Yesterday, President Biden joined U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) in Virginia to urge the Senate to pass the Build Back Better Act’s provisions to lower health care and prescription drug costs. During the event, President Biden made clear that lowering prescription drug prices is essential to fight inflation and “ease the burden on working families.” Polling shows unwavering support for Build Back Better’s health care measures, and coverage makes clear that Democrats’ remain committed to getting Build Back Better over the finish line.
COVERAGE:
Culpeper Star Exponent: ‘Everyone Has Less Money In Their Pockets’ – President Biden Talks Health Care Costs In Culpeper. “‘Everyone has less money in their pockets today because…of health insurance—it’s more expensive for everyone,’ the president said of a 50 percent hike in those costs in the past decade. ‘Prescription drugs are a big chunk of that.’ The president’s plan would also allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices and cap out-of-pocket annual drug costs for Medicare recipients at $2,000. U.S. citizens pay about two to three times more for prescription drugs than other developed countries, Biden said.” [Culpeper Star Exponent, 2/10/22]
CNN: Biden Argues Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Is Key To Easing Everyday Costs For American Families. “President Joe Biden traveled to Virginia on Thursday to argue that his plan for lowering prescription drug prices would ease one of the largest financial burdens American families face at a time when they are coping with rising costs of food, gas and other necessities… The President also praised several Virginia Democrats during his speech, including Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who represents the swing district where Biden’s remarks took place. Spanberger is up for reelection this fall, and Democrats are trying to hold on to their majorities in the House of Representative and the Senate.” [CNN, 2/10/22]
Reuters: Biden Touts Plan To Bring Down Drug Prices As Helping To Tame Inflation. “U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday touted his plan to bring down the cost of prescription drugs as an antidote to high inflation on a day when government data showed consumer prices posted their biggest annual gain in 40 years in January… Biden’s plan, contained within the Build Back Better legislation, would give the federal government’s Medicare program for seniors authorization to negotiate drug prices for the first time.” [Reuters, 2/10/22]
Roll Call: In Battleground Virginia District, Biden Touts Spanberger Work On Health Care. “‘Bringing down the cost of health care, bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, is an easy thing for us to do. It can be done legally with a stroke of a pen,’ Biden said at a community college in Culpeper, Va. ‘We just got to get Abigail’s enthusiasm that she got it through in the House of Representatives to the United States Senate.’” [Roll Call, 2/10/22]
ABC 8 News: Biden, Spanberger Call For Action On Drug Prices During VA Visit. “Biden highlighted the fact that Americans regularly pay much higher prices than the rest of the world for identical drugs – often even those sold by the same company… Spanberger said that while many people in her district, which stretches from Culpeper to Nottoway, have suffered as a result of high drug prices, the issue is really national in scope… The legislative priorities they outlined are almost all included in Biden’s Build Back Better plan, which Spanberger supported when it passed the House of Representatives last year. But the bill has been stalled in the senate, where conservative West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin has effectively stalled it.” [ABC 8 News, 2/10/22]
POLLING:
Navigator Finds Giving Medicare The Power To Negotiate Prescription Drug Prices Remains Top Reason Americans Want Build Back Better Passed. Four out of the five top priorities are health provisions included in Build Back Better. [Navigator, 1/28/22]
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- Drug Price Negotiation. Overall, 79 percent believed empowering Medicare to negotiate drug prices was a good reason to pass BBB, including 92 percent of Democrats, 78 percent of independents, and 66 percent of Republicans. [Navigator, 1/28/22]
- Insulin Cost Capping. Overall, 78 percent believed capping insulin copays at $35 a month was a good reason to pass BBB, including 90 percent of Democrats, 77 percent of independents, and 64 percent of Republicans. [Navigator, 1/28/22]
- Lowering Premiums. Overall, 78 percent believed lowering premiums for people purchasing health coverage on their own was a good reason to pass BBB, including 91 percent of Democrats, 77 percent of independents, and 64 percent of Republicans. [Navigator, 1/28/22]
- Expanding Medicare To Cover Hearing. Overall, 76 percent believed expanding Medicare to cover hearing aids was a good reason to pass BBB, including 92 percent of Democrats, 76 percent of independents, and 60 percent of Republicans. [Navigator, 1/28/22]
Navigator Poll Demonstrates The Majority of Americans Continue To Support Build Back Better’s Provisions To Lower Prescription Drug Prices. Overall, 70 percent of registered voters support the Medicare drug price negotiation provision in Build Back Better, including 91 percent of Democrats, 62 percent of Independents, and 48 percent of Republicans. [Navigator, 1/12/22]
Voters From Across Political Spectrum Strongly Support Cutting Prescription Drug Prices By Passing Build Back Better. “Of the 16 provisions listed in the survey, five of the top six priorities for voters were health measures…Biden’s comments on lowering prescription drug costs will resonate with the entire electorate: 7 in 10 voters back the provision, including 4 in 5 Democrats and 3 in 5 Republicans.” [Morning Consult/Politico, 12/8/21]
Navigator Poll Confirms Health Care Remains Most Important Reason to Pass Build Back Better. “Top reasons cited as good reasons to pass the plan are lowering health insurance costs, giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, [and] expanding Medicare…” [Navigator Research, 11/11/21]
- Lowering Prescription Drug Prices Remains High Priority For Passing BBB. 77 percent believe allowing Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs is a good reason to pass the bill, including 94 percent of Democrats, 78 percent of independents, and 57 percent of Republicans. [Navigator Research, 11/11/21]
- Three In Five Americans Believe Passing BBB Is Urgent. “Intensity of urgency is high – especially among Democrats (91% say it is “urgent”), Black Americans (82%), and Hispanic Americans (74%).” [Navigator Research, 11/11/21]