5 Facts To Know About Medicare Negotiation

Millions of Americans will get relief on health care costs. Problems viewing this email? [View it in your browser]( [Center for American Progress]( InProgress from the Center for American Progress Lowering Health Care Costs for Millions of Americans [President Joe Biden greets audience members during an event promoting lower healthcare costs in the East Room of the White House.]( For far too long, pharmaceutical companies have set astronomically high prescription drug prices in the United States, resulting in millions of Americans being unable to access the medications they need. In 2023, roughly 1 in 3 American adults [reported]( that they could not afford to take their medications as prescribed. The Inflation Reduction Act empowered the secretary of health and human services to, for the first time, directly negotiate prices for select Medicare drugs. In a [watershed moment this week]( the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the [first 10 prescription]( drugs for which it will negotiate lower Medicare prices directly with drug manufacturers. Here are [five facts about Medicare drug price negotiation:]( - Drug price negotiation is a historic leap to finally begin to level the playing field between Medicare and the pharmaceutical industry. - Negotiations are targeting some of the most expensive and most frequently needed drugs. - Drug price negotiation will advance [health equity](. - The benefits of drug price negotiation will grow over the years. - The Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare drug reforms will provide other substantial cost savings to older adults and some disabled people, reducing out-of-pocket costs and capping insulin costs at $35 per month. The bottom line: Medicare drug negotiation will make lifesaving medications more affordable for millions of older Americans and others on Medicare. The Biden administration is taking on pharmaceutical companies’ greed and growing the middle class by giving more Americans economic security, including better protections against high health care costs. [Read more]( A Month of Natural Disasters This week, [Hurricane Idalia]( made landfall along the East Coast, hitting Florida and adding to a month of natural disasters heightened by climate change. The country, infrastructure, and environment can’t keep up with the dangers of the climate crisis. We have to take control of our future. Take action to protect the climate now. [Act Now]( Progress in Action: Solar Energy Is Strengthening Energy Supply and Lowering Costs [worker standing among a lot of solar panels]( Solar power has been strengthening the electric grid capabilities amid record-setting heat waves and helping to lower electricity costs. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, solar farms across the nation are expanding and upgrading. Two cutting-edge solar sites are located in Arizona and Pennsylvania. These projects demonstrate the nation’s dedication to cleaner energy, new economic opportunities, and a stronger North American market for solar panels. The [production site in Goodyear, Arizona]( is set to produce solar panels for residential homes and massive utility-scale projects. The project will create 500 construction jobs and 250 permanent manufacturing jobs when the site opens. Pennsylvania’s groundbreaking [Goonies Solar Farm project]( is set to produce enough energy to power 33,000 households. The farm will be located in a flood zone, repurposing rocky and difficult-to-use farmland. This approach ensures that the country makes the most of every inch while minimizing the environmental impact. America’s solar farms are reducing our carbon footprint, creating jobs, and boosting the nation’s renewable energy portfolio. Find out what infrastructure improvements, new jobs, and clean energy projects are happening in your hometown, state, or congressional district with the [Biden Administration Investment Tracker](. [explore more investments]( [Banner reading "Biden Administration Investment Tracker"]( Join the Fight Against Gun Violence The country was left reeling again this week following the tragic shootings in [Florida]( and [North Carolina](. Nothing can bring back those who were killed, but collective action can stop more communities from being affected by gun violence. Hear directly from survivors: [A woman speaking in front of a blue background with the title banner reading "The Rev. Dr. Greta Willis."]( [Share now]( Demand Stronger Gun Laws Progress in ending gun violence starts with limiting access to these deadly weapons. Policymakers need to take steps to strengthen gun laws. [tell the senate today]( ICYMI : The Importance of Nondiscrimination in Education, Featuring Asst. Sec. Catherine E. Lhamon [A man and women sitting across from each other in conversation with CAP banners behind them. ]( On August 29, Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights [Catherine E. Lhamon]( joined CAP’s Senior Vice President of Education [Jared Bass]( to discuss the importance of civil rights and nondiscrimination in education and how they contribute to a strong democracy. Assistant Secretary Lhamon also discussed what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to her and to her work as an enforcer of the law as well as a parent. She highlighted the work her office has done in ensuring that every student has access to a quality education free of discrimination or harassment, including [recently released guidance]( for colleges and universities seeking to create campuses that are racially diverse in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent rulings. 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