Republicans want to repeal legislation Murray helped pass to lower prescription drug costs for seniors
Murray releases NEW TV AD on health care; “The Republican health care plan includes higher drug prices, increased premiums, and gutting Medicare”
***WATCH press conference HERE***
(Everett, WA) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray joined Washington State Senator June Robinson and health care advocates to discuss Murray’s work to make health care more affordable and the stakes of Washington’s U.S. Senate race for health care — especially as Republicans have already said they want to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act. Murray discussed her recent work passing legislation to lower prescription drug costs for seniors and extending the tax credits from the American Rescue Plan that made health care cheaper for thousands of Washingtonians, as well as her efforts to defend the Affordable Care Act and get her legislation to ban surprise medical bills — the No Surprises Act — signed into law under former President Trump. Video of the press conference is available here.
Today, Senator Murray also released a new TV ad featuring a nurse speaking about how electing Tiffany Smiley — who was handpicked by Mitch McConnell to run for Senate — would threaten Washingonians’ access to affordable health care.
“Mitch McConnell has tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act 70 times,” the nurse says in the direct-to-camera spot. “The last thing we need is Mitch McConnell’s handpicked candidate in the United States Senate, Tiffany Smiley. The Republican health care plan includes higher drug prices, increased premiums, and gutting Medicare. With Mitch McConnell and Tiffany Smiley, you will pay a lot more for your health care. Say no to Tiffany Smiley before it’s too late.”
“We are here to make absolutely clear that health care is on the ballot this November,” said Senator Murray during today’s press conference. “Voters need to know there is a clear choice in this election: I’m fighting to make health care more affordable and more accessible for everyone. Mitch McConnell and his handpicked candidate here in Washington state are not — and in fact, they want to roll back our progress.”
“Senator Murray is an unwavering champion in the fight for affordable health care — whether it’s the Inflation Reduction Act or her legislation to stop surprise medical billing, Patty gets results,” said Washington State Senator June Robinson of the 38th Legislative District. “She’s worked tirelessly to lower health care and prescription drug costs and expand access to affordable care to all Washingtonians, building on the Legislature’s successes in Olympia. If Republicans take back the State, they’ll stop at nothing to roll back the important progress we’ve made — and we can’t let that happen. We need Patty Murray in the U.S. Senate, fighting for us.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act is truly something to celebrate, especially for the retired Americans I work with every day,” said Jackie Boshok, President of Washington Alliance for Retired Americans. “We have been fighting to bring Big Pharma to the bargaining table to secure lower prescription drug costs for seniors for years, and finally — with Senator Murray’s help — we got it done. This is going to mean real relief for seniors struggling to afford the often astronomical cost of the prescription medications they need. Senator Murray goes to bat for Washington’s seniors when it matters most, and it’s so important that we keep her in the U.S. Senate, fighting for us.”
“In November, now more than ever, our health care is on the line,” said Kelli, a Registered Nurse from Snohomish. “Having worked on the front lines of a hospital, I know firsthand the value of having elected leaders on the federal level who will advocate for and pass legislation to lessen the burden of health care costs on our community. Senator Murray has done the work — helping to pass the Affordable Care Act, ban surprise medical bills, and allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs. I support returning Patty Murray to the U.S. Senate so she can continue working for all Washingtonians.”
Recently, Senator Murray, who chairs the Senate Health Committee, helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which will help more than 1.4 million Medicare beneficiaries in Washington state by capping their out-of-pocket prescription drugs costs at $2,000 a year, capping their insulin costs at $35 a month, and capping price increases on Medicare beneficiaries’ prescriptions at the rate of inflation so that drug makers cannot jack up prices to juice their own profits. The legislation also extends the health care tax credits Senator Murray championed in the American Rescue Plan, which have saved millions of Americans thousands of dollars on health care, spurred record enrollment on the health exchanges, and helped bring our nation’s uninsured rate to an all-time low.
Senator Murray also wrote the No Surprises Act to ban surprise medical bills, and got the bill signed into law under the Trump Administration. While Washington state took action against surprise medical bills, the state law could only extend to state-regulated plans and did not cover the estimated 2 million individuals and families who get their health insurance through a large employer. Senator Murray’s No Surprises Act expanded those protections for more than 2 million people in Washington state — and is projected to prevent more than 12 million surprise medical bills this year.
###