Protect Our Care Continued to Urge Members of Congress to Lower Health Costs & Strengthen Care with Press Calls, Mobile Billboards, Radio Ad and Lite Brite Demonstration
Protect Our Care continued its events and activities calling on Congress to deliver lower costs and better care to American families by passing all of President Biden’s health care priorities in the Build Back Better budget package. Democrats are closing in on a budget agreement that could give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices, close the Medicaid coverage gap, expand Medicare benefits to include vision, dental and hearing, and reduce health care costs for millions of people purchasing coverage on their own. These proposals are overwhelmingly popular among voters of all parties.
This week’s events made clear that all of these health care reforms are essential to the success of the Build Back Better package. And with Republicans bought and paid for by Big Pharma and other special interests, we need every Democrat to keep up the fight. Protect Our Care will continue to ensure that lawmakers understand the importance of lowering drug prices and expanding care and hold those that fight reform accountable.
NATIONAL
PRESS CALL: On Tuesday, U.S. Representatives Colin Allred (D-TX-32) and Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) joined Protect Our Care for a virtual press conference to call for passing all of President Biden’s health care priorities in the Build Back Better budget package, including giving Medicare the power to negotiate for drug prices. The event follows a new op-ed from Reps. Allred and Davids, along with Cindy Axne (D-IA-03), Andy Kim (D-NJ-03), and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), outlining the strong case for allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices.
PRESS CALL: On Wednesday, U.S. House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC-06) and U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) joined Protect Our Care and health care storytellers for a virtual press conference to discuss the urgent need to close the Medicaid coverage gap and make the American Rescue Plan’s premium tax credits permanent in upcoming budget legislation. During the call, speakers made clear that these steps to expand coverage and reduce costs will transform health care for millions of working families and that Congress must act now to pass these historic measures. An estimated seven million people would gain coverage as a result of these two policies alone.
Coverage:
- The Hill: Clyburn: ‘UnAmerican’ not to prioritize Medicaid expansion in spending package
- Bloomberg Government: Vulnerable Democrats Warn Bill Failures Spell Defeat in 2022
- Associated Press: Democrats debate healthcare cuts in Biden’s $3.5T bill
LITE-BRITE: Protect Our Care hosted a Lite-Brite demonstration with activists outside of PhRMA’s headquarters in D.C. to call for an end to Big Pharma’s greed which forces millions of patients to choose between affording rent and groceries, or paying for their prescription drug costs. As Congress is in the midst of negotiating a final budget agreement, the event made clear that this is not the time for half measures, and Congress must act now to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices for all Americans.
MOBILE BILLBOARD: A mobile billboard circled Capitol Hill and Nationals Park during the Congressional Baseball Game urging lawmakers to support giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices in the upcoming budget legislation. The mobile billboard specifically called on U.S. Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA-52), Kathleen Rice (D-NY-04), and Kurt Schrader (D-OR-05) to meet the demands of their constituents and vote in favor of Medicare negotiation. These lawmakers recently voted against negotiation in committee, but they still have the chance to support the final bill when it comes to the House floor.
ARIZONA
RADIO AD: Protect Our Care announced a new radio ad today calling for Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) to meet the demands of her constituents and support giving Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices. The ad features Will Humble, the Executive Director for the Arizona Public Health Association, who explains that Arizonans pay three times more for drugs than people in other countries while Big Pharma continues to rake in record profits and hike prices on Americans.
CALIFORNIA
PROTEST: Protect Our Care California held a die-in at Representative Scott Peters’ (CA-52) office along with patients, advocates and Peters’ constituents to protest Peters’ vote in the Budget Committee blocking the entire Big Back Better plan including giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for Americans. The event featured tombstones on site representing the nearly 110,000 seniors who will die in the coming year due to lack of access to affordable medications. The Grim Reaper urged Rep. Peters to do the right thing for San Diegans and people across the country when the final bill goes to the House floor. The event also included a sidewalk chalk mural depicting the toll of exorbitant drug prices on the health and lives of all Americans.
VIGIL: On Wednesday, Protect Our Care held a candlelight vigil at Rep. Peters’ office urging him to reconsider his vote against giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices. Polls show the proposal has support from 90 percent of registered voters in Peters’ district, but he continues to neglect their wellbeing in order to side with Big Pharma executives who have flooded him with cash, contributing over $860K to his coffers.
SOUND TRUCK: A mobile billboard and sound truck sponsored by Protect Our Care appeared at Rep. Scott Peters’ Office. The mobile billboard and sound truck broadcasted a radio ad calling out the congressman for his recent vote against giving Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for all Americans — a proposal supported by 94% of all Americans, and 9 in 10 voters in his district. Medicare negotiation is central to President Biden’s Build Back Better proposal.
GEORGIA
PRESS CALL: On Wednesday, U.S. Representative Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-GA-07) and local advocates will join Protect Our Care Georgia for a virtual press conference to highlight how Medicaid Saves Lives Act and other healthcare provisions will lower costs and expand access to health care in Georgia and across the country.
