- President Joe Biden touted his healthcare policy wins in his State of the Union address.
- He also mentioned Medicare expansion, lower drug prices, and reproductive healthcare access.
- For voters, these are important issues and policies for the presidential election.
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President Joe Biden is hoping to win voters with his healthcare record and promises for future change should he be reelected.
Eighty percent of voters — regardless of party affiliation — said that presidential candidates should discuss their healthcare plan on the campaign trail, per a poll published on February 21 by KFF (formerly known as Kaiser Family Foundation). Additionally, most Americans rank medical costs as one of their top financial worries.
In his State of the Union address, Biden touted his accomplishments for Medicare and Medicaid expansion, lower drug prices, and reproductive healthcare access. For voters, these are important issues and policies for the presidential election.
“More people have health insurance today than ever before,” Biden said during his State of the Union address.
Ninety-one percent of voters support lowering prescription drug costs, and 89% of voters support protecting Medicare funding, according to the nonprofit and nonpartisan Progressive Change Institute. Still, under 30% of those voters say the are aware of any action Biden has taken on those issues.
One in eight voters also said abortion is the most important issue they are thinking about in 2024, per KFF data.
Following Biden’s State of the Union address, here’s a look at what he’s done for Medicare and Medicaid expansion, lower drug prices, and reproductive healthcare access.
Expanded healthcare access for veterans and older adults
During his presidency, Biden has worked to expand healthcare coverage for people on federal assistance programs:
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The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act expanded benefits for individuals on Medicare, capping out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 for millions of beneficiaries. A tax credit system also reduced healthcare premium costs for many families and older adults.
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Millions more veterans who were exposed to toxins or other hazards while in training or active service became eligible for healthcare coverage on March 5 of this year. This latest expansion follows the 2022 PACT Act that extended healthcare to service members exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
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Biden has built on the Affordable Care Act, a law passed in 2010 under former President Barack Obama. Federal ACA expansions led to lower out-of-pocket medical costs for people on Medicaid, but most coverage varies by state.
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At his State of the Union, Biden emphasized his recent wins for Medicare and veteran healthcare: “That’s not just saving seniors money, it’s saving taxpayers money,” he said. “We cut the federal deficit by $160 billion because Medicare will no longer have to pay those exorbitant prices to Big Pharma.”
Lower prices for some prescription drugs
The Biden Administration has negotiated with pharmaceutical companies to lower the price of 10 major prescription drugs:
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The Inflation Reduction Act placed a $35 monthly cap on insulin and has since been adopted by most insulin manufacturers, but the cost of other medical supplies for diabetics remains high.
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The White House announced on March 4 that the price of 10 drugs selected for Medicare price negotiations could be lowered this year — including medicine for heart failure, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.
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“It’s now time to go further and give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices for 500 different drugs over the next decade,” Biden said in his State of the Union.
Action on reproductive healthcare
Biden said “Roe v. Wade got it right,” and he will restore abortion protections as some Republican lawmakers support state and federal abortion bans.
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The fate of medication abortion is in the hands of the US Supreme Court, but Biden has urged the court to protect access. Mifepristone, a pill that’s part of the process for a medication abortion, was just certified by the FDA to be dispensed at major retailers.
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“Clearly, those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women, but they found out when reproductive freedom was on the ballot,” Biden said in his State of the Union.
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In his State of the Union address, Biden also urged Congress to protect IVF following a GOP ‘life at conception’ bill and the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling.
