Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on NICA v. Becerra
When President Biden came into office, he vowed to lower health care costs for American families. By passing the Inflation Reduction Act, the President and Congressional Democrats finally allowed Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors – while every single Republican in Congress voted to keep health care costs high, even for their own constituents.
Yesterday’s decision in the Western District of Texas is an important step in this Administration’s defense of the law. Despite Big Pharma’s attempts to block prescription drug negotiation, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is moving forward with their critical work to negotiate for lower drug prices for the first ten drugs selected for the negotiation program. Millions of seniors take these drugs every year for conditions ranging from diabetes to heart disease, blood cancers, Crohn’s disease, and more – and some pay nearly $6,500 per year out of their own pockets for one drug alone.
Americans shouldn’t be forced to pay two to three times more for their prescription drugs than other developed nations. President Biden and this Administration will continue this essential work to lower health care costs for millions of seniors and their families.
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