CONCORD — This morning Protect Our Care’s Care Force One stopped in front of the New Hampshire Statehouse in Concord to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures are lowering premiums and prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. The legislation can work to reduce racial inequities in health care, improve care for seniors, strengthen families, and save lives. During today’s event, Hanan Babikir Bedri, of the NH Public Health Association explained how the new law can lower premiums for 13 million Americans/gives Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices/lowers prescription drug prices for seniors/delivers relief to people with disabilities, people of color, and rural Americans and how Granite Staters can access these savings.

The event was held in partnership with the NH Public Health Association, MomsRising and Granite State Progress.

Watch of video of the event HERE.

U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) said “I have fought to defend and strengthen the Affordable Care Act, and I’m proud we have passed the Inflation Reduction Act to lower health care and prescription drug costs, extend health care subsidies to lower insurance premiums for Americans, and much more. This law accomplishes a long-term priority of mine by finally allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Importantly, it will cap out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries, help to avoid drug manufacturer price hikes, and cap insulin costs at $35 for seniors. I am proud that this historic law includes my bipartisan legislation – the Protecting Seniors Through Immunization Act – that will ensure access to life-saving vaccinations at no cost for seniors on Medicare. This transformative law will have long-term results which will benefit millions of American seniors and families for generations to come.”

Hanan Babikir Bedri, of the NH Public Health Association, said “For 20 years, the New Hampshire Public Health Association has advocated for reducing the health inequity gap. The Inflation Reduction Act makes it easier for Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, which will save American families millions of dollars. One of the strongest aspects of this legislation is its relation to narrowing the healthcare gap, stemming from laws that perpetuate systemic inequalities.”

Zandra Rice Hawkins, of Granite State Progress, said “Beginning in 2024, the Inflation Reduction Act also eliminates the current 5 percent patient coinsurance cost for Part D catastrophic coverage and expands eligibility for Part D low-income subsidies. These, in addition to the already mentioned cap on out of pocket costs, are a real game changer for families facing serious health conditions, many of whom regularly spend thousands of dollars on prescription drug costs.”

Nancy Glynn, MomsRising, said “I am thrilled that Congress and the Biden Administration took action to improve access to health care in the Inflation Reduction Act. We know this issue is a top priority for families. In fact, this is personal for me, because I know what it’s like to be without access to healthcare. In 2020, I was self-employed as an independent contractor. I didn’t have any benefits, and I couldn’t afford health insurance. The premiums for the plans offered through the marketplace were far out of our reach.”

Lyn Lindpaintner, a medical doctor and member of Kent Street Coalition, said “Government policies affect our health. It isn’t just about health insurance or who can pay for prescription medicine, although these things are incredibly important. Other issues can also impact our health: Is my water clean? Are my children safe in their schools? Is my workplace safe? Am I and my family being bombarded with advertisements for things that make us ill? Think about health as having many components, all of which are related to Government policies. Today we celebrate the next major legislative achievement, the Inflation Reduction Act, which is lowering prescription drugs, ensuring that Medicare recipients healthcare costs are capped at 2k per year, that seniors will pay no more than $35 per month for insulin, providing access to free life-saving vaccines, and will require medication manufacturers to pay Medicare a rebate if drug prices increase more than the inflation rate, and will make insurance premiums more affordable in the marketplace.”

Amber MacQuarrie said “Six months ago, my daughter was a wheelchair user. Don’t get me wrong, wheelchairs are wonderful things, they equal freedom for so many. For a child though, who was seemingly able bodied then to disabled, it’s been a wonderful thing for her to simply be differently abled now. Healthcare has enabled us to find a medication that along with physical therapy, means she can walk and run again. She doesn’t need someone to push her in her wheelchair at the back of the pack, and she can’t swing past her peers to the front of the pack on her arm crutches anymore, instead she can run alongside them. We finally put her wheelchair in storage two weeks ago, and with continued healthcare for her, I hope she’ll be able to run with her friends for a long, long time. ”

Laura Packard, cancer survivor and health care advocate, said “The Affordable Care Act saved my life. Four years ago I went into the doctor’s office with a cough and later found out I had stage four cancer. I was lucky because I had insurance, which covered six months of chemotherapy and one month of radiation therapy. However, too many middle class people can’t afford health insurance, and that’s why I thank the current Administration and Congress People that passed the Inflation Reduction Act for making healthcare more accessible. This means millions of Americans will be able to see a doctor, and more, it will lower prescription costs for seniors who are using Medicaid.. We need to protect our care and make sure that we can make healthcare and prescription drugs more affordable than they ever were.”

Protect Our Care NH chair Jayme Simões said that “Chris Pappas and the New Hampshire Delegation fought to pass this bill and recognized that relief for the American people was possible. The Inflation Reduction Act will lower the cost of prescription drugs, make premiums more affordable, and strengthen health care for everyone in New Hampshire.”

This afternoon, the “Lower Costs, Better Care” tour will continue in Hartford, Connecticut, where Protect Our Care will be joined by Governor Ned Lamont, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, and advocates. For more information, please visit protectourcare.org/bus-tour/.