News

Across the country, health care experts, lawmakers, and advocates are celebrating the Inflation Reduction Act’s provisions to drive down health care costs for seniors. From New York to Nevada, op-eds from 10 states across the nation make clear that Americans of all walks of life need relief from the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, and the Inflation Reduction Act’s health care measures must be protected and expanded.

This week, Protect Our Care launched its new Medicare Autumn campaign to educate seniors on how Medicare is stronger than ever thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. As seniors go to make choices about their Medicare plans during open enrollment, they will see new benefits including $35 monthly insulin caps, free shingles shots and other recommended vaccinations, protections from outrageous drug company price hikes, and $2,000 out-of-pocket caps on prescription drugs beginning in 2025.  As part of Medicare Autumn, Protect Our Care’s Medicare-A-Van will be hitting the road for a 10+ state tour, “Medicare is Better Than Ever.” Read more about the campaign here. 

HEADLINES:

(WI) Wisconsin Examiner: The Inflation Reduction Act Is Only One of Many Ways in Which the Biden Administration Is Moving America Forward on Health Care. “We were excited to stop by La Crosse and Green Bay Wisconsin to share this great news, and thank Sen.Tammy Baldwin, and Reps. Gwen Moore and Mark Pocan for their votes for lower drug prices and better care as well as Gov. Evers’ championing of Medicaid expansion in Wisconsin. […] More work needs to be done, so that everyone in America can get the care they deserve. Wisconsin’s state legislators need to act now to finally expand Medicaid for working families! But we need to recognize the gains we’ve made so far.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 8/16/23]

(NH) New Hampshire Bulletin: One Year Ago, the Inflation Reduction Act Became Law. “I’m thrilled to be traveling coast to coast on a national bus tour with Protect Our Care to celebrate that achievement, and to share the news about all the changes to our health care system in the past few years under the Biden administration. […] We live in a country where too many still can’t afford or can’t access the care they need. But under the leadership of President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress, we continue to make progress. […] Support health care champions that will continue to push for lower costs and better care, while protecting the care we have today.” [New Hampshire Bulletin, 8/17/23]

(PA) Beaver County Times: Let’s Keep Pennsylvania’s Progress Moving Forward. “In celebration of these achievements, I recently joined Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour in Uniontown to demonstrate how these important changes are already driving down healthcare costs by thousands of dollars a year — with even more savings on the way. […] We must continue to do everything we can to drive down the cost of health care and prescription drugs, as President Biden is doing in D.C. with the Inflation Reduction Act and as the Shapiro-Davis Administration is doing in Harrisburg.” [Beaver County Times, 8/27/23]

(NY) amNY: I Know How Tough It Can Be to Access the Quality Healthcare That We All Deserve. “I work as a Licensed Practical Nurse at a safety net hospital in eastern Brooklyn. As an 1199SEIU union delegate, I hear stories day in and day out about people coming into the emergency room or clinics with uncontrolled diabetes. […] Thanks to the work of President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Democrats in Congress, we finally have a federal partner in this fight. […] In celebration of these achievements, I recently joined Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour for stops across New York […] to spotlight how these important changes are already driving down health care costs by thousands of dollars a year.” [amNY, 8/28/23]

(MN) Minnesota Reformer: Dems Are Right to Keep Pushing on Affordable, Accessible, Quality Health Care. “Health conditions like diabetes put me and millions of other Americans at the mercy of greedy insurance companies and Big Pharma. In the late 1990s, a vial of insulin cost $25. Nothing has changed, yet today that same medication is $340. We live in the wealthiest country in the world, yet we’ve priced people out of lifesaving medications. Fortunately, we’re reclaiming some of that power. Thanks to the work of President Biden and Democrats in Congress, seniors are finally starting to get lower drug costs they deserve. […] In celebration of these achievements, I recently joined Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour in St. Louis Park. I joined elected champions and other advocates to share how these important policy changes are driving down health care costs — with even more relief on the way.” [Minnesota Reformer, 9/11/23]

(WI) Up North News: On the Road Again: The ‘Better Care, Lower Costs’ Bus Tour Talks Up the Legacy of the Inflation Reduction Act. “Health care advocates, patients, and elected supporters of the bill from across Wisconsin joined together to herald the success of the law as Protect Our Care’s “Care Force One” traversed the state. […] Under other provisions of the law, seniors’ drug costs will soon be capped at $2,000 annually, and Medicare is finally able to negotiate for lower drug prices using its bulk purchasing power—just like you and I do when we shop at Sam’s Club or Costco. […] Unfortunately, there was not a single Republican vote for this progress in Congress. Not one. In either house. Now, big drug companies and those same Republicans appear intent on unwinding the progress that has been made.” [Up North News, 9/13/23]

(NY) Syracuse Post-Standard: The Savings From Medicare Negotiation Will Give Families Like My Own Breathing Room to Pay For Other Essentials Like Groceries, Gas and Housing. “I am one of the people who will save hundreds of dollars each month thanks to this historic announcement. I take two of the drugs on the list — Januvia and NovoLog — to help manage my type 2 diabetes. My husband, David, also takes Januvia. In the past year and a half, our prescriptions have skyrocketed from $100 monthly to between $350 and $450, leaving us to make tough financial decisions. […] My husband and I often have to defer paying our bills, whether it’s our water bill or our electric bill, because we need those medications. […] This makes a world of a difference for those of us who live on fixed incomes and struggle with rising costs.” [Syracuse Post-Standard, 9/15/23]

(AZ) Arizona Mirror: Prescription Drugs Don’t Work if People Can’t Afford to Take Them. “In celebration of these achievements, the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans recently joined Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour in Tempe to demonstrate how these important changes are already driving down health care costs by thousands of dollars a year — with even more savings on the way. We discussed how so many of our seniors are already feeling relief from the direct impact these historic health care measures have on their lives. U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Phoenix, discussed his role in helping to pass the Inflation Reduction Act and how he has been supporting President Biden as the administration takes action to eliminate surprise medical bills and expand protections for people with pre-existing conditions like asthma, cancer, and diabetes.” [Arizona Mirror, 9/18/23]

(MI) The Detroit News: Independent Board Would Lower Drug Costs in Michigan. “We know we can’t rely on prescription drug companies to lower prices. That has been the status quo for too long, and it’s become clear we need a large-scale change if we want to truly address exorbitantly priced prescription drugs. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act provided real relief for Michiganians on Medicare costs, including a $35 cap on insulin per dose and a $2,000 limit on out-of-pocket costs that starts in 2025. And recently, Biden announced 10 costly drugs that Medicare is now empowered to negotiate to reduce prices.” [The Detroit News, 9/22/23]

(PA) Morning Call: Letting Medicare Negotiate Drug Prices Will Help Millions of Americans. “It’s unacceptable that the price of a medication got in the way of what my doctor recommends. Soon, when Medicare negotiations are in effect, I will be one of the people who will not only save money, but more importantly, will no longer put my health at risk due to price considerations. […] As a result of the drug industry’s endless pursuit of ever-increasing profits, people in America pay an average of three to four times more for their prescriptions than people in other countries. Meanwhile, high drug prices have kept too many Pennsylvanians from the health care they need.” [Morning Call, 9/26/23]

(NV) Las Vegas Sun: My Health Depends on Members of Congress Standing Up to Companies That Put Outrageous Profits Over People. “If I didn’t have health insurance, the cost of medication to control my psoriatic arthritis would be more than $5,000 every month, which is more money than I make. Even with my health insurance, my copay is $350 per month and still unaffordable to me. […] Even with my health insurance and a good-paying job, the cost of managing my health is expensive. If they’re successful, Republicans in Congress would make managing my health even more expensive. Nevadans like me depend on quality, affordable health care to live healthy, secure lives, and the Inflation Reduction Act is a historic step forward to lowering costs.” [Las Vegas Sun, 9/24/23]

(NY) Long Island Herald: It’s Time for Long Island’s Congressional Representatives to Decide Who They Truly Represent. “As president of the Long Island chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans, an organization fighting to protect the rights of seniors, Social Security and Medicare, I know what’s important to me: quality, affordable health care, a reliable safety net, and a responsible government that tries to do right by its citizens and not special interests. […] When D’Esposito, Santos, LaLota and Garbarino ran for Congress, I don’t remember hearing them say anything about cutting senior citizens’ access to health care in their campaign speeches. So why were they following the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz down the shutdown path?” [Long Island Herald, 10/5/23]

(NC) Franklin Times: Inflation Reduction Act — Aging with Dignity. “North Carolinians depend on quality, affordable health care to live healthy, secure lives, and the Inflation Reduction Act is a historic step forward to lowering costs. Nearly 1.2 million North Carolinians on Medicare will save approximately $400 annually thanks to this legislation, and big drug companies finally have an important check on their power. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid have been lifesavers for millions of Americans for generations. I am thankful for what is to come for Medicare benefits. This progress must continue. We cannot allow others to repeal any of the good work that has been done.” [The Franklin Times, 10/12/23]

(NV) Nevada Current: The Inflation Reduction Act Will Rein in Drug Company Price Gouging. Finally. “After years of working at the DMV, I’m enjoying my retirement here in Nevada with my husband, who retired after serving as a Commercial Enforcement Trooper with the Nevada Highway Patrol. But like so many seniors and retirees, I can’t help but worry about the skyrocketing and unpredictable cost of prescription drugs. As we age, I know our medical needs could increase and take an even larger bite out of our retirement income and savings. That’s why I’m relieved to finally see Congress take action to lower drug prices and rein in drug corporations’ price gouging in Medicare.” [Nevada Current, 10/13/23]

(VA) Dogwood: Virginia General Assembly Must Build on the Cost Savings of the Inflation Reduction Act. “Virginians are seeing the progress of the IRA—and now it’s time for legislators here in Virginia to take the next steps on health care costs and clean energy to multiply those benefits. Thanks to the IRA, health care costs are coming down. Over 300,000 of our friends and neighbors across Virginia are saving an average of $850 through the continuation of subsidies for health insurance plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Big Pharma is also being held accountable for out-of-control prescription drug prices through new penalties for drug manufacturers that increase the price of their products faster than inflation. That is a huge win for the 1 in 4 people in Virginia who report skipping or rationing their prescriptions due to costs.” [Dogwood, 10/17/23]

With the House GOP in utter chaos after failing to elect a Speaker once again, Republicans are desperately rallying behind interim Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC). Just like Kevin McCarthy and Jim Jordan, Patrick McHenry has a long history of fighting to raise health care costs and rip away critical protections from the American people. Patrick McHenry is completely out of step with the American people on health care. 

Since taking office in 2005, McHenry has opposed the Affordable Care Act since its inception and has been a key player in efforts to rip away protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. He was instrumental in shepherding former president Trump’s repeal attempt through the House, he’s supported cuts to Medicare and Social Security for over a decade, threatening the health and well-being of our nation’s seniors, and he supports a nationwide abortion ban. On top of McHenry’s abysmal health care record, he spent the last four years fighting legislation to lower drug costs in order to keep Big Pharma’s profits high. Under Rep. McHenry’s leadership, Republicans will undoubtedly return to their radical agenda of opposing the Affordable Care Act, slashing Medicare and Medicaid, and hiking drug and health insurance costs.

Patrick McHenry’s record is clear: he has always supported higher prices for prescription drugs and higher premiums for people who buy health insurance on their own. McHenry opposed the Inflation Reduction Act and has a history of siding with the drug industry and health insurance companies. He’s tried to slash the Affordable Care Act & Medicaid, which seniors, communities of color, and people with disabilities count on. If McHenry got his way, drug companies would make even more record-breaking profits but working people would pay more for health care.

If Patrick McHenry got his way:

• Medicare would be banned from negotiating lower prices for prescription drugs
• Insulin prices would not have been capped at $35/month for seniors
• Seniors would have to pay more than $2,000 a year out-of-pocket for prescriptions.
• Drug companies would be able to once again raise prices faster than the rate of inflation without penalty.
• Health care coverage for about 23 million people would have been eliminated by 2026
• People with pre-existing conditions could again be denied coverage or charged higher prices
• …. and so much more 

THE DETAILS: Patrick McHenry Voted For Higher Premiums And Prescription Drug Costs

2021: Patrick McHenry, And Every Republican In Congress, Voted Against The Inflation Reduction Act. McHenry joined every Republican in Congress in voting against the Inflation Reduction Act, which “requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate the prices of certain prescription drugs under Medicare beginning in 2026,” and “requires drug manufacturers to issue rebates to the CMS for brand-name drugs without generic equivalents under Medicare medical services that cost $100 or more per year per individual and for which prices increase faster than inflation.” [HR 5376, Roll Call Vote #420, 8/12/21] 

• McHenry Has Ties To Drug Industry Special Interests. McHenry has significant ties to the pharmaceutical and drug manufacturing industry, having pocketed just over $69,900 from the industry during the 2022 midterm election cycle while his opponent received just $250. Big drug companies fiercely lobbied against the Inflation Reduction Act, which included provisions allowing the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate prescription drug prices for Medicare.

What The Inflation Reduction Act Means For America:

• The Inflation Reduction Act will save 19 million seniors an average of $400 per year when the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs goes into effect in 2025. 
• Nearly 2 million people have continued to save an average of more than $800 per year from reduced health insurance premiums.
• Insulin co-payments were capped for the 4 million Medicare beneficiaries who use insulin.
• Millions of people with Medicare are receiving recommended vaccines at no cost.

2021: Patrick McHenry, And Every Republican In Congress, Voted Against the American Rescue Plan. McHenry joined every Republican in Congress in voting against the American Rescue Plan, which “provide[d] health insurance premium assistance for individuals who become eligible for, and elect to enroll in, the COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) continuation coverage program,” increased the rate of “the refundable tax credit for coverage under qualified health plan”, and “ma[de] individuals who received unemployment compensation in 2021 eligible for cost-sharing subsidies for health care expenses under qualified health insurance plans.” [HR 1319, Roll Call Vote #72, 3/10/21] 

What The American Rescue Plan Meant For America:

• Saved families an average of $2,400 a year on their health insurance premiums.

• Ensured all Americans never pay more than 8.5 percent of their household incomes towards an ACA Marketplace premium.

• Eliminated premiums for people earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level who buy their coverage on the ACA Marketplace.
• Extended the premium tax credit to 3.1 million Americans.

2019: Patrick McHenry Voted Against HR3. McHenry joined all but two House Republicans in voting against the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (HR 3), which would have lowered the cost of prescription drug prices by “empowering the federal government to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers.” HR 3 would have required the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate maximum prices for insulin, new and existing single-source brand-name drugs without generics, the top drugs expensed through Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and would have set price ceilings at 120% of the average price in similar countries or 85% of the price for domestic manufacturers. [HR 3, Roll Call Vote #682, 12/12/19]

What HR 3 Meant For America:

• HR 3 would have established a fair price negotiation program including an out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare Part D beneficiaries.
• The bill would have protected tens of millions of Americans enrolled in Medicare from excessive price increases.
• Drug prices would have fallen significantly for people in America.

Patrick McHenry Opposes The ACA And Its Protections For 1 in 2 Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions

McHenry Voted Against Legislation To Protect Patients With Pre-Existing Conditions – After Saying Those With Pre-Existing Conditions Should Have Protections. In October 2018, McHenry said Congress should “ensure those with pre-existing conditions have continued access to medical care.” But less than a year later, McHenry voted against the Protecting Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions Act of 2019, which would have ensured affordable, robust coverage for patients with pre-existing conditions and blocked future administrations from skirting Affordable Care Act coverage requirements. [H.R. 986, Roll Call Vote #196, 5/9/19]

 Patrick McHenry Has Opposed The Affordable Care Act Since Its Inception. Since taking office in 2007, McHenry has been a relentless opponent of the Affordable Care Act, including voting against initial passage of the law and sponsoring at least six attempts to repeal or substantially alter the law. In 2017, he said he has been committed to repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act “since it became law.” McHenry has continued to oppose the law even after Trump’s repeal attempt failed. In 2018, he said the Affordable Care Act hurt the health care industry and drove up prices, and suggested that he would “tackle health care” as part of addressing the federal deficit.

2017: Patrick McHenry Was Instrumental In Shepherding Trump’s Disastrous ACA Replacement. In 2017, McHenry was part of the frantic Republican attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and rip away health coverage and protections for pre-existing conditions for millions of Americans. He served as Chief Deputy Whip for the Republican caucus at the time and was crucial in garnering support for the legislation. As reporters noted, “it appears McHenry spent a lot of time bringing congressmen around to back the bill…McHenry worked the floor frantically in the week leading up to the vote.” McHenry also worked closely with the Trump administration on the repeal effort, and said he was “proud to have worked closely with President Trump and his Administration to pass this law.” He later voted for the passage of the American Health Care Act, justifying his vote by telling his North Carolina constituents that the Affordable Care Act “made healthcare worse” – even as voters in his district expressed support for the law. In a press release addressing the vote, McHenry declared: “This is the beginning and more work must be done.” [HR 1628, Roll Call Vote #256, 5/4/17] 

• Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy Praised McHenry For Getting ACA Repeal Through The House. During a CNN interview, McCarthy told reporters, “And I will tell you, being the whip, really isn’t one person. The deputy whip should get a lot of credit as well. Patrick McHenry. Steve Scalise never gave up. Answered every question. And the team between Scalise and McHenry I would take.” [CNN, 5/4/17]

 What Did AHCA Mean for America?

• Approximately 1 in 2 people in America with pre-existing conditions would have lost protections for coverage.
• 23 million people would have lost coverage under this bill by 2026
• The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the American Health Care Act would have raised premiums by 20 percent.
• The negative economic impact of the American Health Care Act would have caused 1.8 million people to lose their jobs by 2022.

2015: Patrick McHenry Voted For A Total Repeal Of The ACA. McHenry voted for HR 596, an act “to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.” The bill also ordered House committees to develop a replacement that would “provide people with pre-existing conditions access to affordable health coverage,” but provided no specifics. [HR 596, Roll Call Vote #58, 2/3/15] 

2010: Patrick McHenry Voted Against the ACA & Supported Efforts To Overturn The Law In Court. McHenry voted against HR 3590, also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, in March 2010. After the bill’s passage, he supported efforts to overturn the law in court. [HR 2590, Roll Call Vote #165, 3/21/10] 

Patrick McHenry Wants To Slash Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

Patrick McHenry Is A Cheerleader For The Push To Cut, Partially Privatize Medicare And Social Security. McHenry has long defended GOP plans to cut Medicare and Social Security. He’s a member of the Republican Study Committee, which released a budget outlining plans to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and raise premiums for many seniors while partially privatizing the program. In 2012, McHenry voted to raise the retirement age to 70 and supported a budget attempting to end Medicare and shift costs to seniors.

2017: Patrick McHenry Voted To Cut Medicare By $473 Billion. McHenry voted for the FY 2018 budget resolution, which included $473 billion in cuts to Medicare over 10 years. [H Con Res 71, Vote #557, 10/5/17] 

2017: Patrick McHenry Voted To Slash $1.3 Trillion From Medicaid. McHenry voted for the FY 2018 budget resolution, which cut funding for non-Medicare health programs, most notably Medicaid, by 1.3 trillion, a 20 percent cut over the course of 10 years, increasing to a 29.3 percent cut by 2027. [H Con Res 71, Vote #557, 10/5/17] 

2017: Patrick McHenry Voted For Trump’s AHCA, Which Cut $880 Billion From Medicaid. McHenry voted for AHCA, which included $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid. [HR 1628, Roll Call Vote #256, 5/4/17 

• Vox Called AHCA A “Sneaky” Reversal Of The Medicaid Expansion. “Medicaid, a government program that simply compensates health care providers at stingy rates, is much cheaper than private insurance. So the ACA’s authors chose to expand it to cover all families with incomes below 138 percent of the poverty line, rather than shelling out the money it would have cost to have the government pay for them to buy private insurance. The AHCA reverses this expansion. But to avoid the criticism that the law throws poor children off their health insurance, it reverses it in a somewhat sneaky way. Rather than taking Medicaid away from families who have it, it simply caps new enrollments in Medicaid so no new poor families can sign up. But the way this cap works, you can’t get back on Medicaid if you go off of it. So a poor family that gets a raise and becomes non-poor for a year will lose access to Medicaid permanently.” [Vox, 5/9/17]

New Medicare Autumn Campaign Coincides with Medicare Open Enrollment and Includes Nationwide Events, a Multi-State Tour, Digital Ads, and Themed Weeks

Watch The Full Event Here

Washington, DC — Today, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) headlined an event to launch Protect Our Care’s new Medicare Autumn campaign educating seniors on how Medicare is stronger than ever thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. During the event, speakers discussed how over the next several weeks, 65 million people will select their Medicare plans and see new benefits that could save them thousands of dollars on their prescription drug costs.

As part of Medicare Autumn, Protect Our Care’s Medicare-A-Van will be hitting the road for a 10+ state tour, “Medicare is Better Than Ever,” educating seniors across the nation. The campaign will include virtual and in-person events with members of Congress, senior HHS officials, storytellers, and experts following weekly themes in addition to social media content, paid digital ads, and new research.

Signed into law by President Biden last year, the Inflation Reduction Act introduced a $35 cap on monthly insulin copays, free shingles and other recommended vaccinations, protections from drug company price hikes, and $2,000 out-of-pocket caps on prescription drugs beginning in 2025. Critically, the law also gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. Right now, the Biden administration is negotiating lower prices for the first round of prescription drugs under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, and those prices will take effect in 2026. This new program will lower prices for some of the highest-priced prescription drugs used to treat conditions like diabetes, heart failure, blood clots, and arthritis.

“Last year, Democrats and President Biden took on Big Pharma and won,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “Now, millions of seniors on Medicare have their insulin capped at $35 per month and are able to receive critical vaccines for free. Seniors will begin to see lower out-of-pocket costs, and Medicare will negotiate the price of prescription drugs. Our historic legislation is lowering costs and making a difference for millions of people.”

“Big Pharma has been making money hand over fist,” said Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09). “We have been spending up to four times as much for the same exact drug as other countries, for no reason except that Big Pharma could charge what they wanted. But now Medicare can finally begin negotiating for lower drug prices. We have made tremendous progress and it is going to mean so much to seniors across America.” 

“On my 68th birthday, I woke up with shingles and it was nothing to sneeze at,” said Linda Hamacher, a patient storyteller from Michigan. “But I didn’t realize that you still need the shingles vaccine even if you’ve already had shingles. Now seniors can get it without worrying about the cost and when you get older, these kinds of illnesses can be devastating and even deadly. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act more seniors are getting the care they deserve when they need to, not just when they can afford to.”

“The Inflation Reduction Act is providing a lifeline for my husband and me,” said Dawn LaGuerre, a patient storyteller from New York. “The cost of my medication has increased from $100 a month to up to $350 a month. We have to make very hard choices on what bills we’re going to pay and have fallen behind on some, including our mortgage. I have had to decide between eating or getting that NovoLog shot. It provides hope knowing that President Biden and Democrats in Congress are protecting health care and voting for a better quality of life for me. Medicare being given the power to negotiate with Big Pharma allows us the freedom to dream again.”

“Medicare is stronger than ever. As seniors make their Medicare enrollment choices for 2024, it is critical for them to know how they can save big on their prescription drugs thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act,” said Leslie Dach, chair of Protect Our Care. “The new provisions could save Medicare enrollees thousands of dollars a year, with even more savings to come in 2025. However, we cannot lose sight of the ongoing threats to Medicare. Between court battles and legislative attacks, big drug companies and their allies want to move backwards and raise costs on seniors while lining the pockets of wealthy executives. It is critical that seniors know who is on the side of the American people and who is working overtime to support special interests.”

Medicare Autumn will include the following themes each week:

• Week 1: Medicare Is Better Than Ever: President Biden and Democrats in Congress delivered long-overdue relief to seniors by finally lowering prescription drug prices. 
• Week 2: Medicare Negotiation: Medicare now has the power to negotiate lower drug prices for some of the costliest drugs used to treat conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. 
• Week 3: Insulin Cost Cap: 1.5 million Americans on Medicare now pay no more than $35 per month for their insulin copays. 
• Week 4: Free Vaccines: Everyone on Medicare can now access free vaccinations, including for shingles, which impacts as many as one in three Americans. 
• Week 5: Protections From Price Hikes: People on Medicare are now protected from drug companies’ egregious price hikes thanks to increased inflation rebates.
• Week 6: $2,000 Out-Of-Pocket Cost Cap: Soon, everyone on Medicare will pay no more than $2,000 per year on their prescription drugs, saving seniors an average of nearly $400.
• Week 7: Threats To Medicare: Some members of Congress are fighting to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s prescription drug savings while big drug companies are in court to stop Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices.

With the Speakerless House GOP desperately searching for an alternative, Freedom Caucus founder and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) has thrown his hat in the ring. Just like Kevin McCarthy, Jim Jordan has a long history of fighting to raise health care costs and rip away critical protections from the American people. Jim Jordan is completely out of step with the American people on health care. 

Since taking office in 2007, Jordan has been a key part of GOP efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and rip away protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. Fellow Republicans called him a “legislative terrorist” for helping orchestrate the 2013 government shutdown over defunding the Affordable Care Act. He’s supported cuts to Medicare and Social Security, threatening the health and well-being of our nation’s seniors, and supports a nationwide abortion ban. On top of his abysmal health care record in his first decade in Congress, Jordan spent the last two years fighting legislation to lower drug costs in order to keep Big Pharma’s profits high. Under Rep. Jordan’s leadership, Republicans will undoubtedly return to their radical agenda of attacking people with pre-existing conditions, repealing the Affordable Care Act, slashing Medicare, and hiking drug and health insurance costs.

Jim Jordan’s record is clear: he has always supported higher prices for prescription drugs and higher premiums for people who buy health insurance on their own. Jordan opposed the Inflation Reduction Act and has a history of siding with the drug industry and health insurance companies. He’s tried to slash the Affordable Care Act & Medicaid, which seniors, communities of color, and people with disabilities count on. If Jordan got his way, drug companies would make even more record-breaking profits but working people would pay more for health care.

If Jim Jordan got his way:

• Medicare would be banned from negotiating lower prices for prescription drugs
• Insulin prices would not have been capped at $35/month for seniors
• Seniors would have to pay more than $2,000 a year out-of-pocket for prescriptions.
• Drug companies would be able to once again raise prices faster than the rate of inflation without penalty.
• Health care coverage for about 23 million people would have been eliminated by 2026
• People with pre-existing conditions could again be denied coverage or charged higher prices
• …. and so much more 

THE DETAILS: Jim Jordan Voted For Higher Premiums And Prescription Drug Costs

2021: Jim Jordan, And Every Republican In Congress, Voted Against The Inflation Reduction Act. Jordan joined every Republican in Congress in voting against the Inflation Reduction Act, which “requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate the prices of certain prescription drugs under Medicare beginning in 2026,” and “requires drug manufacturers to issue rebates to the CMS for brand-name drugs without generic equivalents under Medicare medical services that cost $100 or more per year per individual and for which prices increase faster than inflation.” [HR 5376, 8/12/21] 

• Jordan Has Ties To Drug Industry Special Interests. Jordan has significant ties to the pharmaceutical and drug manufacturing industry, having pocketed just over $28,908 from the industry during the 2022 midterm election cycle. Big drug companies fiercely lobbied against the Inflation Reduction Act, which included provisions allowing the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate prescription drug prices for Medicare.

What The Inflation Reduction Act Means For America:

• The Inflation Reduction Act will save 19 million seniors an average of $400 per year when the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs goes into effect in 2025. 
• Nearly 2 million people have continued to save an average of more than $800 per year from reduced health insurance premiums.
• Insulin co-payments were capped for the 4 million Medicare beneficiaries who use insulin.
• Millions of people with Medicare are receiving recommended vaccines at no cost.

2021: Jim Jordan, And Every Republican In Congress, Voted Against the American Rescue Plan. Jordan joined every Republican in Congress in voting against the American Rescue Plan, which “provide[d] health insurance premium assistance for individuals who become eligible for, and elect to enroll in, the COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) continuation coverage program,” increased the rate of “the refundable tax credit for coverage under qualified health plan”, and “ma[de] individuals who received unemployment compensation in 2021 eligible for cost-sharing subsidies for health care expenses under qualified health insurance plans.” [HR 1319, 3/10/21] 

What The American Rescue Plan Meant For America:

• Saved families an average of $2,400 a year on their health insurance premiums.
• Ensured all Americans never pay more than 8.5 percent of their household incomes towards an ACA Marketplace premium.
• Eliminated premiums for people earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level who buy their coverage on the ACA Marketplace.
• Extended the premium tax credit to 3.1 million Americans.

2019: Jim Jordan Voted Against HR 3. Jordan joined all but two House Republicans in voting against the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (HR 3), which would have lowered the cost of prescription drug prices by “empowering the federal government to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers.” HR 3 would have required the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate maximum prices for insulin, new and existing single-source brand-name drugs without generics, the top drugs expensed through Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and would have set price ceilings at 120% of the average price in similar countries or 85% of the price for domestic manufacturers.

What HR 3 Meant For America:

• HR 3 would have established a fair price negotiation program including an out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare Part D beneficiaries.
• The bill would have protected tens of millions of Americans enrolled in Medicare from excessive price increases.
• Drug prices would have fallen significantly for people in America.

Jim Jordan Opposes The ACA And Its Protections For 1 in 2 Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions

Jim Jordan Has Opposed The Affordable Care Act Since Its Inception. Since taking office in 2007, Jim Jordan has been a relentless opponent of the Affordable Care Act, including voting against initial passage of the law and sponsoring at least 10 attempts to repeal or substantially alter the law.

2017: Jim Jordan Voted For Trump’s Disastrous ACA Replacement. In 2017, Jim Jordan was part of the frantic Republican attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and rip away health coverage and protections for pre-existing conditions for millions of Americans, voting for the passage of the American Health Care Act. [HR 1628, Roll Call Vote #256, 5/4/17] 

 What Did AHCA Mean for America?

• Approximately 1 in 2 people in America with pre-existing conditions would have lost protections for coverage.
• 23 million people would have lost coverage under this bill by 2026
• The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the American Health Care Act would have raised premiums by 20 percent.
• The negative economic impact of the American Health Care Act would have caused 1.8 million people to lose their jobs by 2022.

2015: Jim Jordan Voted For A Total Repeal Of The ACA. Jordan voted for HR 596, an act “to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.” The bill also ordered House committees to develop a replacement that would “provide people with pre-existing conditions access to affordable health coverage,” but provided no specifics. [HR 596, Roll Call Vote #58, 2/3/15] 

2013: Jim Jordan Staged A Government Shutdown In An Attempt to Defund the Affordable Care Act. In October 2013, the federal government ground to a halt for over two weeks after the Republican-led House of Representatives demanded that legislation to continue funding the government include provisions defunding the Affordable Care Act. Jordan was an “architect” of the 2013 shutdown, and fellow Republicans have blamed him and his far-right allies for leading the shutdown fight. Then-Speaker John Boehner later called Jordan a “legislative terrorist” for his brinkmanship, stating: “I just never saw a guy who spent more time tearing things apart — never building anything, never putting anything together.”

2010: Jim Jordan Voted Against the ACA. Jordan voted against HR 3590, also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, in March 2010. [HR 2590, Roll Call Vote #165, 3/21/10] 

Jim Jordan Voted To Slash Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security

2023: Jim Jordan and the Far-Right Freedom Caucus Released A Budget Proposal With Deep Cuts To Medicaid Enrollment. In March, the far-right Freedom Caucus – which Jordan founded in 2015 – proposed a budget plan that will cut over $3 trillion in non-defense spending, taking aim specifically at health care programs like Medicaid. One of the major restructuring of the program would be the institution of strict work requirements in order to access Medicaid. All research on the subject shows that work requirements reduce dramatically the number of people who can access Medicaid. Almost two-thirds, or 62 percent, of those who would lose their Medicaid coverage as a result of work requirements are women and disproportionately women of color. Also, even though the Freedom Caucus is claiming this is an attempt to cut spending to needless bureaucracy, time and time again Medicaid work requirements end up costing more money to implement and maintain than traditional Medicaid or Medicaid Expansion. Georgia’s new Medicaid work requirements require the state to develop “expensive administrative processes,” estimated to cost upwards of $270 million annually to implement, nearly 3 times more than Medicaid Expansion would cost.

2017: Jim Jordan Voted To Cut Medicare By $473 Billion. Jordan voted for the FY 2018 budget resolution, which included $473 billion in cuts to Medicare over 10 years. [H Con Res 71, Vote #557, 10/5/17; Vox, 10/26/17] 

2017: Jim Jordan Voted To Slash $1.3 Trillion From Medicaid. Jordan voted for the FY 2018 budget resolution, which cut funding for non-Medicare health programs, most notably Medicaid, by 1.3 trillion, a 20 percent cut over the course of 10 years, increasing to a 29.3 percent cut by 2027. [H Con Res 71, Vote #557, 10/5/17; Vox, 10/26/17] 

2017: Jim Jordan Voted For AHCA, Which Cut $880 Billion From Medicaid. Jordan voted for AHCA, which included $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid. [HR 1628, Roll Call Vote #256, 5/4/17] 

• Vox Called AHCA A “Sneaky” Reversal Of The Medicaid Expansion. “Medicaid, a government program that simply compensates health care providers at stingy rates, is much cheaper than private insurance. So the ACA’s authors chose to expand it to cover all families with incomes below 138 percent of the poverty line, rather than shelling out the money it would have cost to have the government pay for them to buy private insurance. The AHCA reverses this expansion. But to avoid the criticism that the law throws poor children off their health insurance, it reverses it in a somewhat sneaky way. Rather than taking Medicaid away from families who have it, it simply caps new enrollments in Medicaid so no new poor families can sign up. But the way this cap works, you can’t get back on Medicaid if you go off of it. So a poor family that gets a raise and becomes non-poor for a year will lose access to Medicaid permanently.” [Vox, 5/9/17]

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17 AT 3:30 PM ET***

Protect Our Care Is Launching Medicare Autumn to Spread the Word That Medicare Is Better Than Ever Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act

Washington, D.C. — On Tuesday, October 17, at 3:30 PM ET, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) will join Protect Our Care to kick off Medicare Autumn. This campaign coincides with Medicare Open Enrollment and includes nationwide events, a multi-state tour, and themed weeks. Panelists will discuss how the 2024 open enrollment period will bring new benefits to 65 million people on Medicare. Over the next several weeks, 65 million people will go to select their Medicare plans, and they will see new benefits that could save them thousands of dollars on their prescription drug costs. Signed into law by President Biden last year, the Inflation Reduction Act introduced $35 caps on monthly insulin copays, free shingles and other recommended vaccinations, protections from drug company price hikes, and $2,000 out-of-pocket caps on prescription drugs beginning in 2025. 

Critically, the law also gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. Right now, the Biden administration is in the process of lowering prices for the first round of prescription drugs under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, and those prices will take effect in 2026. This new program will lower prices for some of the highest-priced prescription drugs on the market used to treat conditions like diabetes, heart failure, blood clots, and autoimmune disorders.

PRESS CALL

WHO:
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09)
Linda Hamacher, patient storyteller (MI)
Dawn LaGuerre, patient storyteller (NY)
Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference 

WHERE: Register for the Event Here

WHEN: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at 3:30 PM

Seniors Will Save in 2024 Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act: Lower Drug Costs, Monthly Insulin Cap, and Free Vaccines 

Washington, D.C. — Sunday, October 15, is the beginning of Medicare open enrollment and 65 million Americans will sign up for 2024 coverage. As seniors select their plans, they will see new benefits that could save them thousands of dollars on their vaccines and prescription drug costs. Signed into law by President Biden last year without a single Republican vote, the Inflation Reduction Act delivered $35 caps on insulin, free shingles and other recommended vaccinations, protections from drug company price hikes greater than inflation, and beginning in 2025, a maximum $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on prescription drugs no matter how expensive those drugs are. 

Critically, the law also gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. Right now, the Biden administration is in the process of lowering prices for the first round of prescription drugs under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, and those prices will be decided in 2025  and take effect in 2026. This new program will lower prices for some of the highest-priced prescription drugs on the market used to treat conditions like diabetes, heart failure, blood clots, and autoimmune disorders, and in turn lower out-of-pocket and Medicare premiums. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“As seniors enroll in their 2024 Medicare plans, they will see new benefits that could save them thousands of dollars on their vaccine and prescription drug costs, with even more savings in the years ahead. Not only will the Inflation Reduction Act save people money at the pharmacy counter, but it will touch everyone on Medicare through lower premium costs. This relief is long-overdue for seniors who are sick and tired of cutting their pills in half and paying up to four times more for their prescriptions than people in other countries so that big drug companies can fuel their massive profits. The contrast couldn’t be clearer – Democrats are standing up to big drug companies, Republicans in Congress are working overtime to rip away all of these new savings and raise costs for seniors across America.” 

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10TH at 10:45 AM CT***

The Biden Administration Announced the First 10 Drugs That Wisconsinites Will Save Money on Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act 

WAUKESHA, WI – On Tuesday, October 10th at 10:45 am CT, Protect Our Care Wisconsin will join Senator Tammy Baldwin and advocates, to discuss how Medicare negotiations will lower prescription drug costs for Wisconsinites. Sen. Baldwin will visit the Waukesha Free Clinic to highlight the recent announcement of the first ten drugs selected for Medicare price negotiation under the Baldwin-backed Inflation Reduction Act. Last week, all 10 drug companies announced they entered into agreements with Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. 

This event comes as Republicans and drug companies attack the Inflation Reduction Act by trying to derail health care policies that will bring down costs. Big drug companies are suing the federal government to protect their massive profits by halting the measure passed in the Inflation Reduction Act that empowers Medicare to negotiate drug prices while Republicans are attempting to repeal it. President Biden and Democrats in Congress are already working to expand these cost savings to more Americans, no matter what age they are or how they get their health insurance. The Biden administration is laser-focused on making medications affordable for families and ending the era of drug companies’ unchecked power and greed.

WHO: ​​
Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Senator
Amy Vega, Executive Director, Waukesha Free Clinic
Dr. Jim Brandes, Board Secretary, Director of Carroll’s Physician Assistant Program
Dr. Elizabeth Davies, Board President, Family Medicine Physician with ProHealth Care
Michael Egly, Director of Program Services, The Free Pantry Waukesha
Lynn Carey, Medicare storyteller 

WHAT:  Tour and Press Conference 

WHEN: Tuesday, October 10 at 10:45 AM CT

WHERE: Waukesha Free Clinic, 237 Wisconsin Ave, Waukesha, WI 53186

###

President Biden announced this week that all the pharmaceutical companies whose prescription drugs were part of the first round of high-cost drugs selected for negotiation announced they entered into agreements with Medicare to begin the process. This new program will lower prices for some of the most expensive prescription drugs on the market used to treat conditions like diabetes, heart failure, blood clots, and autoimmune disorders – conditions that disproportionately impact women, communities of color, and people in rural areas. Together, these drugs are taken by nearly 9 million people on Medicare, account for about 20 percent of annual Medicare Part D spending, and have made a combined $493 billion in global revenue. Read more about the first 10 drugs here.

This is a historic milestone in lowering drug prices through finally empowering Medicare to negotiate on behalf of seniors, which was enacted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act championed by President Biden and Democrats in Congress. Negotiating lower prices is overwhelmingly popular across the country, yet big drug companies are suing the federal government to protect their massive profits by halting the program while Republicans are attempting to repeal it. Read more about the lawsuits here. 

COVERAGE

The Messenger: Biden’s Campaign is Boasting About Lowering Prescription Drug Prices. Republican Opposition Has Given Them an Opening. “Republican presidential candidates quickly and roundly slammed the act, and, by extension, the moves on prescription drugs, giving the Biden campaign an opening for clear contrast. […] Despite the overwhelming Republican opposition, Democrats are confident focusing on this policy will help Biden in 2024, especially given inflation and rising costs are consistently a top concern. […] ‘For decades people have been concerned about the cost of prescription drugs, and for decades politicians have talked about it, but Joe Biden actually got it done and it’s a great issue to campaign on and not just among seniors,’ [Democratic strategist Eddie] Vale said. ‘And to make matters even worse Republicans are actively talking about wanting to repeal the law if they win and take away the government’s right to negotiate lower prices for people.’” [The Messenger, 10/4/23] 

AP News: Biden Says That All 10 Drugs Targeted For The First Medicare Price Negotiations Will Participate. “President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the manufacturers of all of the first 10 prescription drugs selected for Medicare’s first price negotiations have agreed to participate, clearing the way for talks that could lower their costs in coming years and give him a potential political win heading into next year’s election. […] ‘For many Americans, the cost of one drug is the difference between life and death, dignity and dependence, hope and fear,’ Biden said in the video, ‘And that’s why we’ll continue to fight to lower health care costs and we will not stop until we finish the job.’” [Associated Press, 10/3/23]

BioSpace: Ten Companies Register to Participate in Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. “All 10 pharmaceutical companies whose products were selected for the first round of Medicare drug price negotiations have agreed to participate in the talks, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday. […] With all 10 companies’ participation confirmed, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) can now move forward with the negotiation process, which will take place throughout the remainder of this year and into 2024, according to Tuesday’s HHS announcement. This fall, CMS will hold listening sessions with patients, beneficiaries, consumer advocacy organizations, caregivers and other stakeholders. CMS will also meet with the pharmaceutical companies to discuss previous submissions that the agency will consider in determining a maximum fair price. CMS will then make its initial offer for the selected pharmaceutical products, providing the companies with a ‘concise justification’ for the maximum fair price.” [BioSpace, 10/4/23]

Bloomberg Law: All Drugmakers Enter Medicare Drug Price Talks Amid Lawsuits. “Each of the drugmakers selected for the first cycle of Medicare’s drug price negotiation have entered agreements with the agency, the companies told Bloomberg Law. […] Despite all drugmakers agreeing to negotiate, nine drugmakers and industry groups have filed legal challenges seeking to topple the drug price negotiations. The lawsuits argue that the provisions unconstitutionally force companies to lower prices for their products and discourage innovation. The CMS next will host a series of patient-focused listening sessions beginning Oct. 30 on the 10 selected drugs. The sessions are meant to provide patients, beneficiaries, caregivers, consumer and patient organizations, and other interested parties the chance to share input relevant to drugs selected for the first cycle of negotiations. ” [Bloomberg Law, 10/2/23]

CNBC: Drugmakers Opt In To Medicare Drug Price Negotiations – Here’s What Happens Next. “All drugmakers of the first 10 medicines selected for Medicare drug price negotiations have agreed to participate in the talks, even after many of them sued to halt the process last month. […] ‘Today I can announce that the manufacturers of ten drugs are coming to the negotiating table to lower prices,’ President Joe Biden said in a video on X, formerly known as Twitter. ‘They’re taking steps to participate in the negotiating program so we can give seniors the best possible deal.’ Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which passed last year, empowered Medicare to negotiate drug prices for the first time in the program’s six-decade history. The lengthy negotiation process won’t end until August 2024, with reduced prices going into effect in January 2026.” [CNBC, 10/2/23]

CNN: Drugmakers Agree To Negotiate Prices In Medicare Even As They Sue To Stop The Program. “The White House heralded the manufacturers’ participation in the program, which was authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act, which Democrats pushed through Congress last year. ‘For decades, Big Pharma fought to block Medicare from directly negotiating lower drug prices for seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries, while nearly three in ten Americans struggle to afford their medications because of cost,’ the White House said in a fact sheet. ‘President Biden and Congressional Democrats finally beat Big Pharma and allowed Medicare to directly negotiate lower drug prices by passing the Inflation Reduction Act – despite zero Republicans voting in favor of the bill.’ But the drug industry is continuing to try to halt the negotiation process. Manufacturers and industry groups have filed multiple lawsuits in federal courts across the US.” [CNN, 10/3/23]

The Hill: Biden’s Drug Price Negotiation Plan Nets Win. “The Biden administration took a victory lap Tuesday as the White House confirmed all 10 manufacturers of the first drugs selected for Medicare price negotiations will be participating in the program. This comes despite the fact that many of the companies are currently suing the administration in an effort to halt the process. For outside observers, it wasn’t a surprise. Despite the lawsuits and threats, drug companies want to sell their products in the Medicare marketplace. They could either play ball with the administration and negotiate a price, or they could leave. Allowing Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs is politically very popular — a September AP/NORC poll found 76 percent of Americans favor the policy, and that includes a majorities [sic] of Republicans and Democrats.” [The Hill, 10/3/23]

NBC News: Drugmakers Agree To Negotiate Drug Prices With Government, White House Says. “Major drug companies including Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb have committed to participate in Medicare drug price negotiations with the federal government, the Biden administration said Tuesday. The move is a positive step for people on Medicare, although there are still lawsuits from drug companies fighting the price negotiations. […] In June, Merck announced a lawsuit against the federal government over the negotiation provision. Other drugmakers, including Johnson & Johnson, have since filed similar suits. The companies say allowing Medicare to negotiate prices would lead to lower profits, causing drugmakers to reduce spending in research and development.” [NBC News, 10/3/23]

The New York Times: Drug Makers Agree to Negotiate With Medicare on Prices of 10 Medications. “Politically, Mr. Biden has used the drug negotiation provision in the law as a way of demonstrating his willingness to fight against big corporate interests on behalf of Americans who are struggling with high prices. Last month at an event in Maryland, the president boasted about his achievements. ‘I, along with your senators in Congress, have been trying for our whole careers to take on Big Pharma,’ he said, saying the companies had long tried to intimidate lawmakers by spending hundreds of millions of dollars on lobbyists. ‘But guess what? It happened. We finally won.’ The White House has also used the issue to focus on the differences between Democrats and Republicans. ‘Not a single solitary Republican voted for that,’ Mr. Biden said in Maryland. ‘And now — and now they want to repeal it.’” [The New York Times, 10/3/23]

NPR: Drugmakers Will Negotiate With Medicare On Price. But They’re Suing, Too. “For the first time, Medicare is beginning to negotiate the prices of prescription drugs. Despite a pack of industry lawsuits to keep the negotiations from happening, the drugmakers say they are coming to the bargaining table anyway. […] The drugs included blockbuster blood thinners Xarelto and Eliquis, as well as drugs for arthritis, cancer, diabetes and heart failure. Although more than a third of the companies that make drugs on the list have sued the federal government, all the companies have signed agreements saying they will negotiate.” [NPR, 10/4/23]

Truthout: All Manufacturers of 10 Drugs Set for Medicare Negotiation Agree to Participate. “On Tuesday, the Biden administration announced that all prescription drug manufacturers representing the 10 medications selected for negotiation through Medicare under a newly enacted policy have agreed to take part in the process, which should formally begin early next year. […] More medications will be negotiated in the future, the administration said, and around 60 medications will be part of the program over the next four years. […] Most Americans support the government having the ability to negotiate the costs of medication; a recent poll found that 76 percent back the idea, while only 6 percent said they opposed it.” [Truthout, 10/3/23]