{"id":148201,"date":"2022-09-28T13:36:10","date_gmt":"2022-09-28T20:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=148201"},"modified":"2022-09-28T13:36:10","modified_gmt":"2022-09-28T20:36:10","slug":"president-biden-on-medicare-and-the-inflation-reduction-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=148201","title":{"rendered":"President Biden on Medicare and the Inflation Reduction Act"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Well, Bob, thank you \u2014 thank you very much for that introduction.  Bob didn\u2019t tell you one of the most important criteria he had to be here, in addition to being a fighter, was he had two daughters-in-law and a son who went to the University of Delaware.  (Laughter.)  Well, look, folks, a lot of us \u2014 and I look around the room here, from Joe Crowley and others who are no longer \u2014 we\u2019ve been waiting for this day for a long time \u2014 a long, long time.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Mz_wMEqJBnk\" title=\"President Biden Delivers Remarks on Health Care Costs, Medicare and Social Security\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>We got \u2014 it\u2019s going to take a little while for some of this to kick in, but it\u2019s locked in.  It\u2019s locked in.<\/p>\n<p>And I want to thank everyone who\u2019s here, including my Secretaries and my Cabinet members and \u2014 for their relentless \u2014 how relentlessly you worked to protect Medicare.<\/p>\n<p>But before turning to the topic I want to discuss today \u2014 I hope you\u2019ll indulge me \u2014 I want to talk a little bit about the people \u2014 the crisis people are facing in Florida right now.<\/p>\n<p>Hurricane Ian made landfall in Cuba this morning as a Category 3 storm.  Florida is now preparing for the \u2014 the hurricane to make landfall.<\/p>\n<p>Forecasts can change, but for now, the experts say this could be a very severe hurricane \u2014 life threatening and devastating in its impact.<\/p>\n<p>So I want to be clear about two main messages.<\/p>\n<p>First, my administration is on alert and in action to help the people of Florida.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve approved Florida\u2019s request for emergency assistance immediately upon receiving it from the governor when I received it.  And I directed my team to surge federal assistance there before the storm hit.<\/p>\n<p>FEMA has already deployed 700 personnel to Florida, and the Governor has activated 5,000 state National Guard, with another 2,000 Guard coming from other states.<\/p>\n<p>FEMA is also proposing \u2014 (applause) \u2014 and prepositioning 3.5 million liters of water, 3.7 million meals, and hundreds of generators.<\/p>\n<p>I just spoke this morning with the areas that\u2019ll likely be hit \u2014 the mayors of Tampa, St. Pete\u2019s, and Clearwater.<\/p>\n<p>All of them \u2014 all of them are in the storm\u2019s path.  And they\u2019re focused on the safety of their communities, and they\u2019re doing everything they can to get people out of harm\u2019s way.<\/p>\n<p>I told each one of them in my conversations, separately: Whatever they need \u2014 I mean this sincerely \u2014 whatever they need, contact me directly.  And they know how to do that.  I have a lot of personnel down there already.  We\u2019re here to support them in every way we can.<\/p>\n<p>Second thing I\u2019d like is mention is the citizens in the potential impact area should obey the instructions of local officials.  Evacuate when ordered, and be prepared for the \u2014 what it\u2019s \u2014 for the storm when it comes.  And evacuations have already been called for.  And I \u2014 apparently, they\u2019re going along fairly orderly \u2014 in a fairly, orderly way in each of the three cities.  Your safety is more important than anything.<\/p>\n<p>And I know our hearts are with everyone who will feel the effects of this storm.  And we\u2019ll be with you every step of the way.  We\u2019re not going away.<\/p>\n<p>And as we prepare for Ian\u2019s landfall in Florida, I remain focused \u2014 (coughs) \u2014 excuse me \u2014 on helping Puerto Rico recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona.<\/p>\n<p>Hundreds of FEMA and federal personnel are now there, including search and rescue teams, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for power restoration, and other experts from around the country.<\/p>\n<p>FEMA has already distributed $40 million in direct assistance to survivors to help them begin to rebuild their homes.  And FEMA also is providing $700 in direct assistance to families displaced from their homes to meet critical needs of food, first aid, prescriptions, and baby food, and fuel now.<\/p>\n<p>And imme- \u2014 I immediately approved the ex- \u2014 the expedited major disaster declaration to provide individual and public assistance \u2014 on public assistance to help their communities recover as well. <\/p>\n<p>This declaration will get federal resources out quickly and help people start to rebuild their lives.  They\u2019ve been through a rough period since the last hurricane.<\/p>\n<p>And as part of the declaration, I\u2019ve also authorized 100 percent federal funding for debris clearage, and rescue pi- \u2013for power and water restoration, shelter and food for the entire month.<\/p>\n<p>And to the people of Puerto Rico who are still reeling from Hurricane Maria five years later: We are with you, and we\u2019re moving forward with you, and we\u2019re not going to go home until it all gets done.<\/p>\n<p>Now to today\u2019s event on \u2014 about Medicare.<\/p>\n<p>You know, I want to share the progress that we\u2019ve seen and been making to bring down the healthcare costs and strengthen Medicare, which is, for so many seniors, the only thing they can rely upon.  And we\u2019ve worked really hard to maintain it. <\/p>\n<p>The way I think about it is the way my dad talked about the way so many of you at home talk about issues around the kitchen table: How much \u2014 how much are your monthly bills; how much do you have to pay for the necessities; and will there be enough at the end of the month for just a little bit of breathing room \u2014 as he used to say.  Just a little breathing room. <\/p>\n<p>A big cost \u2014 a big cost and a big concern for most folks is prescription drugs and other healthcare.  Reducing that cost and concern is one of my top priorities.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why I signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act \u2014 one of the most significant laws in our history.  I finally \u2014 it finally delivers on the promises that many of us have made in this audience as well that the American people have had to undergo for decades that we\u2019re going to change.<\/p>\n<p>For example, we pay more for prescription drugs than any other advanced nation in the world.  And there\u2019s no good reason for it.  For years, many of us have been trying to fix this problem.  But, for years \u2014 for years, Big Pharma has stood in the way. <\/p>\n<p>Not this year.  This year, the American people won, and Big Pharma lost.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>For years, there had been no check on how high or fast Big Pharma can raise drug prices.  But thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, that ends now.  Now, if Big Pharma tries to raise drug prices faster than inflation, they\u2019ll be penalized and they have to rebate the money to Medicare.<\/p>\n<p>And from now on, if you\u2019re on Medicare and you have diabetes, the cost of your insulins will ca- \u2014 be capped at $35 a month per sh- \u2014 per prescription.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>Bob just told you what a difference it\u2019d make \u2014 it\u2019s going to make in his life and what it could\u2019ve made in his life had this been around a long time ago.<\/p>\n<p>And now we wanted to \u2014 to be the \u2014 that the case for everybody \u2014 for everybody to have peace of mind.<\/p>\n<p>We wanted to cut the cost of insulin for everyone, including hundreds of thousands of children with Type 1 diabetes.  But, unfortunately, we had that in the bill that Republicans were able to get the votes to strike that out of the bill. <\/p>\n<p>It only costs only $10, by the way, to make a bottle of this insulin.  Ten bucks.  And there\u2019s no patent on it.  Ten bucks, okay?  And they\u2019re charging, as Bob told you they charged him, 30 or more times that cost.<\/p>\n<p>Imagine \u2014 just imagine being a parent.  Imagine being the parent of a kid suffering from Type 1 diabetes knowing you didn\u2019t have the money.  Let\u2019s say you\u2019re paying five, six, seven hundred dollars a month and you don\u2019t have it.  How in God\u2019s name \u2014 not a joke \u2014 how in God\u2019s name do you look at that child \u2014 knowing you can\u2019t afford it, you don\u2019t have the insurance, you have no way of getting it \u2014 how do you go \u2014 undergo that?<\/p>\n<p>As my dad would say, it not only deprives that child of a healthy existence, but it deprives a parent of their dignity \u2014 their dignity. <\/p>\n<p>You know, well, just imagine.  Just imagine if we\u2019re able to provide this for everyone \u2014 everyone in America \u2014 at 35 bucks a shot. <\/p>\n<p>Look, I haven\u2019t given up on this.  You know, we\u2019re going to go back at this, and we\u2019re going to lower the cost of lifesaving insulin for children as well as families for everybody, whether they\u2019re on Medicare or not.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>Look, after years of Big Pharma blocking it, Medicare will finally get the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.  Seniors will see their out-of-pocket costs for<br \/>\nprescription drugs be limited \u2014 as this comes into full force \u2014 to $2,000 a year.  (Applause.)  No senior will have to pay more than \u2014 on Medicare \u2014 pay more than $2,000 for all their prescriptions, whether it\u2019s cancer drugs or anything else.<\/p>\n<p>Thousands of Americans on Medicare pay more than $14,000 a year for blood cancer drugs, more than $10,000 a year for ovarian cancer drugs, more than $9,000 a year for breast cancer drugs.<\/p>\n<p>Many people on Medicare skip those cancer drugs that they need because they can\u2019t afford them.  It\u2019s a simple proposition: They can\u2019t afford them.<\/p>\n<p>Now the maximum they\u2019re going to have to pay for all their prescription drugs \u2014 no matter what the cost \u2014 is $2,000 a year.  Period.  (Applause.)  And it\u2019s going to be a godsend.  It\u2019s going to be a godsend to many families.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, by the way, a family of four saved $2,400 through the American Rescue Plan that I signed into law.  And now the Inflation Reduction Act locks in place those lower healthcare premiums for millions of families who get their coverage through the Affordable Care Act. <\/p>\n<p>And this morning, we got more even good news about lowering costs.  The Department of Health and Human Services announced that the premium for Part B will, in fact, decrease this [upcoming] year.  That\u2019s a fee you pay \u2014 (applause) \u2014 that\u2019s a fee you pay for Medicare to cover your visits to your doctor.<\/p>\n<p>For years, that fee has gone up.  Now, for the first time in more than a decade, it\u2019s going to go down.  And millions of seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare, that means more money in their pockets while still getting the care they need.<\/p>\n<p>And on top of that, if you have Medicare\u2019s prescription drug coverage Part D, you pay for your prescriptions more than \u2014 you pay \u2014 you pay for your prescriptions, more of your shots will also be free.  We\u2019re getting rid of the cost of the prescriptions and bringing them way down. <\/p>\n<p>But guess what?  If you need a vaccine, like shingles \u2014 last year, more than 2 million seniors got that vaccine; most of the folks had to pay $100 for that shot.  In some cases, $200 for that shot. <\/p>\n<p>Well, do you have any wonder how many seniors skipped that shot?  For seniors with disease, it could be \u2014 because it\u2019s too expensive.<\/p>\n<p>Well, they won\u2019t have to make that choice anymore.  Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, starting in January, senior[s] [with] Medicare prescription drug coverage and the price you pay for this \u2014 these shots will drop to zero.  Zero.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>As I said, just for the sing- \u2014 just for the shingles vaccine alone, that\u2019s more \u2014 $100 or more out of your pocket. <\/p>\n<p>And my administration is taking other steps to bring down healthcare costs as well.  I met with my Competition Council \u2014 made up of my Cabinet and those who work with the Cabinet.  They\u2019ve changed \u2014 they\u2019re charged with promoting compensation across our economy \u2014 competition, I should say, across our economy to help lower the prices and raise wages.<\/p>\n<p>One thing we\u2019ve done is to make more affordable hearing aids available over the counter starting next month so people don\u2019t have to pay the expensive \u2014 for these expensive devices and specialist visits.  We\u2019ll to have to save \u2014 it\u2019ll literally save patients thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n<p>And to bring greater transparency to healthcare costs, my administration has also outlawed surprise billing.  You know \u2014 \u2014 (applause) \u2014<\/p>\n<p>If your insurance plan didn\u2019t cover a particular doctor and you didn\u2019t even know he or she was being consulted, and you got an extra bill for thousands of dollars, they can\u2019t do that anymore.  They can\u2019t do that anymore. <\/p>\n<p>Millions of hardworking Americans will no longer have to worry about unexpected medical bills.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re going to be able to pay for all of this by making sure the biggest corporations in America begin to pay their fair share of federal taxes.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Folks, for decades, the biggest corporations have fought to block a fairer tax code.<\/p>\n<p>Under Donald Trump, my Republican friends had no problem<br \/>\nenacting a $2 trillion tax cut that overwhelmingly benefitted the wealthy \u2014 the wealthiest Americans, the biggest corporations that \u2014 not a penny of which was paid for and massively increased the federal debt.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, 55 of the biggest corporations in America made $40 billion in profit.  I\u2019m happy for their profits, but they didn\u2019t pay a single penny in federal income tax on $40 billion \u2014 in taxes.<\/p>\n<p>But this year, even though some of the biggest corporations in America flooded Capitol Hill with lobbyists and money, they lost and we won.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Now corporations will have to pay a minimum corporate tax of 15 percent.  Just 15 percent.  We\u2019re not gouging anybody.  Fifteen percent minimum.  That\u2019s it.  That\u2019s it.   <\/p>\n<p>The days of billion-dollar companies paying zero taxes are over though.  And there\u2019s enough money there to pay for an awful lot of this.<\/p>\n<p>And let me be crystal clear about it \u2014 something else: No one \u2014 as I said when I ran, no one earning less than four thou- \u2014 $400,000 a year will pay a single penny more in federal taxes.  If you\u2019re making less than 400 grand \u2014 and I hope none of you are; I hope you\u2019re all making more than that \u2014 (laughter) \u2014 you don\u2019t have to pay a penny more in taxes if you make less than 400.<\/p>\n<p>You know, that\u2019s a commitment I made in my campaign and a commitment I\u2019m keeping.<\/p>\n<p>And we\u2019re doing all this by bringing down the deficit at the same time.  You hear about us being \u201cbig spenders\u201d?  Well, they raised the debt by $2 trillion.  We\u2019ve reduced the deficit in my first year, 2021, by $350 billion.  Okay?  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>And even with some student loan forgiveness and all the cost of all these things, we\u2019re still \u2014 we\u2019re on track to reduce the deficit this year \u2014 fiscal year \u2014 by more than $1 trillion.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>And the Inflation Reduction Act will reduce it another $300 billion over the next decade.  That\u2019s possible because Medicare is finally going to be able to negotiate lower prescription drug prices so less money paid out.<\/p>\n<p>Now, I wish I could say Republicans supported this prog- \u2014 progress and reducing healthcare costs and strengthening Medicare.  That would be good for all of America.<\/p>\n<p>But they have a very different idea.  Every single Republican voted against the Inflation Reduction Act.  And when it actually came time to do something about inflation around the kitchen table, every one of them said no \u2014 House and the Senate. <\/p>\n<p>And sadly, it goes even further: 158 House Republicans have already signed a Republican budget that will cut Medicare and Social Security.  I know you think I\u2019m probably exaggerating that, but there\u2019s a pamphlet \u2014 a pamphlet: \u201c12 Point Plan to Rescue America\u201d by Senator Scott of Florida.  Okay? <\/p>\n<p>I won\u2019t read through all of it, but it says, \u201cAll federal legislation sunsets in 5 years.  If [it] is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again.  Translated: If you don\u2019t vote to keep it, you don\u2019t get it. <\/p>\n<p>Now, what do you think they\u2019re going to do when the House Budget Committee started talking about the cost of Medicare and Social Security and why we can\u2019t afford it?<\/p>\n<p>Folks, you know, the senator in charge of reelecting the United States senators \u2014 Senator Scott \u2014 has proposed the plan where Social Security, Medicare every five years on the chopping block.  It means every five years, you either cut it, it reduces, or completely eliminate it \u2014 Social Security and Medicare.<\/p>\n<p>You know, you\u2019ve been paying into Social Security since the first job as a teenager and you get your paycheck. <\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, then there\u2019s Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.  He thinks waiting five years \u2014 every five years is too long to wait.  Not a joke.  These are actually in writing, okay?  He wants to put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block every single year in every budget.  If Congress doesn\u2019t vote to keep it, goodbye. <\/p>\n<p>Now, it\u2019s not just Social Security and Medicare he wants to deal with.  He wants to put veterans\u2019 benefits and everything else at the federal budget at risk.  He\u2019s the same person who said that if Republicans gained control of Congress, they should once again try to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which, by the way, is the only reason why millions of people \u2014 millions of people with preexisting conditions were able to get healthcare is the Affordable Care Act \u2014 literally, not figuratively.  Literally.<\/p>\n<p>Then, last week, Republican Leader of the House unveiled what he called the \u201cCommitment to America.\u201d  God bless America.  It\u2019s a thin set of policy goals with little or no detail that Republicans say they\u2019ll pursue if they regain control of the Congress. <\/p>\n<p>In the course of nearly an hour, here are a few of the things that we didn\u2019t hear: We didn\u2019t hear the words \u201cMedicare\u201d or \u201cSocial Security.\u201d  And he said for the first time they\u2019ll get what \u2014 the first thing they\u2019re going to do is repeal the Inflation Reduction Act.  Well, guess what?  All those things that I mentioned we\u2019re going to do, they get rid of all of them \u2014 all of them \u2014 with the repeal.<\/p>\n<p>I have a different idea.  I\u2019ll protect those programs.  I\u2019ll make them stronger.  And I\u2019ll lower your cost to be able to keep them.<\/p>\n<p>Let me close with this: Over the last few years, we\u2019ve faced some of the most difficult challenges in our history, but we\u2019re actually making progress helping folks get just a little more breathing room.  Lowering healthcare costs and strengthening Medicare is a big part of progress that we\u2019ve been making on inflation, not just with gasoline prices and other progress.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s one of the reasons why I\u2019m so optimistic about America\u2019s future, for real.  We have to remember who in God\u2019s name we are.  We\u2019ve kind of forgotten it.  We\u2019re the United States of America.  I\u2019ve never been more optimistic in my life about our prospects.  There is simply nothing \u2014 nothing beyond our capacity to get done if we do it together.<\/p>\n<p>So God bless you all and pray that we come \u2014 figure out how to come together better than we have so far, because a lot of people\u2019s lives and futures depend upon it.  And I\u2019m confident \u2014 I\u2019m absolutely confident we can get it done.<\/p>\n<p>God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  Thank you.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Well, Bob, thank you \u2014 thank you very much for that introduction. Bob didn\u2019t tell you one of the most important criteria he had to be here, in addition to being a fighter, was he had two daughters-in-law and a son who went to the University of Delaware. (Laughter.) Well, look, folks, a lot [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":148202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-148201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Fullscreen-capture-9282022-13453-PM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=148201"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":148203,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148201\/revisions\/148203"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/148202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=148201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=148201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=148201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}