Governor Lamont and Senator Blumenthal Joined Protect Our Care to Celebrate The Inflation Reduction Act’s Historic Measures to Drive Down Health Care Costs for Nutmeggers
HARTFORD, CT — This afternoon, Protect Our Care’s Care Force One arrived in Hartford to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures will lower premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. The groundbreaking legislation works to reduce racial inequities in health care, improve care for seniors, strengthen families, and save lives. During today’s event, Governor Ned Lamont, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and health care advocates explained how the bill lowers premiums for 13 million Americans, reins in prescription drug prices, and takes important steps to improve health equity and how Nutmeggers can access these savings. You can watch the full event here.
“We have one of the highest insured rates in the country and we still have a way to go,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “I really appreciate the work of the legislators in Washington D.C. to put in place the Inflation Reduction Act and what that does to lower health care costs and what we can build on here in Connecticut going forward.”
“I am proud to be a fighter for better health care, to stand up to Big Pharma, and to beat Big Pharma as we did with the Inflation Reduction, which for the first time enables Medicare to negotiate lower prices. It saves taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars, caps out-of-pocket costs for seniors at $2,000, and makes sure there are no charges exceeding the rate of inflation,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). “This bill is historic for those provisions — but it is only the beginning. It shows we can beat Big Pharma after losing year after year after year. We need to win this fight not just for seniors on Medicare, but for every American.”
“People of color disproportionately face barriers to care and experience adverse health outcomes,” said Ayesha Clarke, Interim Executive Director of Health Equity Solutions. “The Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to lower drug costs and improve health coverage will benefit communities of color across the country. It is projected that the premium savings continued through the Inflation Reduction Act have made more than 65 percent of uninsured Black adults and more than 68 percent of Hispanic and Latino adults eligible for zero-dollar premium plans.”
“After all is said and done, we as brokers want to help the individuals that we meet,” said Deby Gould, a Connecticut-based Medicare, individual, and small business insurance broker. “The new money from the Inflation Reduction Act will help those that need it most. It will make a huge difference in so many of my clients’ lives.”
“Five years ago I walked into the doctor’s office with a nagging cough and walked out with a stage four cancer diagnosis — but I was lucky. I had good insurance through the Affordable Care Act that paid for the chemotherapy and radiation that I needed,” said Laura Packard, cancer survivor and health care advocate. “Now, the Inflation Reduction Act has made health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans like me. Through this landmark legislation, President Biden and Democrats in Congress capped premiums at 8.5 percent of our income and lowered prescription drug costs, paving the way for more affordable health care for years to come.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act is a true victory for the people here in Connecticut and across the nation,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “We all know how high health care prices take a devastating toll on families when someone gets sick. After years of big drug companies and special interests pulling the strings, President Biden and Democrats in Congress delivered lower prescription drug and health care costs to millions of people — with help already on the way.”
Tomorrow, the “Lower Costs, Better Care” tour will continue in Scranton, PA, where Protect Our Care will be joined by U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-17). For more information, please visit protectourcare.org/bus-tour/.
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One will make stops in:
Bangor, Maine on Monday, October 3, 2022
Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Monday, October 3, 2022
Concord, New Hampshire on Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Hartford, Connecticut on Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Scranton, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, October 5, 2022
New Brunswick, New Jersey on Thursday, October 6, 2022
Marlton, New Jersey on Thursday, October 6, 2022
Morgantown, West Virginia on Friday, October 7, 2022
Columbus, Ohio on Monday, October 10, 2022
Cleveland, Ohio on Monday, October 10, 2022
Flint, Michigan on Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Lansing, Michigan on Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Green Bay, Wisconsin on Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Eau Claire, Wisconsin on Thursday, October 13, 2022
St. Paul, Minnesota on Thursday, October 13, 2022
Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, October 14, 2022
Kansas City, Missouri on Friday, October 14, 2022
Reno, Nevada on Monday, October 17, 2022
Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Flagstaff, Arizona on Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Phoenix, Arizona on Wednesday, October 19, 2022
Tucson, Arizona on Wednesday, October 19, 2022
Albuquerque, New Mexico on Thursday, October 20, 2022
Pueblo / Colorado Springs, Colorado on Thursday, October 20, 2022
Denver, Colorado on Friday, October 21, 2022
Richmond, Virginia on Monday, October 24, 2022
Raleigh, North Carolina on Monday, October 24, 2022
Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Augusta, Georgia on Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Savannah, Georgia on Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Orlando, Florida on Thursday, October 27, 2022
Tampa, Florida on Thursday, October 27, 2022
Miami, Florida on Friday, October 28, 2022
TBA: October 31-November 4, 2022