Report

Commonwealth Analysis Says Millions Would Benefit from ACA Enhancements and Closing Medicaid Coverage Gap

Washington, D.C. — As Democrats in Congress work to include key health care priorities in upcoming budget legislation, the Commonwealth Fund released a new report showing that seven million Americans would gain coverage by passing ACA enhancements and closing the Medicaid coverage gap. Every single state would see a drop in their uninsured population, with the most significant declines in the 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid, and premiums on the ACA marketplaces would fall by an average 18 percent. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:

“Under the leadership of President Biden, Democrats are working tirelessly to lower costs and strengthen health care for every American. This fall, Congress has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the lives of millions by giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices, closing the Medicaid coverage gap, expanding Medicare benefits to include vision, dental, and hearing, and further reducing health care premiums for families purchasing coverage through the ACA. The Commonwealth Fund report shines a bright light on the sweeping impact just a handful of these policies can have. It is imperative that lawmakers work quickly to pass all of these health reforms to ensure healthcare is a right for every American.” 

Some Highlights From The Report:

• Making ARPA premium subsidies permanent and filling the Medicaid coverage gap would reduce the number of people without insurance by nearly one-quarter, or 7.0 million people, in 2022.
• All states would see a drop in their uninsured population, with the largest percentage declines in states that have not yet expanded Medicaid eligibility.
• Enrollment in subsidized marketplace plans would nearly double, while premiums would fall by 18 percent on average.

Washington, DC — As Democrats in Congress work to respond to their constituents and pass reforms that lower the price of prescription drugs for patients, Big Pharma has begun to deploy it’s vast warchest – and a series of well-funded front groups – to mislead, distort and outright threaten patients in their effort to hold on to their staggering prices and profits.

For 20 years, drug companies have benefited from a law that bans Medicare from negotiating lower prices for patients. As a result, Americans now pay three times more for the same drugs as people do in other countries. Democrats in Congress want to give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices for all Americans, including people on Medicare and people with private insurance. The Congressional Budget Office found that these reforms could save patients as much as 55 percent on the price of their prescription drugs.

So, like clockwork, Big Pharma has started launching misleading ad campaigns. Almost all of them are channeled through groups with patient-friendly names that have one thing in common: drug industry money or connections.

This new report details how the many major ad campaigns currently running against prescription drug price reform are actually backed by pharmaceutical industry funds. The ads are paid for by the same people who profit by keeping the prices artificially high and protecting their monopoly while millions of American families cannot afford life saving medicines.

“From this report, everyone can find out the truth about who’s behind these ad campaigns –  and it’s the same drug companies that want to keep prices high and profits skyrocketing,” said Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care. “Members of Congress can either vote with these drug companies or vote for reforms that lower the price of drugs for patients. Lives are on the line.”

Read the full report here: REVEALED: 8 PHARMA FUNDED AD CAMPAIGNS

Protect Our Care, MomsRising, and Little Lobbyists Release New Report As Part of Lower Rx Summer

Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Care is kicking off week 8 of Lower Rx Summer with a report cosponsored by MomsRising and Little Lobbyists underscoring how high drug costs hurt children. Throughout the week, Protect Our Care will host events and release additional research to demonstrate the urgency for reform to bring down drug prices for children.

Remaining Theme Weeks for Lower Rx Summer
Week 8 (July 26): How High Drug Prices Hurt Children
Week 9 (August 2): Expanding Medicare Benefits—Dental, Vision, and Hearing

Children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP are more likely to have access to their prescription drugs, however, the children’s uninsured rate in states that have rejected Medicaid expansion is nearly double the rate in states that expanded the program. Between 2016 and 2019, the number of uninsured children increased by more than 700,000. The Urban Institute estimates that more than 6 million people would enroll in Medicaid if the remaining states implemented expansion, including some children who are currently eligible for the program, but would newly enroll as their parents seek coverage. 

“Nothing is more heartbreaking than a sick child, and it is unconscionable that so many families in our country can’t afford the medications their children need,” said Tasmiha Khan, Campaign Director for Health Care at MomsRising. “Lawmakers should act now to ensure that all families can access prescription drugs for their children, without being forced to sacrifice essentials or go into debt to pay for them. We need Congress to take action to reduce the cost of prescription medications now.”

“Many of our families rely on the innovation and development of life-saving medications to treat and sustain our children with complex medical needs and disabilities. Those medications, however, are only life-saving if the patient can afford them,” said Elena Hung, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Little Lobbyists. “Therefore, we call on Congress to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices so our families can access the life-saving medications our children need to survive and thrive.”

“It’s shameful that children are forced to bear the burden of Big Pharma’s profit motivations,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “American families should not have to pay three times more for the same medicines as people in other countries. Children and their families should not be put in the impossible position of choosing between paying for lifesaving drugs and paying for housing or food. It’s time to put an end to Big Pharma’s greed and give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices.”

In 2019, the House of Representatives passed the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), historic legislation that would lower drug prices for all Americans. H.R. 3 would save patients over $150 billion and reduce the price of the costliest drugs by as much as 55 percent. 

Not only does giving Medicare the power to negotiate help patients at the pharmacy counter, but it would save the federal government $500 billion, which could be reinvested to strengthen health care. These savings could help lower premiums, expand coverage, and strengthen Medicare benefits to include hearing, vision, and dental. As the nation recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, ensuring access to affordable health care, and specifically prescription drugs, has never been more critical. 

KEY POINTS

• Economic and racial inequity limit access to needed medications for children. One in seven children live below the federal poverty line. Factors contributing to systemic racism make children of color more than twice as likely to live in poverty. Children living in households with incomes below $40,000 per year have an increased likelihood of struggling with prescription costs. 
• Big Pharma’s price gouging puts millions of children at risk. More than one in five children take prescription medication, many for chronic conditions. A recent report found that children zero to four are nearly five times more likely to experience anaphylaxis than their adult counterparts, but many parents are forced to send their children to school without lifesaving medications due to EpiPen price increases. 
• Government action is essential to improving health outcomes for children. Even young children are being charged nearly three times what patients in other countries are spending on the same prescription drugs. Health coverage, specifically Medicaid and CHIP, helps shield children from pharmaceutical corporation’s price gouging, yet more than eight percent of children remain uninsured in states refusing Medicaid expansion. 

Read the new report on how high drug costs hurt children here.

Protect Our Care & Small Business for America’s Future Release New Report As Part of Lower Rx Summer

Today, Protect Our Care is kicking off Week 7 of Lower Rx Summer with a report co-sponsored by Small Business for America’s Future underscoring how high drug prices hurt small businesses. Throughout the week, Protect Our Care will host events and release additional research to demonstrate the urgency for drug pricing reform. Lowering drug prices would help small businesses recover from the pandemic and thrive for years to come. 

KEY POINTS:

• The rising cost of prescription drug prices is crushing small businesses. Nearly one in three small businesses currently providing health benefits to their workers have considered ending their sponsored coverage largely as a result of rising health care costs. 93 percent of small business owners believe the prescription drug market needs to undergo changes, with 66 percent calling for a major overhaul. 
• Small businesses are forced to pass along the increased costs of providing coverage to customers and workers. Many small businesses report wanting to “do the right thing” when it comes to providing health coverage for their workers. Tragically, that goal is being pushed increasingly out of reach, as many owners are being forced to raise prices on goods and services and/or increase deductibles and premiums in order to continue providing coverage. 
• Small businesses demand bold action to lower prescription drug prices. Regardless of where they sit on the political spectrum, small business owners want strong government action on this issue, with 87 percent stating it is important for the Biden-Harris administration and Congress to lower prescription medication prices. In a recent survey, small business owners overwhelmingly supported solutions such as capping out-of-pocket costs for seniors, Medicare negotiating drug prices, prohibiting anti-competitive behaviors that delay price competition, and penalizing drug companies that increase their prices faster than inflation. 

“The cost of healthcare and prescription drugs have skyrocketed for many small businesses and it’s having a real impact on their growth,” said Small Business for America’s Future Co-Chair Erika Gonzalez, an Allergy & Asthma Medical Professional and small business owner based in San Antonio. “If we are going to have a strong small business sector and economic recovery, we need our policymakers to act to rein in these costs. It’s an urgent priority of small businesses.”

“The American economy is paying the price for high drug costs,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “As prescription drug prices skyrocket, small businesses are paying more and more for health care, forcing them to increase costs and lower wages, all while big drug companies are spending billions on stock buybacks and shareholder dividends. The future of small businesses depends on standing up to Big Pharma’s greed and giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices.” 

In June, Protect Our Care announced Lower Rx Summer as part of The Campaign to Reduce Drug Prices. Lower Rx Summer consists of themed weeks of action to illustrate the urgent need for legislation to lower drug prices principally by giving Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for all Americans.

Remaining Theme Weeks for Lower Rx Summer
Week 7 (July 19): How High Drug Prices Hurt Small Businesses
Week 8 (July 26): How High Drug Prices Hurt Children
Week 9 (August 2): Expanding Medicare Benefits—Dental, Vision, And Hearing

Read the new report on how high drug costs hurt small businesses here.