Tag Archives: healthcare costs

Biden Administration, Housing, News & Photo Features

Inflation Causing Grief? Here’s What the Biden-Harris Administration is Doing to Save You Money on Everyday Costs from Housing to Healthcare to Childcare, Utilities to Groceries

August 13, 2024 krubin

The White House provided this fact sheet on the ways the Biden-Harris Administration has worked to lower costs – and counter the impacts of inflation – for families, while highlighting the contrast with Republican policies, which if given power, would reverse, repeal the progress.

The Trump/MAGA campaign delights in attacking Vice President Kamala Harris for anything they charge went wrong in the last four years (falsely attacking her as the Border Czar and deflecting blame for sabotaging passage of the Bipartisan Border Security bill), especially inflating levels of inflation and lying about economic growth. But if she is blamed for what they say went wrong, shouldn’t the Vice President also take credit for what the administration is doing so well to improve lives for ordinary Americans and counter the impacts of inflation, price-gouging and profit-taking by corporations? Indeed, as Vice President, she has the blueprint to continue such policies in her administration and not be stuck starting from scratch.—Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

“My plan is to lower everyday costs for hardworking families and lower the deficit by asking large corporations and the wealthiest Americans to not engage in price gouging and to pay their fair share in taxes.” — President Biden

The Biden-Harris Administration is cutting mortgage insurance premiums and expanding rental assistance, and they are calling on Congress to help build more homes and lower costs for homebuyers and renters. The Administration is lowering utility bills by increasing access to solar energy through tax credits up to 30% of the cost of rooftop solar and battery storage and expanded access to residential community solar © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

President Biden and Vice President Harris know that prices are too high and too many families are being squeezed by the cost of living. Their actions are lowering costs in key areas—from health insurance premiums and prescription drug prices to utility bills, groceries, and gas. And their Administration is fighting to further lower costs by taking on price gouging by big corporations making record profits and special interests like Big Pharma that are charging prices two or three times higher than in other countries—while successfully calling on grocery chains to lower grocery prices.

There is more to do. The President and Vice President will keep fighting for hardworking families with an agenda to lower housing and child care costs, and give tax relief to working Americans and middle-class families while making the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share.

While Congressional Republicans side with special interests and billionaires to keep prices and profits high, the Biden-Harris Administration will continue to take action to lower costs for the American people.

President Biden and Vice President Harris’s lowering costs agenda, and Congressional Republicans’ plan to raise costs:

Lowering Health Care Costs
President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting for families who are struggling with health care costs and pharmaceutical prices that are two to three times higher than in other countries. They are taking historic action to lower costs—taking on Big Pharma to allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, capping the cost of insulin and prescription drugs for seniors, and building on the Affordable Care Act to lower health insurance premiums by about $800 per year for millions of Americans. Their plan will extend and expand those actions to cap costs for all Americans. Congressional Republicans voted against these actions to lower health care costs—their plan would increase prices for millions of families and cut Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act.

Biden-Harris Administration Actions:

Lowering health insurance premiums by an average of about $800 per year for millions of Americans by expanding the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits—helping an additional 900,000 Hispanic Americans, 430,000 Black Americans, and 100,000 Asian Americans get health insurance.
- Sign up for health insurance at HealthCare.gov.
Capping prescription drug costs at $2,000 per year for 54 million seniors, people with disabilities, and other Medicare beneficiaries starting in 2025, saving 19 million households an average of $400 per year.
- If you have Medicare, learn how you are saving at LowerDrugCosts.gov.
Giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, which could lower costs for drugs used by up to 9 million seniors and people with disabilities in 2026 alone.
Lowering prescription drug prices by requiring companies to pay rebates if they raise prices faster than the rate of inflation—which is already saving up to 750,000 Medicare beneficiaries between $1 and $3,575 per day.
Capping insulin costs at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries, saving 1.5 million seniors and people with disabilities as much as $365 per month—and getting the three largest insulin producers to cap insulin prices for other Americans.
Lowering inhaler costs to $35 from three of the largest inhaler producers by calling out excessive prices and challenging improperly listed patents, saving eligible consumers around $1,200 per year.
Lowering hearing aid prices by as much as $3,000 per pair by making hearing aids available over the counter.
Providing free vaccines for Medicare beneficiaries, including the shingles vaccine—saving seniors and people with disabilities an average of $70 per year.
Reducing medical debt by preventing as many as 1 million surprise medical bills averaging $750 to $2,600 every month and cracking down on junk health insurance.
Forgiving medical debt for nearly 3 million Americans by 2026 via states and local governments using American Rescue Plan funds.

The Biden-Harris Administration Plan:

Lower health insurance premiums by about $800 per year permanently for millions of Americans by extending the expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Lower prices for more prescription drugs by letting Medicare negotiate prices for more drugs.
Cap insulin costs at $35 per month for all Americans, which would save nearly $1,000 per year for the millions of Americans not on Medicare that use insulin.
Cap prescription drug costs at $2,000 per year for all Americans.
Address price gouging by Big Pharma by proposing a new march-in framework, which would help ensure that taxpayer-funded drugs are reasonably accessible to the public, including at a reasonable price.
Reduce the burden of medical debt by proposing that it be excluded from credit reports, which would raise credit scores for 15 million Americans by an average of 20 points and lead to the approval of approximately 22,000 additional mortgages every year.

The Republican Plan to Increase Costs:

Congressional Republicans sided with Big Pharma to vote against lowering prescription drug prices; want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would threaten health care for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions; increase costs for health insurance, insulin, and prescription drugs; and slash Medicare and Medicaid.

Lowering Utility Bills

President Biden and Vice President Harris know the burden that rising utility bills place on families. They are taking action to lower energy costs with affordable clean energy and energy efficient appliances, and to lower cable and satellite TV bills by banning hidden junk fees. Congressional Republicans voted with Big Oil to keep utility bills and gas prices high.

Biden-Harris Administration Actions:

Lowering utility bills an average of $500 per year by lowering the cost of energy-saving home improvements through up front tax credits of up to $3,200 and direct consumer rebates of up to $14,000 for heat pumps, doors, windows, and insulation.
- Learn how you can save on home upgrades and utility bills at EnergyStar.gov/HomeSavings.
Lowering utility bills by nearly $400 per year by increasing access to solar energy through tax credits of up to 30% of the cost of rooftop solar and battery storage and expanded access to residential community solar.
- Learn how you can save on solar energy at Energy.gov/Save.
Lowering heating and cooling costs through recordincreases in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
- Learn if you qualify for LIHEAP at EnergyHelp.us.
Saving households $170-220 per year on their electricity bills and other goods and services over the next decade by investing in affordable clean energy.
Lowering cable and satellite TV bills by requiring providers to give consumers the all-in price up front.
Lowered internet bills by $30–75 per month for over 23 million households, saving them more than $360 a year.

The Biden-Harris Administration Plan:

Ban early termination fees for TV, phone, and internet service, which can cost more than $200.

The Republican Plan to Increase Costs:

Congressional Republicans have sided with special interests to keep utility bills high, blocked actions to lower internet bills, and tried to repeal programs that are lowering electricity bills.

Lowering Gas Prices and Travel Costs

President Biden and Vice President Harris know prices at the pump and travel costs are too high. They are taking action to lower gas prices now through record energy production and strategic releases of oil and gasoline, and to lower gas prices for the long term and expand access to affordable clean vehicles. They’re also taking on airlines’ hidden junk fees that increase the cost of flights. Congressional Republicans voted against these actions and with special interests to keep gas prices and travel costs high.

Biden-Harris Administration Actions:

Lowering gas prices this summer with the sale of 1 million barrels of gasoline from the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve ahead of the Fourth of July.
Lowering gas prices by up to 25 cents per gallon in certain markets, particularly in the Midwest, by making E15 gasoline available in the summer.
Lowered gas prices in 2022 by as much as 40 cents per gallon with historic, coordinated releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve—saving a household with two cars as much as $250 on gas after Putin’s war against Ukraine caused prices to spike.
Lowering fuel costs by an average of $700 a year and maintenance costs by $500 a year by lowering the cost of clean vehicles through tax credits available at purchase of up to $7,500 for new clean vehicles and up to $4,000 for used clean vehicles, as well as up to $1,000 for charger installation.
- Learn how you can save on fuel costs and clean vehicles at Energy.gov/Save.
Cracking down on anticompetitive practices by oil executives that can raise prices at the pump.
Banning surprise airline junk fees by requiring upfront disclosure of baggage, change, and cancellation fees, saving Americans over half a billion dollars a year.
Requiring airlines provide automatic cash refunds for canceled or significantly changed flights, delayed baggage, and when services like WiFi are unavailable.
Securing commitments from airlines to guarantee hotels and meals when they are at fault for flight delays or cancellations.
- Learn whether your airline offers these benefits at FlightRights.gov.

The Biden-Harris Administration Plan:

Ban family seating fees to guarantee that parents can sit with their children for no extra charge when they fly, saving a family of four about $200 per roundtrip flight—building on commitments the Administration secured from four major airlines.
- Learn whether your airline guarantees family seating at FlightRights.gov.
Require airlines cover expenses such as meals, hotels, and rebooking and provide additional compensation when they are responsible for delays or cancellations.
Partner with 18 state attorneys general to enforce against unfair airline practices that can raise ticket prices or shortchange passengers.

The Republican Plan to Increase Costs:

Congressional Republicans sided with Big Oil to vote against lowering gas prices and with special interests to try to keep travel costs high.

Lowering Housing Costs

President Biden and Vice President Harris know housing costs are too high, and they are fighting to lower them. Their Administration is cutting mortgage insurance premiums and expanding rental assistance, and they are calling on Congress to help build more homes and lower costs for homebuyers and renters. Their plan will give more Americans a chance at the American Dream. Congressional Republicans voted to raise housing prices by cutting programs that increase affordable housing and provide assistance to renters.

Biden-Harris Administration Actions:

Cutting mortgage insurance premiums by about $900 per year for nearly 700,000 homebuyers and homeowners.
Providing rental assistance to more than 5 million households, including an additional 100,000 low-income families.
Capping rent increases in roughly 2 million apartments financed by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), saving nearly 1 million households hundreds of dollars in rent in 2024.
Cracking down on rental junk fees, including repeated application fees, “convenience fees” to pay rent online, and fees for mail sorting and trash collection.
Cracking down on price-fixing by landlords that can raise rents for tens of millions of apartments.
Provided rental assistance to 8 million renters to help pay rent, keep them in their homes, and cover utilities bills during the pandemic.
Provided homeowner assistance to over 500,000 homeowners for mortgage payments, utility expenses, and property taxes during the pandemic.

The Biden-Harris Administration Plan:

Provide mortgage payment relief of up to $10,000 for first-time homebuyers and middle-class families selling their starter home.
Lower down payments by up to $25,000 for first-generation homebuyers.
Build 2 million new homes, including 1.3 million affordable rental units and over 400,000 starter homes to lower the cost of rent and buying a home.
Expand rental assistance to more than half a million households.
Lower refinancing closing costs by an average of $750 for thousands of homeowners by not requiring title insurance.

The Republican Plan to Increase Costs:

Congressional Republicans want to raise housing costs, including repealing investments to increase affordable housing and keep homeowners and renters in their homes, and have repeatedly proposed increasing housing costs by cutting funding for rental assistance, to build more homes, and to lower mortgage costs. Senate Republicans oppose a bill that passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support that would help build 200,000 affordable homes.

Lowering Grocery Costs

President Biden and Vice President Harris know grocery prices are too high. They called on grocery chains making record profits to lower their prices, and appreciate that some have answered the call. Their Administration is taking action to lower grocery costs—increasing food assistance for low-income families; strengthening supply chains to lower food prices; and cracking down on price gouging and promoting competition in the agriculture industry. Congressional Republicans want to put a large tax on food imports and have voted to increase grocery costs by cutting food assistance for low-income families, new moms, and seniors.

Biden-Harris Administration Actions:

Providing the typical low-income family of four about $2,000 more for groceries each year by improving SNAP—lifting about 3 million people out of poverty, including 400,000 Black children, 350,000 Hispanic children, and 18,000 Asian American children—and launching Summer EBT for nearly 21 million children.
- Learn if you qualify at FNS.USDA.gov/SNAP and FNS.USDA.gov/Summer.
Calling on grocery chains making record profits to lower grocery prices—with several grocery chains answering the President’s call and lowering prices.
Investing in fertilizer production and meat and poultry processors to lower costs by spurring competition and giving farmers more market options.
Fixing supply chains that were broken by the pandemic, and strengthening them for the long-term—including food supply chains—to lower food costs.

The Biden-Harris Administration Plan:

Partner with 31 state attorneys general to crack down on price gouging and other anticompetitive practices that increase food costs.
Call out shrinkflation—a rip-off that gives families less bang for their buck by reducing the size of a product while maintaining or increasing the price.
Promote competition in the agriculture industry to help small farmers compete and lower costs at the grocery store.
- If you’re a farmer, submit complaints about antitrust violations at FarmerFairness.gov.

The Republican Plan to Increase Costs:

Congressional Republicans have voted to keep grocery costs high by cutting food assistance for low-income families, new parents, and babies; slashing Meals on Wheels for seniors; and siding with Big Ag to try to block actions to increase competition in agriculture. Congressional Republicans are also calling for huge taxes on food imports, including a 10% across-the-board tax on all imports that would raise costs for families by an average of $1,500 per year.

Lowering Child Care and Education Costs

President Biden and Vice President Harris know child care and education is unaffordable for many families. They are fighting to lower these costs by capping child care costs for low-income families, expanding access to workforce training, and delivering on student debt relief. Their plan lowers child care costs to no more than $10 a day for most Americans, expands free universal preschool, and lowers the cost of college. Congressional Republicans have voted to raise child care and education costs by cutting Head Start and Pre-K programs, cutting Pell Grants, and blocking student debt relief.

Biden-Harris Administration Actions:

Lowering child care costs for more than 100,000 lower-income families by capping costs at no more than 7% of their income, saving an average of $2,400 a year.
- Learn if you are eligible for child care assistance at Benefits.gov.
Saved families $1,250 per child on child care by helping more than 225,000 child care providers that serve as many as 10 million children stay open during the pandemic.
Lowering college costs by increasing the maximum Pell Grant by $900 per year—the largest increase in more than a decade.
- Apply for Pell Grants and other student aid at StudentAid.gov/FAFSA.
Canceling student debt for more than 4.75 million Americans through various actions.
- Learn if you qualify for student loan forgiveness at StudentAid.gov/Forgiveness.
Reducing student loan payments through the SAVE plan, with 8 million borrowers enrolled, of which 4.6 million have a $0 monthly payment and others are saving an average of more than $1,000 a year.
- Learn how you may be able to lower student loan payments at StudentAid.gov/SAVE.
Saved 40 million working families with children an average of $2,600 per year by expanding the Child Tax Credit in 2021—which cut child poverty nearly in half, lifting 1.2 million Hispanic children, 800,000 Black children, and 100,000 Asian American children out of poverty.
- Learn more at ChildTaxCredit.gov.
Provided nearly 20 million college students with tuition relief during the pandemic.

The Biden-Harris Administration Plan:

Save families with children an average of $2,600 per year by restoring the expanded Child Tax Credit to help families afford everyday costs and lift 3 million children out of poverty.
Lower child care costs with a new program to guarantee affordable, high-quality child care for 16 million children in families making up to $200,000 per year, with most families paying no more than $10 a day and the average family saving $7,200 a year.
Save families of 4 million children $13,000 a year with free, universal preschool and Head Start for all four-year-olds and a path to expand preschool to three-year-olds.
Lower college costs by remaining on a path to double the maximum Pell Grant to $13,000 per year by 2029—with an increase of $750 next school year alone.
Lower the cost of college tuition by up to $20,000 by increasing access to dual enrollment for high school students.
Expand free community college—saving eligible students $4,500 or more per year.
Expand student debt relief to over 30 million Americans, including those with runaway interest, who are eligible for forgiveness but not enrolled, who entered repayment over 20 years ago, or who attended programs that failed to provide sufficient value.
- Learn if you would qualify for student debt relief at StudentAid.gov/DebtRelief.

The Republican Plan to Increase Costs:

Congressional Republicans want to increase the cost of child care and education by eliminating 250,000 Head Start and 260,000 child care slots, eliminating Pell Grants for 80,000 students, and increasing student loan payments.

Lowering Credit Card, Banking, and Other Financial Costs

President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting Big Banks to lower the costs of using credit cards, bank services, and other financial costs. They are cutting credit card late fees from $32 to $8, overdraft fees from $35 to as low as $3, and taking on other hidden junk fees to save Americans $20 billion per year. Congressional Republicans have sided with Big Banks on Wall Street and Park Avenue to try to protect these junk fees that burden hardworking families.

Biden-Harris Administration Actions:

Cutting credit card late fees from $32 to $8, saving the 45 million Americans that pay these fees an average of $220 per year.
Protecting retirement security by cracking down on junk fees in retirement investment advice, increasing retirement savings by tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Saving taxpayers an average of $150 peryear with Direct File—a new, free tax filing option that has already saved filers millions of dollars in its Pilot Program and is now being expanded across the country.
- Learn how you can save on tax filing at DirectFile.IRS.gov.

The Biden-Harris Administration Plan:

Cut overdraft fees from $35 to as low as $3, saving the 23 million households that pay these fees an average of $150 per year.
Ban hidden junk fees that can increase prices by up to 20% and require companies to show the full price up front.

The Republican Plan to Increase Costs:Congressional Republicans sided with Big Banks and other special interests to try to block actions to ban junk fees—including voting to keep credit card late fees high—and Republican officials have joined big corporations to try to overturn these consumer protections in court.

Biden Administration, Health Care, News & Photo Features

FACT SHEET: President Biden Takes New Steps to Lower Prescription Drug and Health Care Costs, Expand Access to Health Care, and Protect Consumers

March 7, 2024 krubin

Because of President Biden, Americans are now protected against receiving surprise medical bills for most emergency care and ambulance services as well as when consumers didn’t know they were getting care from an out-of-network provider – that has eliminated some 1 million “surprise” bills a month. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

The White House provided this fact sheet detailing actions President Biden has taken, and new actions he is taking to lower prescription drug and health care costs, expand access to health care and protect consumers, even as Republicans voted against giving Medicare the ability to negotiate drug prices and their presumed presidential nominee, Trump, is renewing calls to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which now has enabled a record 21 million to obtain health insurance, 9 million more than when Biden took office, and as he moves to negotiate for a $2000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for all, not just Medicare recipients and expand the number of drug prices being negotiated from 10 to as many as 50 a year. –Karen Rubin, [email protected]

President Biden believes that health care is a right, not a privilege, and since day one, he has delivered health care to millions more Americans while also lowering health care costs. The President continues to build on, strengthen, and protect Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, signing laws such as the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act to lower prescription drug costs and health insurance premiums. Thanks to the President’s efforts, more Americans have health insurance than under any other President, and are better protected against surprise medical bills and junk fees. Seniors are already seeing lower prescription drug prices with insulin capped at $35, free vaccines, and out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs capped at $2,000 starting in 2025. And the Administration is well on its way to lower the cost of range of drugs as Medicare negotiates over the prices of prescription drugs for the first time ever. The Biden-Harris Administration has also taken steps to make sure consumers aren’t scammed by junk insurance and have better access to mental health care.

However, the President is not just resting on these accomplishments. He’s fighting to deliver even lower costs and better health care to Americans. That’s why the Biden-Harris Administration is acting to lower prescription drug costs, keep health insurance premiums low, expand access to health care, especially mental health care coverage, and continue to protect Americans from getting ripped off.

Taking on Big Pharma to Deliver Lower Prescription Drug Costs for Seniors and Families

After decades of opposition, President Biden enacted a law that finally takes on Big Pharma and gives Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act will save millions of seniors money on some of the costliest prescription drugs on the market. Meanwhile, Big Pharma also executed over $135 billion in mergers and acquisitions in 2023 alone, while passing the cost to consumers. And eight of the 10 drugs selected for this year’s negotiation program raised their prices in 2024 – after all 10 drugs were already priced three to eight times higher in the United States than in other countries. President Biden knows how the Inflation Reduction Act is delivering for American families, and his Administration will continue the fight to lower health care costs for more Americans.

Announcing that Manufacturers of 10 Drugs Remain at the Negotiating Table. Last month, for the first time in history, Medicare has made offers on the fair price for 10 of the most widely used and expensive drugs. Medicare is no longer taking whatever price for these drugs that the pharmaceutical companies demand. This week CMS announced that manufacturers for all 10 selected drugs are participating in drug price negotiation, with all manufacturers having submitted counteroffers and negotiations continuing. Later this year, new, negotiated prices for the first 10 prescription drugs selected for the negotiation program will be announced.
Let Medicare Negotiate Drug Prices for at least 50 Drugs Every Year. Medicare should not be limited to negotiating just 20 drugs per year. Instead, the President is proposing that Medicare be able to negotiate prices for the major drugs that seniors rely on, like those used for treating heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The Budget cuts federal spending by $200 billion increasing the number of drugs Medicare can select for negotiation and bringing more drugs into the negotiation process sooner, and other reforms.
Expand Cap on Out-of-Pocket Prescription Drug Costs. When the $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on prescription drugs applies in Medicare in 2025, nearly 19 million seniors and other beneficiaries are projected to save $400 per year on prescription drugs. The President is calling on Congress to expand the $2,000 out-of-pocket cap to all private insurance so that all Americans have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that they won’t have to choose between filling their prescription or putting food on the table.
Capping Medicare Cost-Sharing at $2 for Common Generic Drugs. Medicare will be launching a new model to limit Medicare Part D cost-sharing for certain generic drugs to $2. As Medicare prepares to launch the model, today HHS published a list of dozens of generic drugs for the model, including drugs like statins to treat high cholesterol, beta-blockers for high blood pressure, and platelet inhibitors to prevent blood clots. In his budget, the President is calling on Congress to limit Medicare cost-sharing to $2 for high-value generic drugs for all Medicare plans.
Access to Cell & Gene Therapies. In January, HHS announced that sickle cell disease will be the first focus of the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Access Model. Under this model, CMS will negotiate with manufacturers on behalf of state Medicaid programs to increase affordable access to potentially lifesaving and life-changing treatment, and lower health care costs for some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations. Today, CMS is releasing the Request for Applications for drug manufacturers of cell and gene therapies to participate in the model.
Expand the IRA’s Requirement that Drug Companies Pay Rebates When They Increase Prices Faster than Inflation. Thanks to the IRA, drug manufacturers must now pay rebates to Medicare if their price increases for certain drugs exceed inflation. The President is calling on Congress to require those rebates for commercial drug sales, as well as sales to Medicare. That will save the federal government billions of dollars, further curb prescription drug price inflation, and reduce health insurance premiums for people with private health insurance coverage.

Putting High-Quality Health Care Within Reach

Today, more Americans have health insurance than under any President. The President’s efforts to lower health insurance premiums have led to record-breaking enrollment in the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplaces, with over 21 million people signing up for coverage – 9 million more than when the President took office. The Biden-Harris Administration isn’t stopping there and is building on this incredible success by:

Keeping Health Insurance Premiums Low. Thanks to the President’s American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act, millions of Americans are saving on average $800 a year on premiums. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to keeping health insurance premiums low, giving families more breathing room and the peace of mind that health insurance brings. To do that, the President is calling on Congress to make the expanded premium tax credits that the Inflation Reduction Act extended permanent. Without Congressional action, millions of Americans will see their health insurance premiums spike by hundreds or thousands of dollars starting in the fall of 2025.
Closing the Medicaid Coverage Gap. The President continues to call on Congress to provide Medicaid-like coverage to people in the 10 states that have not adopted Medicaid expansion as well as keeping Medicaid expansion enrollees covered.
Keeping Kids Covered. Investing in our nation’s children is a top priority for the President. Research shows that when children have health insurance, they thrive: they’re healthier, they do better in school, and are more likely to succeed in adulthood. Keeping children covered is the right thing to do, which is why the President wants to make sure that children can never lose coverage due to red tape from birth until they turn age 6, and that families only have to submit Medicaid paperwork once every three years.
Closing Research Gaps in Women’s Health Research. In November 2023, the President and the First Lady launched the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research to fundamentally change how our nation approaches and funds women’s health research. Women make up more than half the population but have been understudied and underrepresented in health research for far too long. As part of the initiative, the President during the State of the Union will call on Congress to make bold, transformational investments in women’s health research.
Making Home Care More Available. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, President Biden delivered $37 billion to all states to expand access to home care and improve the quality of caregiving jobs. The Biden-Harris Administration is taking steps to improve the quality of Medicaid home care services and to make sure home care workers get a bigger share of Medicaid payments for these critical services. The President remains committed to further improving and expanding Medicaid home care services, and is calling on Congress to do their part to allow the hundreds of thousands of older adults and individuals with disabilities on Medicaid home care waiting list to remain in their homes and stay active in their communities while continuing to improve the quality of jobs for caregivers.
Ensuring Access to Mental Health Care. Ensuring robust access to mental health care has been a bipartisan priority for almost 15 years, including the enactment of mental health parity requirements which require health plans to cover mental health care benefits at the same levels as physical health care benefits. Yet today, too many Americans still struggle to find and afford the care they need. The President is committed to tackling the mental health crisis in this country, which means making health plans do their part and providing agencies with the needed support to make sure they’re doing so. The Biden-Harris Administration is working to finalize the mental health parity rule, which would close existing loopholes as well as ensure health plans evaluate access to mental health care in their networks, and make changes if it’s found to be inadequate. In addition, the President is calling on Congress to further increase access to mental health care by expanding coverage in Medicare and private insurance, applying the mental health parity requirements to Medicare beneficiaries, and extending Medicare incentive programs to address mental health provider shortages.

Cracking Down on Junk Insurance, Surprise Bills and Fees, and Confusing Health Care Pricing

Nothing infuriates the President more than seeing Americans get ripped off. That’s why the Biden-Harris Administration has prioritized implementing surprise billing protections, preventing 1 million Americans from receiving surprise medical bills every single month. The President has also taken steps to prevent Americans from being ripped off by junk insurance that preys on vulnerable citizens by closing loopholes to ensure consumers know what they’re buying and can get the health coverage that best meets their needs. But more can be done to protect consumers, which is why the President intends to:

Prevent More Surprise Medical Bills. Today, Americans are protected from receiving medical bills for most emergency care and air ambulance services as well as when consumers didn’t know they were getting care from an out-of-network provider despite doing their homework and going to an in-network facility for treatment. The President wants to further protect consumers by applying surprise billing protections to ground ambulance providers. The last thing people should worry about during an emergency is an unexpected bill for their ambulance ride.
Crack Down on Junk Insurance. Last year, the Biden-Harris Administration proposed a monumental rule to help millions of Americans access high-quality, affordable health insurance and protect consumers from being discriminated against because of pre-existing conditions. Making sure Americans aren’t scammed into low-quality coverage, and charged more or denied life-saving care is a key priority for the Administration, which is why we are working to finalize proposed rules that limit the availability of junk insurance.

Honoring America’s Commitment to Seniors

The President has always believed that Medicare and Social Security are a promise—a rock-solid guarantee generations of Americans have counted on to be able to retire with dignity and security. The President will reject any efforts to cut the Medicare or Social Security benefits that seniors and people with disabilities have earned and paid into their entire working lives. The Budget honors that ironclad commitment—not only by rejecting benefit cuts, but by embracing reforms and investments that will protect and strengthen both programs. The President is committed to working with Congress to ensure Medicare and Social Security remain strong for their beneficiaries, now and in the future.

Securing Medicare. In his budget, the President is calling on Congress to ensure that high-income individuals contribute their fair share to Medicare and directs revenue from the Net Investment Income Tax into the HI trust fund as was originally intended. In addition, the President has proposed to direct savings from further lowering drug costs into the Medicare trust fund. If Congress were to heed the President’s call and enact these reforms, it would substantially extend solvency for the Medicare HI Trust Fund, guaranteeing seniors the benefits they have been promised.
Protects Seniors’ Health and Dignity. As President Biden pledged to do two years ago in the State of the Union, the Biden-Harris Administration is “set[ting] higher standards for nursing homes and make sure your loved ones get the care they deserve and that they expect.” The nursing home industry receives billions of dollars of taxpayer funding each year, but for too long, many facilities have not had the staff required to give residents safe, high-quality care. That is changing. HHS has proposed a new rule establishing a federal floor for nursing home staffing, so that owners cannot cut staffing to unsafe levels simply to turn a profit. This includes a proposal for every facility to have a Registered Nurse on site 24/7, in addition to minimum number of registered nurses and nurse aides to assist with care. Earlier this year, HHS also finalized a rule to increase transparency in nursing home ownership, making it easier for residents and their loved ones to hold facilities accountable. The final rule was just submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review

Strong Record on Expanding and Strengthening Health Care Nationwide

The President’s new actions are all in addition to an already impressive track record on fighting for the health care of Americans across the nation. Over the last three years, the President has:

Expanded health insurance through the ACA Marketplaces to an additional nine million Americans and helped over one million people in Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and South Dakota gain Medicaid coverage.
Extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to nearly 700,000 women across 44 states and the District of Columbia.
Kept children covered continuously in Medicaid and CHIP for a full year.
Made it easier for people to enroll in the ACA Marketplaces and Medicaid, including for older adults that are covered by both Medicaid and Medicare.
Made critical vaccines free for all Medicare beneficiaries as well as adults enrolled in Medicaid, with seniors on Medicare saving on average $70 in out-of-pockets for vaccines.
Lowered maximum out of pocket costs for Americans with employer and ACA coverage by an average of $400.
Capped out-of-pocket costs at $35 for a month’s supply of insulin for seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare.

Lowered coinsurance for seniors that took the 47 drugs covered by Medicare Part B that hiked prices faster than inflation in 2023, with some enrollees saving as much as $618 per dose.

Biden Administration, Health Care, News & Photo Features

FACT SHEET: Biden Takes Action to Lower Health Care and Prescription Drug Costs for Americans

October 18, 2022 krubin

President Biden Signs Executive Order Directing HHS to Explore Additional Actions to Lower Prescription Drug Costs

Starting this January, seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries will begin to see the benefits of these cost-saving measures. Because of the Inflation Reduction Act: a month’s supply of insulin will be capped at $35; Medicare beneficiaries will pay $0 out of pocket for recommended adult vaccines covered by their Part D plan, including the shingles vaccine – which costs seniors up to $200; Prescription drug companies that try to raise their prices faster than inflation will be required to pay Medicare a rebate © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

This fact sheet about actions that President Biden is taking to lower health care and prescription drug costs was provided by the White House:

To mark the start of Medicare Open Enrollment season, President Biden is highlighting how seniors can take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act’s cost-saving provisions as they shop for new health insurance plans. The President also signed an Executive Order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to explore additional actions it can take to lower prescription drug costs to build on his Administration’s work lowering costs for working and middle-class families.

Americans are squeezed by the cost of living – that’s been true for years and is a key reason the President ran. Health care costs in particular are driving inflation. Too many Americans face challenges paying for prescription drugs. On average, Americans pay two to three times as much as people in other countries for prescription drugs, and one in four Americans who take prescription drugs struggle to afford their medications. Nearly three in ten American adults who take prescription drugs say that they have skipped doses, cut pills in half, or not filled prescriptions due to cost.

The Inflation Reduction Act – which President Biden and Congressional Democrats delivered – tackles that problem and locks in on average $800 per year lower health care premiums for 13 million families, lowers seniors’ prescription drug prices, and caps their out of pocket expenses for prescription drugs at $2,000 per year. The Inflation Reduction Act protects Medicare beneficiaries from catastrophic drug costs by phasing in a cap for out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy, establishing a $35 monthly cap per prescription of insulin, requiring companies who raise prices faster than inflation to pay Medicare a rebate, and allowing Medicare to negotiate prices for high-cost prescription drugs for the first time ever. Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, have said their top priority is to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, ending these cost-saving provisions and raising prices for tens of millions of Americans.

To further lower health care costs, earlier this week, the Treasury Department took action to fix the so-called “family glitch” rule that was making it harder for families to afford health care coverage for their spouse or child. About 1 million Americans will either gain coverage or see their insurance become more affordable as a result of the new rule.

Lowering Medicare Costs This Open Enrollment Season

Starting this January, seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries will begin to see the benefits of these cost-saving measures. Because of the Inflation Reduction Act:

A month’s supply of insulin will be capped at $35 starting on January 1, 2023.

Medicare beneficiaries will pay $0 out of pocket for recommended adult vaccines covered by their Part D plan, including the shingles vaccine – which costs seniors up to $200.

Prescription drug companies that try to raise their prices faster than inflation will be required to pay Medicare a rebate.

Earlier this year, HHS released a report showing that the price of 1,200 prescription drugs rose faster than inflation in just the last year. For example, one manufacturer of a drug used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure, used by millions of Medicare beneficiaries, increased the drug’s price by nearly 540 percent in 2022. Another drug used to treat autoimmune conditions increased by $1000 just this year.

During Medicare Open Enrollment – running from October 15 to December 7 – seniors and other beneficiaries will be able to choose drug coverage that reflects these new cost-savings, putting money back into their pockets.

Medicare beneficiaries should visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE to review their options for the coming year, and make sure their health and prescription drug coverage is right for them.

Using HHS’ Innovation Center to Further Bring Down Costs

As the Biden-Harris Administration works to implement the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden signed an Executive Order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to consider additional actions to further drive down prescription drug costs. That includes leveraging the “Innovation Center” at HHS, created by the Affordable Care Act, which has authority to test new ways of paying for Medicare services thatimprove the quality of care while lowering costs.

Under Executive Order XX, HHS will have 90 days to submit a formal report outlining any plans to use the Innovation Center’s authorities to lower drug costs and promote access to innovative drug therapies for Medicare beneficiaries. This action would build on the Inflation Reduction Act’s landmark drug pricing reforms and help provide additional breathing room for American families.