August 12, 2023
Dear Friends,
I’ve always believed that access to affordable, quality health care is not a privilege, but a right that every American should enjoy.
Improving health care has been a top priority for me in Congress; from my first session in office when I voted to advance the Affordable Care Act, to just last week, when I heralded the fix to the long-broken Medicare Wage Index formula that will deliver hundreds of millions for our local hospitals to improve care for our Capital Region.
My work to bolster health care in our region and beyond continued this week, with events that included an informational session on the many health care benefits for seniors under our Inflation Reduction Act and a roundtable conversation where I discussed a national plan to end Parkinson’s disease.
Working to end the disease of Parkinson’s
Helping those with neurological disorders has been a major concern of mine, and for years, I have led efforts to combat one of the top neurological disorders facing Americans—Alzheimer’s. More recently, my work in this space has guided me to author and champion legislation for those living with Parkinson’s disease.
This week, I held one of my “Faces of” events—a series meant to spotlight the stories of local individuals regarding an issue of growing national importance—on Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease behind Alzheimer’s, and unfortunately, it is growing fast. A few troubling stats:
- Currently, more than 1 million people in the U.S. live with Parkinson’s disease, and there are no treatments to cure, prevent, or slow down its progression.
- Nearly 60,000 Americans are diagnosed every year, and the disease is estimated to cost the U.S $52 billion annually.
These concerning numbers compelled me to work alongside advocates to seek a solution, which is why I introduced the bipartisan National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act along with my friend Rep. Gus Bilirakis. Our bipartisan, no-cost legislation will for the first time unite the federal government in a mission to cure and prevent Parkinson’s, alleviate financial and health burdens on American families, and reduce government spending over time.
At my ‘Faces of’ event, I heard insights from individuals and their families living with this disease and learned about what a national plan would mean for them. Their powerful words have made me even more determined to pass this legislation in Congress and meet the needs of these brave individuals and their families.
Ensuring seniors can access the benefits they deserve
Following several other health care-focused events, meetings, and visits, I wrapped up my week with an informational session at Clifton Park Senior Community Center on the many health care benefits included within the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
One year ago, I was proud to support this crucial and transformational law to address the most pressing challenges of our time. I hosted this event to provide an opportunity for seniors to learn more about how this monumental bills benefits them by reducing out-of-pocket health care costs and lowering the price of insurance premiums, insulin, and other prescription drugs.
With the Inflation Reduction Act now the law of the land, we have at last taken bold steps to rein in out-of-control health care costs that have left countless Americans with the impossible choice between paying for health care and putting food on the table.
Under IRA, Medicare beneficiaries across the nation will finally be able to afford prescription drugs without having to worry about unfair and costly price increases. What’s more, IRA empowers Medicare to negotiate drug prices for the first time, meaning individuals will pay a lower cost-sharing amount for the medications they need to lead full, healthy lives. In New York’s 20th Congressional district alone:
- Thousands of Medicare Part D beneficiaries will have their annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs capped at $2,000 per year.
- 10,200 beneficiaries receiving insulin will have monthly copayments for insulin products capped at $35 per month.
- If IRA’s drug pricing provisions had been fully in effect in 2020, the estimated cost of prescriptions for local beneficiaries would have been $55 million lower.
This week highlighted just some of the many ways I’m pushing to bolster access to quality care. I’m proud of these major steps forward, but the work is far from over. Going forward, I’ll keep striving for legislation that meets the health care needs of our communities here and across the nation.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates on legislation my colleagues and I have passed and how they impact you and your family. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- This coming Wednesday, August 16th, marks exactly one year since the monumental Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law.
- Among other historic investments—including the health care benefits I enumerated in this newsletter, good paying, union jobs, and economic development opportunities—IRA also contains ambitious provisions to protect our climate and meet our nation's clean energy goals.
- With that in mind, I’ll be hosting a climate town hall in collaboration with the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) next week at 5:30PM on Wednesday, August 16th to inform you of how the climate provisions of IRA will help chart a greener and more sustainable future while at the same time saving you money.
- The town hall will be held at the Washington Avenue branch of Albany Public Library, 161 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210
- You can learn more and REGISTER HERE.
