers to health care for communities like ours,” said Juliet K. Choi, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum. “We are proud to be able to present results today that prove when we put communities’ needs first, we are stronger and healthier together. But this is just the start. With continued partnerships, from the national level to community, we can progress toward a more sustainable and equitable future.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act is a game-changer, especially for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander families,” said Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care. “Between lowering premium costs for families, and driving down drug costs for people on Medicare, the benefits of this historic legislation are already being seen across the nation. Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, not only are Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander seniors and families saving thousands of dollars a year, but they are also better able to access the health care they need and deserve.”
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.
***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13 AT 4:15 PM ET***
Washington, DC — On Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at 4:15 PM ET, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair (CAPAC) Judy Chu (CA-28) and CAPAC Healthcare Task Force Co-Chair Barbara Lee (CA-12) will join Protect Our Care and the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum to discuss how the Inflation Reduction Act is benefiting Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPIs) communities across the nation. By lowering health care premiums and prescription drug prices, the Inflation Reduction Act is making care more affordable for AA and NHPIs, and addressing longstanding disparities in access to care and health outcomes.
Efforts to make health care more affordable and accessible are particularly important for AA and NHPIs, who have historically faced greater barriers to achieving and maintaining optimal health. The 25.2 million Asian Americans and 1.5 million Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders living in the U.S. have long been more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions like kidney failure, heart disease, and hypertension, and Asian American seniors are more likely than their white counterparts to report difficulty affording prescription medications. During the call, speakers will discuss how the Inflation Reduction Act is working to benefit AA and NHPIs, and other actions President Biden is taking to ensure everyone has the health care they need to thrive.
PRESS CALL:
WHO: U.S. Representative Judy Chu (CA-28), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (CA-12), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Healthcare Task Force Co-Chair Juliet K. Choi, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care
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.
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.
Navigator Research released new polling today showing that the Affordable Care Act’s favorability is at an all-time high of 61 percent (+37 points). The poll shows a 14-point increase in favorability since February 2020 as more Americans count on it to protect their coverage and lower their costs.
This comes as Donald Trump and his GOP allies have renewed calls to “terminate” the health care law and destroy its protections for millions of Americans.
The poll also found that Democrats’ trust on health care remains strong, holding a 14-point advantage over Republicans. Democrats also win the ACA repeal argument by a large margin when the messaging emphasizes there is “too much of a risk” and that “Congress shouldn’t cut health care for 30 million Americans.”
Read more here.