HEALTHCARE: Statewide Democrats Show Support For ‘Lower Costs, Better Care’

State Democrats barnstormed Wisconsin this week heralding passage of the Inflation Reduction Act that will lower healthcare costs for millions of Americans. Hosted by national healthcare advocacy group Protect Our Care, ‘Care Force One’ made stops in Milwaukee and Green Bay Wednesday.

Signed into law earlier this year, the Inflation Reduction Act ends the 20 year ban prohibiting Medicare from negotiating for lower drug costs and caps seniors out of pocket costs at $2,000 per year. The new law also extends Advanced Premium Tax credits for an additional three years, which is expected to reduce the cost of monthly health insurance plans purchased on the Affordable Care Act exchanges for 13 million Americans.

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, Attorney General Josh Kaul, and Senator Tammy Baldwin joined Milwaukee area residents who will benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act. Barnes took sharp aim at his opponent in the race to serve Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate for the next six years. “Working Wisconsinites deserve another Senator who understands firsthand the challenges they’re facing and who will go to the mat to fight for them,” said Barnes. “Not the Big Pharma and insurance company donors Ron Johnson has prioritized for the last 12 years.”

Johnson and every single Republican in Congress voted against the Inflation Reduction Act.

Senator Tammy Baldwin heralded passage of the landmark law while taking aim at Republicans who voted no. “The (Inflation Reduction Act) will lower health care premiums and finally take on big drug companies to lower prescription drug costs,” said Baldwin. “While every member of the Wisconsin Republican Congressional delegation stood with big drug companies and billion-dollar corporations, Democrats are fighting inflation and delivering some relief for working families.”

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers appeared in Green Bay with speakers who credited the Affordable Care Act for saving their lives, and thanked Democrats for building on the ACA with the Inflation Reduction Act. Northeast Wisconsin OBGYN Dr. Kristin Lyerly also spoke passionately about the need to stop Republicans’ from further eroding access to healthcare for Wisconsin women in the wake of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade earlier this year. 

“Abortion is health care – it’s not this binary choice that politicians want you to make. Abortion care is part of the spectrum of pregnancy care – from fertility treatment, to miscarriage management, to caring for women with complicated pregnancies,” said Lyerly. “Abortion care is fundamental health care, and it is not available to women in Wisconsin right now.” Dr. Lyerly described  the effects of the criminal ban on abortion as “chilling,” and not just for those seeking abortion care.

“As governor, I’ve been committed to expanding healthcare access in Wisconsin and ensuring every Wisconsinite receives affordable and high-quality care — especially for the nearly 2.4 million people who live with a pre-existing condition in our state,” said Governor Evers. “We need leaders at every level of government who will protect every person’s basic human right to make their own medical decisions. I have been a brick wall against Republicans’ war on healthcare and reproductive freedom at the state level.”

The Protect Our Care tour also stopped in Eau Claire this week and will continue to travel the country in the weeks before Election Day.