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GOP Attacks on Medicaid Continue As GOP Eyes Cuts

Republicans have declared war on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. They are promising to defund all three programs and repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s provisions to lower drug costs under Medicare and make Affordable Care Act coverage more affordable through premium tax credits. But in many ways, their biggest target appears to be Medicaid. Over 90 million Americans receive their care through Medicaid. Medicaid has been proven time and time again to save lives, increase coverage and – in turn – access to needed care, and help reduce racial, rural, and other health disparities. Republican attacks on Medicaid are especially harmful for communities of color, rural Americans, people with disabilities, and low-income families.

How The GOP Is Threatening Medicaid:

• Promising draconian cuts to Medicaid in debt ceiling and appropriations negotiations
• Attempting to abruptly end the Public Health Emergency, which could throw 5 to 14 million people off Medicaid coverage
• Refusing to expand Medicaid in the 11 holdout states with Republican legislatures causing hospital closures in rural America due to lack of funding
• Committing to repeal the Affordable Care Act and its provisions to expand Medicaid adopted by 39 states 

Medicaid Saves Lives

Thousands Of Lives Saved Each Year. As of September 2022, over 90 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid. At least 19,000 lives were saved due to the ACA’s Medicaid expansion. An additional 7,000 lives per year could be saved if the 11 Republican hold out states expand Medicaid coverage. A study published in the Journal of Health Economics found that Medicaid expansion reduced mortality in non-elderly adults by nearly four percent. 

Expansion Of Lifesaving Care. Medicaid expansion has helped patients access preventive care, including colon cancer screenings. Expansion also increased patient access to kidney transplants and made diabetes medication more affordable for low-income patients. The program was also tied to earlier diagnosis of colorectal cancer and reducing diabetes-related amputations. Expansion is associated with improvements in access to care and outcomes related to substance use disorder and mental health care. 

Medicaid Reduces Racial Disparities In Health Care

Reduced Racial Disparities In Coverage And Access. Increasing Medicaid access is the single most important action available to expand coverage and, together with other actions that address access as a driver of health and other determinants of health, reduce racial disparities in health care. The ACA led to historic reductions in racial disparities in access to health care, but racial gaps in insurance coverage narrowed the most in states that adopted Medicaid expansion. States that expanded their Medicaid programs saw a 51 percent reduction in the gap between uninsured white and Black adults after expansion, and a 45 percent reduction between white and Hispanic adults. 60 percent of Americans who would gain coverage if the remaining 11 hold out states expanded Medicaid are people of color. 

Medicaid Coverage Is Critical To Improving Maternal Health. The United States is only one of two nations that has reported an increase in maternal mortality since 2000. Women of color consistently experience higher rates of maternal mortality than white women, with the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities finding this to be the result of a combination of factors, including life-long toxic stress resulting from racism and the impacts of structural racism in the health care system. If post-partum Medicaid coverage was expanded to a full year, more than 720,000 individuals would receive quality coverage.This is an important step combined with other efforts to address peripartum health outcomes, like the Momnibus legislation. In the 11 states that have refused Medicaid expansion, eight had more than 40 percent of births covered by Medicaid. Medicaid covers 65 percent of all births to Black mothers and 65 percent of women of reproductive age living in the coverage gap are women of color. 

Better Access To Care. Medicaid expansion reduced racial disparities in cancer care and resulted in earlier diagnosis and treatment for Black patients. In 2021, over 11 million Black Americans were covered by Medicaid, with an additional 2.4 million stuck in the coverage gap.

Medicaid Reduces Rural Disparities In Health Care

Medicaid Helps Rural Hospitals Stay Open. Rural hospitals in Medicaid expansion states are 62 percent less likely to close. The two most common types of supplemental Medicaid payments are disproportionate share hospital payments, that pay hospitals for uncompensated care for Medicaid and uninsured patients, and upper limit payments, which supplement the gap between fee-for-service Medicaid base payments and the amount that Medicare covers. Some states are also testing the use of global hospital budgets to increase care and improve health outcomes in rural hospitals.

Closure Of Specialized Care And Obstetrical Services. Some hospitals opt to close specific services or facilities that cause patients in rural areas to have to travel further for specialized care. On average, when a rural hospital closes patients have to travel over 20 miles further to access inpatient or emergency care. A 2021 study found that fewer than half of all rural counties in the United States had hospital-based obstetric care. When hospitals face financial hardship, obstetric services are among the first to be cut. African American and Native American women in rural areas are particularly at risk. African American and Native American women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.

Rural Hospitals Boost Local Economies. Besides hospitals providing higher paying jobs in the health care sector, rural hospitals also stimulate the local economies of other industries. Hospitals purchase goods or services from local private businesses which helps stabilize and reinforces the local economy. In turn, strong private sector employment allows for more tax dollars for public goods, such as education and safety services.

Medicaid Benefits Children

Almost Half Of Births Are Covered By Medicaid. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 4 in 10 births are covered by Medicaid. Under the American Rescue Plan, states were given the option to extend coverage to new mothers for one year postpartum, which will improve maternal health outcomes. Out of expansion states, 2 states, Texas and Wisconsin, have limited postpartum coverage. 

When Parents Have Medicaid, Their Children Are More Likely To Have Regular Care. The children of parents enrolled in Medicaid are 29 percent more likely to receive a well-child visit. This relationship is even stronger among families enrolled in Medicaid with household incomes at the federal poverty line as they are 45 percent more likely to receive a well-child visit. 

Medicaid Helps Those In Need Of Long Term Care

Low-Income Seniors With Medicare Depend On Medicaid For Long-Term Care. Nearly 70 percent of people aged 65 and older will need some form of long-term care for at least 3 years.  Medicaid is a critical provider of home and community based care that are essential to keep loved ones at home with their families and neighbors. Without Medicaid, many seniors would not be able to afford these needed services with Medicare alone. 84 percent of individuals in nursing facilities covered by Medicaid in 2019 were dually eligible, with Medicaid covering costs once Medicare benefits have been depleted.

In celebration of Black History Month, Protect Our Care is highlighting important steps under the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act to reduce disparities in access to quality, comprehensive health care by expanding coverage, reducing costs, and improving care in the communities where it is most needed.

Protect Our Care’s dedication to protecting these coverage gains and making health care even more affordable and more equitable for the American people is driven by a broader commitment to tackling systemic inequities that persist due to racism and discrimination. The Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have been working to advance health equity through measures that address health care access and quality as a driver of health such as lowering prescription drug costs, expanding Medicaid coverage, and tackling the maternal health crisis. Democratic policymakers have also championed multi-sector policies that are also needed to address basic conditions that affect health and related outcomes, particularly for Black Americans and other marginalized communities. Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“This Black History Month we are celebrating the continuous progress made by lawmakers to make health care more affordable, accessible, and equitable and a right for every American. Leaders like Vice President Kamala Harris, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood, are taking critical steps to secure health care for every American all while making history. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress have promised to continue their ongoing threats to roll back this progress by voting to dismantle safeguards for Medicaid unwinding, threatening to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, and blocking a universal $35 insulin cap — all of which disproportionately harm communities of color.”  

Lowering Prescription Costs

Millions of people in Medicare still struggle to pay for life-saving prescriptions or treatments, with Black Medicare beneficiaries being nearly twice as likely than White Medicare beneficiaries to stop taking a prescription due to cost. This is a two-fold problem of drug companies continuing to increase prices and Black seniors having to foot the bill for these price increases. From 2016 to 2021 alone, costs for specialty prescription drugs increased by 43 percent while some drug prices increased by rates of over 500 percent. The Inflation Reduction Act addresses these outrageous skyrocketing prices by requiring that manufacturers whose drug prices increase faster than that of the inflation rate will have to pay Medicare a rebate. This will not only save the government billions of dollars, but will drastically reduce out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries. As well, the Inflation Reduction Act will implement by 2025 a $2,000 annual cap for out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs, saving Black families on average $1,216 every year.

Capping Insulin Costs

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Black adults are almost 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes. As well, around 29 percent of adults aged 65 and older are diagnosed with diabetes, making it the most common chronic illness in the United States, with 1.6 times more Black seniors having been diagnosed than White seniors, despite 74 percent of seniors being white and only 9 percent identifying as African American. Insulin manufacturers have raised retail prices over 600 percent in the last 20 years, limiting the ability of low-income diabetics, who are disproportionately people of color, from accessing lifesaving treatment. Under the Inflation Reduction Act though, insulin prices have now been capped at $35 a month. This will save each individual Black senior who uses Medicaid up to $1,500 annually.

Expanding Vaccine Programs

White Americans are nearly twice as likely to have received the shingles vaccine than Black Americans and this is not the only area where vaccination programs highlight a consistent racial disparity. Much of these inequities can be traced back to cost and lack of access to this vital form of preventive health care. The Inflation Reduction Act aims to begin tackling this vast issue by making more vaccines available to Medicare Part D recipients with no cost-sharing. Free vaccines for more Black seniors means reducing hospitalizations, fewer complications in other health problems, and a more sustainable and equitable health system.

Bringing Down Uninsurance Rates

According to HHS reports, an estimated 2,954,000 more Americans, including nearly half a million Black Americans, will have access to health insurance next year compared to without the Inflation Reduction Act. Studies show that individuals having health insurance leads to more access to care, reduced financial strains, and better health outcomes  – all of which advance health equity. Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, racial disparities in insurance rates have been falling and President Biden’s promise to build upon it has led to some of the lowest uninsured rates in history.

Extending Premium Savings

The premium savings continued through the American Rescue Act and extended by the Inflation Reduction Act have made more than 65 percent of uninsured Black adults eligible for zero dollar premium plans. Nearly 75 percent of uninsured Black adults can now also access plans for less than $50 a month. The Center on Budget Policy and Priorities estimates the continuation of these increased savings will cause a sharp decline in the uninsured rate across every racial group, with a projected one in three uninsured Black adults gaining coverage.

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2 AT 10:30AM***

The Inflation Reduction Act Is Keeping Health Care Costs Low for Pennsylvanians

Philadelphia, PA – Today at 10:30AM, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, Zach Sherman, Executive Director of Pennie, The Pennsylvania Health Access Network, and health care advocates will join Protect Our Care Pennsylvania to release new Pennie enrollment numbers and the number of Pennsylvanians that will benefit from the lower insurance premiums in 2023 thanks to the Advanced Premium Tax Credits extended under the Inflation Reduction Act. On average, families saved thousands of dollars a year on health care, giving them much-needed breathing room to pay for other essentials like rent, groceries, and gas.  

These savings are a game-changer for Pennsylvanians — saving an average middle-class family of four in Pennsylvania $4,763 on their yearly premiums. Pennie will also announce that in Pennsylvania, 371,516 people have signed up for health insurance on the commonwealth’s exchange, including 64,872 new enrollees in the latest open enrollment period signaling the continued popularity of the state-operated health insurance marketplace.

WHO:
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis
Zach Sherman, Executive Director of Pennie
Antoinette Kraus, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Health Access Network
Michael Berman, Protect our Care Pennsylvania State Director
Health Care Advocates

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHEN: Thursday, February 2nd at 10:30AM 

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

Harris Previously Served as Chief of Staff to Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Chief of Staff to Two Assistant Secretaries at HHS, and Aide to Senate HELP Committee Chairmen Tom Harkin and Ted Kennedy 

Washington, DC — Andrea Harris is joining Protect Our Care on February 6 as Director of Policy Programs. She brings extensive experience from her service in the legislative and executive branches, including expertise in health coverage, drug pricing, and hospital pricing policy, which will further Protect Our Care’s work to make high-quality, affordable, equitable health care a right, and not a privilege, for everyone in America. Read Andrea’s full biography here. 

Harris will lead Protect Our Care’s work to support implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and protect it from GOP efforts to repeal or sabotage the law. Harris’s work will be central to POC’s ongoing efforts to build on the Inflation Reduction Act and to further reduce drug costs and permanently extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits that made coverage more affordable for millions of people. Harris will also help organize against efforts to overturn key components of the ACA through the courts, including the law’s provision guaranteeing free preventive care relied on by millions of Americans. Additionally, Harris will support POC’s advocacy for closing the Medicaid coverage gap, reducing harmful inequities in care, and strengthening coverage for mothers, children, and families across the country. 

“Andrea has dedicated her career to making quality, affordable health care a right for every American. She has been on the front lines of enacting, implementing, and strengthening the Affordable Care Act,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Andrea played a critical role in making health insurance more affordable as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Andrea’s experience working for health care leaders in Congress and at the Department of Health and Human Services will be a tremendous asset to Protect Our Care’s work to make high-quality, affordable coverage and equitable care a reality across America. I had the privilege of working with Andrea at HHS and am delighted to have her bring her talents to Protect Our Care.” 

“Andrea understands how to develop, enact, and implement policies that save lives and make health care more accessible, and she’s done it,” said U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14). “I am grateful she led my team to introduce and advance the Health Care Affordability Act and Black Maternal Health Momnibus, and I know she will continue to be an asset to the American people at Protect Our Care as they push to lower health care costs for families.”

“Everyone deserves high-quality, affordable health care as a fundamental right; it shouldn’t be for the privileged few,” said Andrea Harris. “This belief has guided my career, and over the past decade Democrats in Congress and the White House have made considerable gains in making coverage and prescription drugs more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans. As the GOP constantly seeks to overturn these benefits, the team at Protect Our Care fights tirelessly to protect and strengthen health care and prescription drug affordability. I am honored to join them and be part of this essential mission.”

Andrea Harris Bio

Andrea Harris has 15 years of experience in federal health policy and has held senior roles in the legislative and executive branches. She most recently served as Chief of Staff to Rep. Lauren Underwood, a nurse and health policy expert, helping enact legislation to lower health care and prescription drug costs, and improve maternal health outcomes and end disparities. During the Obama Administration, Andrea served as Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary for Health and Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary for Legislation at HHS, helping implement the Affordable Care Act and fund family planning programs. She began her career in public service working on the Affordable Care Act, women’s health, and children’s health as an aide to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairmen Ted Kennedy and Tom Harkin. Andrea earned a Master’s degree in health policy and economics from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree from UCLA. 

 

On the 17th of January, Republican Congressman Brett Guthrie introduced the Pandemic is Over Act, a bill that would abruptly end the COVID-19 public health emergency on the day of enactment. If the Guthrie bill became law it would cause chaos in the health care system, sabotage the bipartisan Medicaid and health care provisions in the December Omnibus package, and likely result in millions being thrown off the Medicaid rolls.

The Biden administration and Democrats in Congress have, through passage of the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, provided continuous Medicaid coverage  to working Americans since the pandemic began in 2020. This resulted in 91 million Americans receiving Medicaid as of September 2022. 

The Omnibus package passed in December ends the Public Health Emergency as of April 1st which will trigger a review of Medicaid coverage for current recipients. Experts estimate that millions of Americans will lose Medicaid coverage because of paperwork issues and others will become uninsured even though they qualify for affordable coverage under the ACA. The Omnibus sought to prevent these issues by creating federal guardrails and incentives for states as they conduct the Medicaid “unwinding” process. By statute, these protections begin April 1, 2023. If the Gurthrie bill is passed before April, these protections will be nonexistent.

What Comes Next

Republicans are looking to move Representative Guthrie’s bill through committee on Monday and bring it to the floor later in the week. The passage of this legislation would drastically hasten state plans to unwind Medicaid coverage and lead to even more Americans losing their Medicaid coverage who still meet all the criteria for coverage, and leave others without coverage who qualify for low-cost ACA coverage.

The legislation introduced by Guthrie aims to circumvent guardrails put in place by the Omnibus package, but no matter what, states can begin terminating beneficiary rolls in April of this year. If guardrails remain in place though, there are tools available to support the unwinding process.

• On January 27th, CMS released guidelines outlining a new special enrollment period for individuals leaving Medicaid or CHIP. This would allow those no longer receiving Medicaid coverage due to roll terminations to enroll in marketplace coverage outside of the open enrollment period. According to CMS, this SEP will last from March 31, 2023 to July 31, 2024.
• States can obtain temporary waivers through CMS to renew Medicaid coverage based on a wide variety of formulas that allow for individuals who may see their coverage terminated in April to continue having coverage for at least another 12 months. CMS has already approved over 158 waivers in 41 states. 
• CMS has outlined guidance for states to work with MCOs, community health centers, navigators, and other programs to help streamline updating enrollee information, potentially preventing Medicaid beneficiaries whose documentation has fallen through the cracks since 2020 to continue receiving coverage. Currently, around 39 states have reported plans to work with these stakeholders and agencies.
• Under the 2022 Omnibus package passed in December, the HHS now also has the authority to forbid states from terminating beneficiaries for purely administrative reasons, and impose monetary penalties on states who do so.

What’s at Stake

If this legislation were to become law and states proceed with Medicaid unwinding absent of guardrails, up to 15 million Americans could lose their Medicaid coverage. This would be the single greatest loss of Medicaid coverage in American history, vastly outpacing even the record fall in Medicaid coverage under President Trump in 2018 and 2019. The bill brought by Representative Guthrie would worsen health disparities due to preventable losses in health coverage.

• The uninsured rate during the COVID-19 pandemic fell to an all-time low, thanks in part to the Biden administration’s historic accomplishments in his first two years in office. If current Medicaid enrollees lose their coverage and cannot access a different form of health insurance, the uninsured rate could begin to increase once again as systemic barriers exist for those leaving Medicaid while still seeking coverage.
• Of those at risk of losing coverage, over 5 million are Latinos, 2 million are African American, and a million are Asian American or Pacific Islander. In all, 13 percent of all Black children, 12 percent of Native American and Latino children, and 10 percent of all Hawaiian Native and Pacific Islander children are at risk of losing Medicaid coverage completely. Studies show only 21 percent of children who lose Medicaid ever transfer over to S-Chip.
• Many states have not updated their enrollment systems to accommodate disabled Americans or those with limited English proficiency. Currently, 19 states only provide information in English and 11 states provide no reasonable modifications, such as braille, for their online Medicaid services. Traditionally marginalized groups along lines of income will see disproportionate effects due to the lack of these services, as individuals without caregivers or guardians may lose coverage for no fault of their own.

Senate Democrats are hitting the ground running to investigate the broken drug pricing system that has left one in four Americans struggling to afford their medications. After passing historic legislation to drive down prices for patients and curb drug company greed, Senate HELP Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (D-VT) is leading an aggressive strategy to hold Big Pharma accountable for their price hikes. 

Bloomberg: Pharma CEOs Are Among Likely Targets for Senate Democrats’ Subpoenas. “With long-time critic Bernie Sanders taking over the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, pharmaceutical companies will be under a microscope like no other. The progressive firebrand says he’s ready to order executives to appear and has recently taken particular aim at a ‘dysfunctional’ and ‘broken’ health-care system.” [Bloomberg, 1/23/23] 

Axios: Drug Companies Brace for Chairman Bernie. “Sanders has signaled an early focus of the committee’s work will be drug prices, and manufacturers are bracing for some contentious hearings. ‘I have no doubt there will be tough hearings with people from industry being forced to testify, subpoenaed to testify, etc.,’ a pharmaceutical industry source said. ‘And I think that’s going to be a real challenge.’” [Axios, 1/30/23]

Protect Our Care Calls on Congress to Keep Up the Momentum to Lower Costs, Improve Care, and Advance Health Equity 

Read the Agenda Here

Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Care released a health care agenda detailing steps Congress should take to build on the health care victories over the past two years. The agenda lays out legislative actions to expand coverage, lower costs, strengthen protections, and address inequities in care. The agenda comes after a historic year in expanding affordable health care, which has resulted in record enrollment on the ACA marketplaces and the national uninsured rate reaching an all-time low. These actions are particularly important as Republicans are in the majority in the House and are working to cut Medicare and Medicaid, repeal the ACA and the Inflation Reduction Act, rip away lifesaving protections, reverse recent coverage gains, and hike prescription drug costs for the American people.

“In every election since 2018, voters have gone to the polls prioritizing health care, and they want their elected officials to continue lowering costs and improving care,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “By reducing premium and prescription drug costs, reaching historic coverage rates, and strengthening health care for moms, kids, and families, it is clear that Democrats’ hard work is paying off. As we enter a new Congress, we must protect these coverage gains and make health care even more affordable for the American people. At a time when Republicans have doubled down on their war on health care, including by seeking cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, trying to repeal the ACA and the Inflation Reduction Act, and ripping away critical protections, it has never been more critical to remain focused on protecting health care access and putting the health and well-being of families first.”

U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Peter Welch (D-VT), HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, HHS Regional Directors Headlined Events Across Six States 

Over the last several weeks, lawmakers, administration officials, health care experts, and advocates joined Protect Our Care to discuss the new health care savings for the American people thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. On January 1, critical provisions took effect, including extending lower health insurance premiums for those who bought through the ACA, capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for seniors, and providing needed vaccines, like the shingles vaccine, at no cost for Medicare beneficiaries. 

During the events, speakers also discussed how the Inflation Reduction Act’s enhanced premium tax credits helped fuel a record-breaking open enrollment period, with 16.3 million people signing up for health care coverage on the ACA marketplaces. More than three million people are brand new to the marketplace. 

Lawmakers have long promised to rein in high drug prices, lower health costs, and expand access — President Biden and Democrats are getting the job done.

ARIZONA

Wednesday, January 25 – Regional HHS Director and Will Humble Highlight New ACA Open Enrollment Numbers in Arizona: Dr. Jeffrey Reynoso and Will Humble joined Protect Our Care Arizona to discuss the record number of people who purchased ACA marketplace coverage with lower premiums for 2023 thanks to the Advanced Premium Tax Credits extended under the Inflation Reduction Act. This morning, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that 16.3 million Americans, including 235,229 Arizonans signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces, including 3.1 million new enrollees. This represents a more than 12 percent increase nationally from the same time last year. “In Arizona the average middle class family of four is set to save $4,763 on their yearly premiums because of the IRA,” said Dr. Reynoso. “Arizonans heard the news and enrolled in record numbers. This is a trend that we saw nationwide.” Learn more about how the Inflation Reduction Act lowers health care costs for Arizonans here. A recording of the event can be viewed here.

Coverage:

• Cronkite News: Record numbers sign up for Obamacare health coverage in Arizona, U.S.
• White Mountain Independent: Record numbers sign up for Obamacare health coverage in Arizona, U.S.
• Arizona Public Media/PBS/NPR: Record breaking Affordable Care Act health insurance sign ups

GEORGIA

Friday, January 13 – Open Enrollment Event with HHS Regional Director Antrell Tyson, Georgians for A Healthy Future, and Health Care Advocates: Experts from Georgians for a Healthy Future and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services joined Protect Our Care Georgia to discuss the ACA Open Enrollment 2023 period – which started on November 1, 2022 and ends on January 15th. “Just like the Bulldogs’ victory on Monday night, this year’s open enrollment has already proven to be a huge victory for thousands of Georgians,” said Health and Human Services Regional Director Antrell Tyson. “Georgia residents without health insurance through their jobs have the opportunity from now, until Jan. 15, to enroll in comprehensive health coverage. The time is now,” he added. You can watch the event here.

Coverage:

• Capitol Beat: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• WALB (NBC/ABC): Affordable Care Act open enrollment deadline approaching
• Insurance News Net: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Douglas Sentinel: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Christian Index: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Augusta Press: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Morgan County Citizen: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Albany Herald: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• Business Insurance: Georgia reports record enrollment in ACA marketplace
• The Marietta Daily Journal: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Walker County Messenger: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Catoosa County News: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Rome News Tribune: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Calhoun Times: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• Polk Standard Journal: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Gwinnett Daily Post: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• WFXL: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Jackson Press Argus: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Henry Herald: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• The Rockdale Citizen: Georgia Affordable Care Act enrollment soars
• WALB (NBC/ABC): Affordable Care Act open enrollment deadline approaching

MICHIGAN

Thursday, January 26 — Health Care Leaders Celebrate Successful Michigan Open Enrollment Numbers and Costs Savings in 2023: Health care leaders joined Protect Our Care Michigan to celebrate a record-breaking enrollment of 322,273 Michiganders into the ACA marketplace for 2023. This year seniors in the state and across the country are saving on insulin costs and life-saving vaccines thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. “The Inflation Reduction Act has been nothing short of a game changer in our community,” said Jim Ananich, President and CEO of the Greater Flint Health Coalition. “The monthly cap on insulin for Medicare recipients is a lifesaving benefit in communities of color like Flint disproportionately impacted by diabetes. Along with providing our seniors with shingles and other critical vaccinations at no cost, this landmark law is taking a major step toward reducing racial inequities in health care in our community and beyond.” You can watch the event here, and learn more about how the Inflation Reduction Act is keeping costs low for Michiganders here. 

Coverage:

• Detroit Free Press: Michigan sees highest Obamacare enrollment since 2016
• MLive: Record Michiganders seek health insurance through ACA marketplace in 2023
• WXMI-TV, Fox – Grand Rapids: Newsclip
• Gongwer: Health Care Leaders Boast Record-Breaking Open Enrollment

NEVADA

Tuesday, January 24 — U.S. DHHS Regional Director, Nevada Health Link Director Highlight ACA Open Enrollment Numbers in Nevada: Dr. Jeffrey Reynoso, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Director, and Ryan High, Executive Director of Nevada Health Link, joined Protect Our Care Nevada to discuss the record number of people who purchased ACA marketplace coverage with lower premiums for 2023 thanks to the Advanced Premium Tax Credits extended under the Inflation Reduction Act. “Americans know a good deal when they see one,” said Dr. Jeffrey Reynoso. “Thanks to the enhanced premium tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act, more people than ever signed up for health insurance during the 2022 open enrollment period. These tax credits will save an average middle-class family of four in Nevada $4,494 on their yearly premiums, giving them the breathing room to pay for other necessities like food, gas, and rent.” Learn more about how the Inflation Reduction Act lowers health care costs for Nevadans here. A recording of the event can be viewed here.

Coverage:

• KRXI (Reno Fox): Nearly 100,000 Nevadans signed up for health insurance this year
• KRXI (Reno FOX): Record-Breaking Open Enrollment Numbers
• KTVN (Reno CBS): Record Open Enrollment for Nevadans
• KTVN (Reno CBS): Open Enrollment in Nevada
• KRNV (Reno NBC): Record-Breaking Open Enrollment Numbers in Nevada
• KTNV (Las Vegas ABC): ACA Enrollment 
• Nevada Current: Opinion: Affordable health insurance empowers us all

PENNSYLVANIA

Wednesday, January 25 — Senator Bob Casey, HHS Region 3 Director Dr. Ala Stanford, and Health Care Advocates Highlight How the Inflation Reduction Act Caps Insulin Costs and Expands Access to Free Vaccines for Seniors: Senator Bob Casey, Dr. Ala Stanford, and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care Pennsylvania to highlight how seniors in Pennsylvania and across the country are saving on insulin costs and life-saving vaccines thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. “Because of the Inflation Reduction Act, an estimated 261,000 Pennsylvania seniors can now access life-saving vaccines at no cost and 87,000 Pennsylvanians are starting to see reduced costs for their insulin. These are huge milestones, and I’m proud to have fought for these provisions alongside Protect Our Care, which has been an incredible partner in protecting health care across the Nation,” said Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “Families shouldn’t have to choose between their health and their bank account. We still have more work to do, and I will continue to fight in Washington to help Pennsylvania families and seniors save on health care costs.” You can watch the event here, and learn more about how the Inflation Reduction Act is keeping costs low for Pennsylvanians here.

Coverage:

• WOLF (Hazleton FOX): Senator Casey Highlights Inflation Reduction Act Savings 
• WOLF (Hazleton FOX): Senator Casey highlights savings from the Reduction Inflation Act
• WCAU (Philadelphia NBC): Medicare Patients to See Savings on Insulin & Vaccines
• WPVI (Philadelphia ABC): Inflation Reduction Act Benefits 
• KYW Newsradio: Inflation Reduction Act Savings on Insulin & Vaccines 
• KYW Newsradio: Medicare beneficiaries across Pa. can expect to see big savings on insulin and vaccines

VERMONT

Monday, January 9 — HHS Secretary Becerra, Senator Welch, and Health Care Advocates Celebrate Inflation Reduction Act Provisions to Drive Down Drug Prices: U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra joined health care advocates in Rutland, Vermont, for a press conference celebrating prescription drug pricing provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. “Already today, there are probably Vermonters who have bought insulin for $35 thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The president said one thing on health care when he was campaigning and he said it again at his inauguration: we’re going to lower costs for more Americans with better benefits — and that’s exactly what he has done.”   

Coverage:

• WCAX: Top Biden official joins Welch in Rutland to talk prescription drug and opioids
• NBC5: Sen. Peter Welch’s 1st day on the job: The Inflation Reduction Act
• Rutland Herald: Welch: Medications are about to get cheaper for many on fixed incomes

WISCONSIN

Thursday, January 12 — Shingles Vaccine and Insulin Affordability Roundtable with Senator Tammy Baldwin and Wisconsin Seniors: Senator Tammy Baldwin joined Protect Our Care Wisconsin alongside Seniors from Green Bay and Appleton to highlight how Medicare enrollees are already benefiting from the Inflation Reduction Act, which took effect this month and is lowering costs improving health care for millions of Americans. “Too many Americans are seeing the costs of their prescription drugs increase and are struggling to afford the medications they need to survive,” says Senator Baldwin. “That’s why I was proud to support the Inflation Reduction Act last year, to finally provide some relief for Wisconsin families and hold drug companies accountable for prioritizing profits over people.” You can watch the event here. 

Coverage:

• Press Times: Local seniors discuss impact of new healthcare provisions

GOP Lawmakers Eye Cuts to Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid With An Upcoming Debate Over the Debt Ceiling and Appropriations 

Republicans have not shied away from stating their goal for the 118th Congress: cutting Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid. For months, GOP lawmakers have said they will rip away the basic benefits that are a lifeline for millions of seniors and working families. Cuts to Medicare and Social Security would disproportionately hurt people of color and rural Americans. Coverage dating back to before the election shows that Republicans have made crystal clear that they want to use their House majority to slash these vital programs to fund tax breaks for big corporations.  

Insider: Republicans’ Plans to Slash Social Security and Medicare Are Becoming Clearer: ‘We Have No Choice but to Make Hard Decisions.’ “‘We have no choice but to make hard decisions,’ Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, leader of the conservative Republican Study Committee, told The Post. ‘Everybody has to look at everything.’ The Post reported that in the past few days, a group of Republican lawmakers have pushed for House panels that would recommend changes to Social Security and Medicare.” [Insider, 1/25/23]

Washington Post: House GOP Eyes Social Security, Medicare Amid Spending Battle. “Only weeks after taking control of the chamber, GOP lawmakers under new Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) have rallied around firm pledges for austerity, insisting their efforts can improve the nation’s fiscal health. They have signaled they are willing to leverage the fight over the debt ceiling — and the threat of a fiscal doomsday — to seek major policy concessions from the Biden administration.” [Washington Post, 1/24/23]

HuffPost: Republicans Signal Cuts To Social Security, Medicare With New House Majority. “Their plans to target health care programs follow demands from a group of conservatives that helped elect House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) over the weekend. Those far-right lawmakers have sought across-the-board spending cuts in order to tackle the growing national debt. But the narrow House GOP majority ― McCarthy can afford to lose just four votes on any bill ― is far more divided on cuts to defense spending than for entitlement programs. ‘I’m all for a balanced budget, but we’re not going to do it on the backs of our troops and our military,’ Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), a former Army Green Beret, said Monday during an interview on Fox Business. ‘If we really want to talk about the debt and spending, it’s the entitlements programs.’”[HuffPost, 1/9/23]

Axios: Debt Ceiling Fight Looms Over Medicare and Medicaid. “Why it matters: It’s not clear which cuts House Republicans will push for in exchange for raising the debt ceiling later this year — likely this summer — but at least some say Medicare and Medicaid should be on the table. Others, anticipating Democratic attacks, are saying they want to steer clear of the programs. What they’re saying: ‘We’re going to have to look at the whole board,’ conservative Rep. Barry Loudermilk told Axios, including mandatory spending like Medicare and Medicaid. ‘The easiest to start with is discretionary, but the main driver of the national debt is the mandatory.’ ‘Everything’s on the table,’ he added.” [Axios, 1/12/23]

Axios: GOP Floats Medicare Changes While Ducking Details. “What they’re saying: ‘If we’re going raise the debt ceiling, we can’t just raise it without focusing on some way to address the debt and the deficit,’ Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), a member of the House GOP’s health care task force, told Axios, adding Medicare should be made ‘sustainable over time.’ ‘We’re going to have a lot of hearings on this,’ Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), the current top Republican on the Budget Committee who wants to move up to chairman of Ways and Means, told Axios. ‘I’m not going to get into the inner details.’ ‘Everything is on the table, we haven’t really nailed down any specific policies one way or the other,’ Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), who is running to chair the House Budget panel. ‘I think it could be wrapped up with that [debt ceiling talks], that’s shaping up to be pretty dynamic.’ [Axios, 11/3/22]

New York Times: Republicans, Eyeing Majority, Float Changes to Social Security and Medicare. “The Republican leaders who would decide what legislation the House and the Senate would consider if their party won control of Congress have not said specifically what, if anything, they would do to the programs. Yet several influential Republicans have signaled a new willingness to push for Medicare and Social Security spending cuts as part of future budget negotiations with President Biden. Their ideas include raising the age for collecting Social Security benefits to 70 from 67 and requiring many older Americans to pay higher premiums for their health coverage. The ideas are being floated as a way to narrow government spending on programs that are set to consume a growing share of the federal budget in the decades ahead.” [New York Times, 11/2/22]

Fox News: Republicans Eye Using Debt Limit Hike to Overhaul Entitlement Programs if Entrusted With Majority. “Still, some Republicans say the key to shoring up both Social Security and Medicare might be by means-testing welfare programs and putting work requirements in place for beneficiaries. ‘There are over 70-plus federal welfare programs. The American people believe there should be work requirements for all those programs for able-bodied healthy adults,’ said Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri, who is vying to lead the House Ways and Means Committee.” [Fox News, 10/19/22]

Washington Post: GOP To Use Debt Limit To Force Spending Cuts, McCarthy Says. “Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has suggested that Social Security and Medicare be eliminated as federal entitlement programs, and that they should instead become programs approved by Congress on an annual basis as discretionary spending. … In an interview in August, Johnson, who is seeking a third term in the Senate, lamented that the Social Security and Medicare programs automatically grant benefits to those who meet the qualifications — that is, to those who had been paying into the system over their working life. ‘If you qualify for the entitlement, you just get it no matter what the cost,’ Johnson said. ‘And our problem in this country is that more than 70 percent of our federal budget, of our federal spending, is all mandatory spending. It’s on automatic pilot.’” [Washington Post, 10/18/22]

Bloomberg: House GOP’s Scalise Defends Medicare, Social Security Plans. “Scalise is a member of largest House GOP caucus, the Republican Study Committee, which has proposed changes that would result in lower benefits for some future recipients. Scalise’s office said in an email he hasn’t specifically signed on to the RSC plan, however. … The RSC proposal would gradually raise the eligibility ages for both programs and slow the growth of benefits for higher earners in Social Security.  Medicare would transition to a new model where seniors would receive premium subsidies to buy a government run public option or privately run insurance.” [Bloomberg, 10/16/22]

Bloomberg: Entitlement, Spending Cap Plans Linked by GOP to Debt-Limit Deal. “The four Republicans interested in serving as House Budget Committee chairman in the next Congress said in interviews that next year’s deadline to raise or suspend the debt ceiling is a point of leverage if their party can win control of the House in the November midterm elections. The Republican position — which members are still formulating — could set the stage for an explosive standoff next year, reminiscent of the 2011 negotiations when the Tea Party wave of Republicans took on the Obama administration over spending.” [Bloomberg, 10/11/22]

Coverage is More Affordable Than Ever Before Thanks to The Inflation Reduction Act

Yesterday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that 16.3 million people have signed up for health coverage during the 2023 open enrollment period. This represents a record number of Americans who signed up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This is more than a 12 percent increase from the same time last year. In California, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington DC, residents can continue to sign up for coverage through January 31. 

President Biden and Democrats in Congress have made incredible progress to ensure millions more Americans have the health care they deserve. This includes passing the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, which provided enhanced premium tax credits to make coverage more affordable than ever before. The Biden administration also funded the  Navigator program with the single-largest investment ever to focus on outreach to racial and ethnic minorities, people in rural areas, LGBTQ+ people, and other underserved communities. In addition, the Biden administration fixed the family glitch, which previously blocked millions of families from receiving affordable coverage under the ACA, allowing an estimated 200,000 uninsured Americans to gain coverage and save hundreds of dollars each month on health premiums. President Biden and Congressional Democrats are to thank for this immensely successful open enrollment period.

HEADLINES

The New York Times: Record 16 Million Sign Up for Affordable Care Plans. “The growing enrollment follows the passage of legislation during the coronavirus pandemic to increase federal subsidies for people buying the plans — substantially lowering prices for nearly every American who buys their own insurance. Around 3.6 million people selected plans in the Obamacare marketplaces who did not receive coverage through them last year. Last year’s total had been the highest in the law’s history.” [The New York Times, 1/25/23]

The Hill: A Record of Over 16 Million People Signed Up for Insurance Through Obamacare. “More than 16.3 million people enrolled in a health plan through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during the most recent open enrollment period, marking the highest number of enrollees since the program was signed into law 10 years ago.” [The Hill, 1/25/23]

Reuters: U.S. Signs Up Over 16 Million People for Obamacare Health Insurance. “About 12 million people enrolled from the 33 U.S. states that use the online marketplace funded by the federal government and about 4 million people from states that sell the insurance directly to their residents…About 3.6 million people who have signed up for the plans are new enrollees, White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice said on a press call.” [Reuters, 1/25/23]

CNN: Obamacare Sign-Ups Soar to Record 16.3 Million for 2023. “Sign-ups on the federal exchange, healthcare.gov, have skyrocketed nearly 50% since the Biden administration took office in 2021, thanks in large part to enhanced federal premium subsidies and increased outreach efforts. Plan selections are up 13% from this time last year.” [CNN, 1/25/23]

(AZ) Cronkite News: Record Numbers Sign Up for Obamacare Health Coverage in Arizona, U.S. “A record number of Arizonans signed up for health insurance this year under the Affordable Care Act, as enrollment in the program continues to rebound from the Trump administration’s efforts to suppress coverage…who trimmed funding and outreach and shortened the open enrollment period in an effort to handicap the ACA. President Joe Biden reversed those efforts shortly after taking office.” [Cronkite News, 1/25/23]

(FL) Miami Herald: Florida Sets Record in Obamacare Enrollment as People Clamor for Health Insurance. “In Florida, enrollment ballooned to 3.2 million, a 19% jump over last year’s open enrollment period under the health law, commonly known as Obamacare. The 3.2 million represents 20 percent of all enrollees nationwide, even though Florida, the third most populous state in the country with 22 million people, accounts for only about 7 percent of the U.S. population.” [Miami Herald, 1/26/23]

(MD) The Baltimore Sun: Obamacare Enrollment Increased for 2023 Coverage in Maryland With More Black, Hispanic Participants. “The number of Marylanders who enrolled in health coverage for 2023 through the state insurance exchange increased slightly from last year, to a record 182,166, the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange announced in a news release Tuesday.Although total enrollment in what is known as Obamacare only climbed by about 560 people from 2022, enrollment continued to grow for members of communities that are more likely to lack coverage, such as Black and Hispanic residents.” [The Baltimore Sun, 1/24/23]

(NV) KSNV: Nearly 100,000 Nevadans Signed Up for Health Insurance This Year. “Nevada Health Link has announced that nearly 100,000 Nevadans have enrolled in qualified, affordable health insurance plans during this year’s Open Enrollment Period (OEP), which ran from November 1, 2022, through January 15, 2023…This year’s Open Enrollment was Nevada Health Link’s second highest to record, just down less than 5% from last year’s record-breaking Open Enrollment.” [KSNV, 1/24/23]

(GA) The Taccoa Record: Affordable Care Act Achieves Record Number in Georgia. “A record number of Georgians – over 846,000 – signed up for health insurance for 2023 under the Affordable Care Act during the latest open enrollment period, which ended on Sunday. That’s about 8 percent of the state’s population, and at least 145,000 more than signed up for the program last year.” [The Taccoa Record, 1/23/23]