The White House on Saturday condemned a newly introduced Republican bill that would repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, a law that includes a number of changes aimed at lowering costs for Medicare recipients. Unveiled Thursday by freshman Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tennessee), the bill has 20 original co-sponsors and is endorsed by several right-wing groups, including the Koch-funded organization… Source Source / Read More: House Republican Bill Would Force Massive Cuts to Medicare Benefits
Medicare
$35 Insulin Caps for Medicare Patients Is Not Enough
Originally published by Prism. The sky-high cost of insulin is causing adults in the U.S. with diabetes to ration their medication. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), people with Type 1 diabetes need about two-to-three vials per month, which could total up to $1,000 or more. For those working to make ends meet, paying up to $300 a vial is near impossible, pushing people to either take less insulin than normal or skip a dosage entirely — putting their lives at risk. Though President Joe Biden recently signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which caps the monthly cost of insulin…
Sanders Seeks Role as Senate Health Chair With “Focus on Universal Health Care”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) announced on Thursday that he is seeking to become the chair of a powerful Senate committee that has wide influence over what he is planning to prioritize in the role: Medicare for All, workers’ rights and affordable college. The Vermont senator is likely to take the helm of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, where he has previously served as a member. From the top spot, he will be able to steer the committee’s priorities on health policy and other areas of special interest to progressives. “As chairman of the committee, he will…
Biden Announces Hearing Aids Will Soon Be Able to Be Sold Over the Counter
Millions of Americans who need hearing aids will be able to purchase them over the counter as soon as this fall under a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule that will likely also lower costs, the Biden administration has announced. The FDA finalized a rule on Tuesday that would create a new over-the-counter category for hearing aids, which the agency says will largely benefit those who experience mild to moderate hearing impairment. As soon as mid-October, those with hearing loss will be able to purchase aids online or in-store without a prescription or an appointment with a medical professional.…
Pharma Claims Drug Price Reform Hurts Innovation. Experts Say That’s “Bullshit.”
For decades, the drug industry has yelled bloody murder each time Congress considered a regulatory measure that threatened its profits. But the hyperbole reached a new pitch in recent weeks as the Senate moved to adopt modest drug pricing negotiation measures in the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill “could propel us light-years back into the dark ages of biomedical research,” Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath, president of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, said last month. Venture capitalists and other opponents of the bill said that it “immediately will halt private funding of drug discovery and development.” Steve Ubl, leader of the ubiquitous Pharmaceutical…
NDN Changemaker Showcase Features 14 Indigenous Leaders from Across Turtle Island, Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Islands
The two-day event featured NDN Changemaker Fellows who are radically transforming Indigenous communities by defending Indigenous lands and rights, developing sustainable solutions for the future, and decolonizing their day-to-day lives, their families, communities and Nations.