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NEW REPORT: “Big Pharma’s Big Doubletalk” Details Industry’s Latest Scheme to Protect Their Sky-High Profits and Hike Drug Prices

Big Pharma Is Telling Investors on Wall Street Everything Is Fine While Telling Lawmakers Medicare Negotiation Will Destroy Innovation

Read the Full Report Here.

Washington, DC — Protect Our Care is releasing a new national report exposing pharmaceutical companies’ latest ploy to protect their sky-high profits at the expense of patients. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden administration is now putting in place the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program that will finally give Medicare the authority to negotiate lower prices, making prescription drugs more affordable. Big Pharma is continuing its false claims to lawmakers that this program will undermine innovation and discourage the development of new medications, while telling Wall Street that they are enthusiastic about U.S. pharmaceutical innovation and research and development opportunities.

Key Points:

  • American patients pay up to 4 times more for the same drugs as patients in other wealthy countries.
  • Despite blaming the  negotiations for terminating new drug development, many drug companies are telling investors they are bullish on innovation and continue to invest  in research and development following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
  • The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates just a 1% decrease in the development of new drugs over the next 30 years as a result of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program
  • Even when the negotiation program is fully implemented, the United States will remain the most generous payer in the world for drugs.

“Big Pharma’s greed knows no bounds telling the public one thing and investors another,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Our nation’s seniors are depending on the savings from the Inflation Reduction Act, and Big Pharma is trying to roll back the law simply to protect their profits. Big Pharma’s claims are bogus and should be rejected.”

PRESS CALL: Congressman Pat Ryan, New York Veterans to Discuss New Report on How the Republican Default Plan Threatens Veterans’ Health Care

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES:
Contact: [email protected], 646-359-4422

House Republicans Continue To Double Down on Their Efforts to Rip Away Lifesaving Care

New York, NY — Today, at 11:30 AM EST, U.S. Representative Pat Ryan (NY-18) will join Protect Our Care New York and executive director of The Hudson Valley National Center for Veteran Reintegration Kevin Keaveny to discuss House Republicans’ “Default on America Act,” legislation, and its impact on health care for millions of veterans across the country. 

Today, Protect Our Care unveiled a new report detailing exactly how veteran’s health care would be impacted if the Republican Default on America Act were to become law. The report found that under the GOP bill, millions of veterans, including the 225,400 who receive their health care services in New York, would face: 

  • An over-22 percent slash to health care funding
  • 30 million fewer outpatient visits
  • 81,000 jobs lost across the Veterans Health Administration
  • A backlog of 134,000 claims
  • $565 million in cuts earmarked for major construction projects, including critical upgrades to clinics and hospitals

Speakers will discuss the report, and how the Republican plan would gut resources for the Veterans Administration and disproportionately harm veterans of color, disabled veterans, low-income veterans, and veterans facing homelessness in New York and across the United States.

Speakers will also discuss proposed cuts to Medicaid and other vital services, including mental health and substance use treatment, maternal care, cancer research and more.  

PRESS CALL:

WHO:
U.S. Representative Pat Ryan (NY-18)
Kevin Keaveny, Hudson Valley National Center for Reintegration
Nate Jackson, Protect Our Care New York

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHEN: Thursday, May 18 at 11:30 AM EST

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

NEW REPORT: Inside Republicans’ Radical Plan To Slash Health Care For Millions Of Veterans

Read the Full Report Here. 

Washington, D.C. — Ahead of President Biden’s meeting with congressional Republicans on default negotiations, Protect Our Care is releasing a new national report exposing the dire consequences of Republicans’ proposed cuts to veterans’ health care. The GOP’s ‘Default on America’ Act slashes veterans’ health care funding by 22 percent, threatening to rip health care away from millions of veterans. Under the GOP bill, veterans would face: 

  • 30 million fewer outpatient visits
  • 81,000 jobs lost across the Veterans Health Administration
  • A backlog of 134,000 claims
  • $565 million in cuts earmarked for major construction projects, including critical upgrades to clinics and hospitals

The Republican bill also seeks unprecedented cuts to Medicaid and other vital services, including for mental health and substance use, maternal care, cancer research and more.  

“Not only does the House Republican default bill threaten to rip away health care from 21 million people who rely on Medicaid, but it also cuts veterans’ health care by 22 percent,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “The cuts to veterans’ care would be disastrous and an insult to those who risked their lives to keep us safe, threatening millions of patients’ access to care. As always, the GOP has one goal in mind: rip away benefits and deny people access to health care in order to support the wealthiest Americans.” 

Protect Our Care also released fact sheets in the following states:

Arizona
Nevada
Virginia
Michigan
New York
California
Pennsylvania
Wisconsin
Georgia

UPDATED REPORT: Texas Mifepristone Abortion Case Threatens Entire Drug Approval Process

Read the Report Here.

Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Care is releasing an updated report detailing the disastrous implications of the medical abortion lawsuit in Texas aiming to ban the abortion medication mifepristone. A decision to ban mifepristone would threaten millions of women’s access to safe and legal abortions and open the door for the politically-motivated destruction of the entire drug approval process.

Last week, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk issued a ruling to pull mifepristone from the market. Mifepristone is a safe and effective medication that is essential to abortion access across the nation. On Monday, legal and public health advocates joined Protect Our Care to discuss how the ruling has wider implications for the health care system and sets a precedent for any judge to be able to overrule the evidence-based and scientific FDA medication approval process. Watch the full event here.  

Protect Our Care Founder Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“Judge Kacysmaryk’s ruling threatens to throw the entire U.S. drug approval process into chaos,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “It not only puts at risk the use of mifepristone for safe and legal abortions, but it opens the door for the politically-motivated removal of other safe and effective drugs from the market. If the ruling stands, millions of patients will suffer.”

NEW REPORT: Texas Mifepristone Abortion Case Threatens Entire Drug Approval Process

Read the Report Here.

Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Care is releasing a report detailing the disastrous implications of the medical abortion lawsuit in Texas aiming to ban the abortion medication mifepristone. A decision to ban mifepristone would threaten millions of women’s access to safe and legal abortions and open the door for the politically-motivated destruction of the entire drug approval process.

Since the Supreme Court’s elimination of the constitutional right to an abortion, anti-abortion activists have ramped up their attacks on remaining protections. This attack in Texas comes at a huge cost, not only to the access to safe abortion care but to the entire U.S. drug approval process. Protect Our Care’s new report outlines the dire consequences of Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s potential ruling.  

Protect Our Care Founder Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“The medical abortion case being argued today in Texas endangers the health of millions of women and also threatens the entire drug approval process in the United States. If the judge decides to overturn the FDA approval of mifepristone, it would open the door to other politically motivated lawsuits that could result in the banning of critical life-saving drugs relied on by millions. The result would be chaos in our drug approval system and the arbitrary banning of drugs that keep so many of us alive and healthy.”

NEW REPORT: Supreme Court Ruling Overturning Roe Exacerbates the Need to Expand Medicaid And Premium Subsidies Under the ACA

Washington, DC — Protect Our Care is releasing a new report that highlights the urgent need for Congress to protect and expand women’s access to health care in the wake of the Supreme Court’s elimination of the constitutional right to an abortion. The report lays out the dire consequences for women of childbearing age and their families if Congress fails to make the American Rescue Plan’s enhanced premium tax credits permanent and close the Medicaid coverage gap. 

While abortion rights have long been at the center of the Republican war on health care, the GOP has also opposed meaningful measures to expand health care access by refusing to close the Medicaid coverage gap and opposing measures to drive down health care costs. With the American Rescue Plan’s enhanced premium tax credits set to expire later this year, it has never been more urgent for Congress to prevent premium hikes and extend affordable coverage to mitigate some of the worst impacts of the Supreme Court decision.

“The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has made it even more urgent for Congress to expand Medicaid and extend the American Rescue Plan’s premium tax credits, ensuring women and their children have access to essential health care,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “The officials attacking women’s rights are the same people who oppose Medicaid expansion, refuse to support measures to improve health outcomes for mothers and their children, and fight common sense reforms to lower health care costs.”

KEY POINTS

  • Closing the Coverage Gap Essential to Protect Mothers and Families. Many of the states moving to take away the right to an abortion are the same states whose Republican governors or state legislatures have refused to expand Medicaid. Failure to expand Medicaid has left women and children without the health care they need. There are 2.2 million uninsured people below the poverty line who live in Medicaid coverage gap states, and more than 800,000 are women of reproductive age. 
  • If Congress Fails To Act, Millions Of Women & Children Will Lose Coverage. More than 3 million people will become uninsured if the American Rescue Plan’s enhanced premium tax credits expire — increasing the number of uninsured Americans by 11 percent. When women become uninsured, they lose the guaranteed protections of the ACA, including access to free contraceptives, cancer screenings (including breast and cervical cancer), and well woman visits. When women lose their health insurance, their children also become uninsured, including young adults who are able to remain on a parent’s insurance until 26. 

Read the full report here. 

NEW REPORT: Women’s Health Care in Crisis as Republicans Leverage Attacks on Basic Rights

Report Outlines Steps to Improve Women’s Health Care Access as Supreme Court Weighs Fate of Abortion Rights 

Read the Full Report Here

Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Care is releasing a new report outlining urgent measures to improve women’s health care access as the nation faces a crisis for abortion rights. In the coming weeks, right-wing Justices on the Supreme Court are expected to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, opening the floodgates for states to ban abortion. Abortion has long been at the center of the Republican war on women’s health, but the GOP has also spent years eroding women’s access to other types of care. Between attacking the Affordable Care Act’s protections for women to blocking legislation to fight maternal mortality, Republicans have only made it harder for women to obtain essential care. Now, with the pending court decision, strengthening and protecting women’s access to care is paramount. 

In addition to working tirelessly to protect abortion rights, President Biden and Democrats in Congress are fighting to safeguard contraception and equal insurance coverage, end the maternal mortality crisis, and expand Medicaid coverage to ensure women can get the health care they need. With abortion rights are under the greatest threat in more than 50 years, passing these health care reforms will help mitigate some of the devastation caused by the radical justices and their Republican allies. 

“The GOP’s longstanding war on women’s health care has never been more damaging,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Maternal mortality is on the rise, millions of women are struggling to afford essential care, and now basic health care rights are under attack. The Republican lawmakers seeking to ban abortions are the same people who have sabotaged access to contraception, refused to address the maternal mortality crisis, and opposed Medicaid expansion and other common sense reforms to lower the cost of health care for working families. Every woman in this country deserves affordable, quality health care – including full access to reproductive health – and any lawmaker fighting reforms to expand coverage and improve care has no regard for human life at all.” 

TODAY: Rep. Charlie Crist, Health Care Experts to Discuss New Report on Why Congress Must Act Quickly to Stop Health Insurance Premium Increases for Floridians

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, MAY 19 AT 3:00 PM ET***

New Report Shows Impact to Health Coverage Affordability in Florida if Congress Fails to Make the Premium Tax Credits in the American Rescue Plan Permanent

St. Petersburg, FL— Today, May 19, 2022 at 3:00 PM ET, U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-FL-13) and health care experts will join Protect Our Care Florida to discuss a new report that shows the premium tax credits included in the American Rescue Plan have made health coverage more affordable for Floridians. These premium tax credits dramatically lowered the cost of health care coverage for 2.6 million Floridians. 

The new report highlights recent studies showing that more than three million people – including 513,000 Floridians – could lose their coverage if Congress fails to make these enhanced premium tax credits permanent. The American Rescue Plan saved families thousands of dollars on their premiums, but the expanded tax credits that powered those savings will expire at the end of 2022, and as a result, premiums for next year’s plans will rise dramatically for millions who buy insurance on their own. Only Congress can prevent this from happening; it’s time to extend the ACA premium tax credits to ensure that hardworking families can continue to access the health care they need. 

PRESS CALL:

WHO:
Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL-13)
Jodi Ray, Program Director of Florida Covering Kids & Families USF Health
Rory Noonan, Student

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHEN: Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 3:00 PM ET

WHERE: Register For the Event Here 

TODAY: Advocates Discuss New Report on Why Congress Must Act Quickly to Stop Health Insurance Premium Increases for West Virginians

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, MAY 19 AT 11:00 AM ET***

New Report Shows Impact to Health Coverage Affordability in West Virginia if Congress Fails to Make the Premium Tax Credits in the American Rescue Plan Permanent

West Virginia — Today, May 19, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET, West Virginia Delegate Shawn Fluharty, health care advocates, and storytellers will join Protect Our Care West Virginia to discuss a new report that shows the premium tax credits included in the American Rescue Plan have made health coverage more affordable for West Virginians. These premium tax credits dramatically lowered the cost of health care coverage for 21,594 West Virginians. Advocates in West Virginia also sent a letter to Senator Manchin highlighting what’s at stake for coverage affordability for West Virginians if Congress fails to extend the tax credits this year. 

The new report highlights recent studies showing that more than three million people – including 7,000 West Virginians – could lose their coverage if Congress fails to make these enhanced premium tax credits permanent. The American Rescue Plan saved families thousands of dollars on their premiums, but the expanded tax credits that powered those savings will expire at the end of 2022, and as a result, premiums for next year’s plans will rise dramatically for millions who buy insurance on their own. Only Congress can prevent this from happening; it’s time to extend the ACA premium tax credits to ensure that hardworking families can continue to access the health care they need. 

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE:

WHO:
Delegate Shawn Fluharty
Dr. Jessica Ice, West Virginians for Affordable Healthcare
Ryan Frankenberry, West Virginia Working Families Party
Lynette Maselli, Protect Our Care West Virginia     

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference 

WHEN: Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET

WHERE: Register For the Event Here

TODAY: Rep. Kaptur, Ohio Health Care Experts To Highlight Importance of Lowering Costs and Expanding Coverage, Discuss New Report

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TUESDAY, MAY 10 AT 1:00 PM ET***

Speakers To Discuss Affordable Insulin Now Act and New Report Showing Impact of Health Coverage Affordability in Ohio if Congress Fails To Make the Premium Tax Credits Included in the American Rescue Plan Permanent  

Toledo, OH — Today, May 10, 2022 at 1:00 PM ET, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) and Ohio health care leaders will join Protect Our Care Ohio to discuss the urgent importance of and opportunities to lower health care costs for Ohioans. They will highlight the importance of lowering insulin costs by passing the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Kaptur. Additionally, they will discuss a new report that shows the premium tax credits included in the American Rescue Plan have made health coverage more affordable for Ohioans. The report also lays out the dire consequences if Congress fails to make the credits permanent – including that more than three million people, including 63,000 Ohioans, could lose their coverage.

VIRTUAL EVENT
WHO:
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09)
Samuel Camacho, Certified Navigator, Affordable Care Act, UHCAN Ohio
John Kennedy, a type-1 diabetic and advocate for Ohio Insulin4All

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference 

WHEN: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 1:00 PM ET

WHERERegister For the Event Here