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The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law in 2022, laying the foundation for a new pathway to affordable and accessible health care by addressing both the symptoms and root causes of high costs of care. This is more critical than ever as over 100 million people in the U.S. struggle with medical debt, and one third of Americans indicate that the cost of medical services interferes with their ability to secure basic needs like buying groceries and paying rent.​

Congress must act to rein in the cost of prescription drugs for the millions of families struggling. Today, millions of families across the United States are worried about affording the health care they need. Whether it’s paying for medicines for heart disease, diabetes, cancer or a host of other illnesses, millions of Americans wonder what expenses they can cut to afford these ever-increasing bills. A Kaiser tracking poll found that three out of four adults say they are worried about being able to afford unexpected medical bills and three out of four were worried about the cost of health care services.  

Drug prices in the United States are higher than in any other peer country. People are forced to choose between their medications and necessities like food or rent and are rationing, skipping, or not filling prescriptions all because of the cost! In 2021, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), one of the most significant drug pricing laws to ever be passed in the United States.

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It has been exactly one year since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law, putting significant drug pricing reforms into effect that both expand access to medication and make it more affordable for those why rely on Medicare. Since then, the Biden administration has been working to ensure those reforms are creating lasting, tangible benefits for the millions of older adults and people with disabilities who rely on Medicare for their overall health and wellness.

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