by Marguerite Bailey Young

Earlier this month, I had the honor of attending President Biden’s State of the Union Address as Senator Mark Warner’s guest. It’s clear to me, after listening to the President’s speech, that the American people have a lot to celebrate. To put it simply, millions of Americans like me are saving hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a year on healthcare.

At 94 years young, I have spent decades advocating for more affordable and equitable access to healthcare here in Virginia. Now, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, insulin costs are capped at $35 a month, and I’m saving around $2,000 per year on all of my medicines. This is life-changing for millions of seniors, most of whom live on a fixed income. As an educator in Virginia, I made a modest salary for most of my career, so these savings are vitally important for my health and well-being. Seniors here in Virginia, and across the country, deserve to live with dignity and the knowledge that their healthcare costs will not bankrupt them as they age.

These new healthcare measures are especially vital for communities of color who are most affected by the adverse outcomes of inequitable access to healthcare. I have long advocated for better health outcomes for people of color, and for more affordable prescription drug and healthcare costs. Savings like these can mean the difference between having to choose between paying for groceries and bills or paying for life-saving medications, a choice no one should have to make.

Some years ago, when I was involved in developing a wellness coalition at Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site) and serving on the board of a low-income housing project in Fredericksburg, I heard countless stories from members of the community who were struggling to afford their medication and healthcare costs. I witnessed the extreme measures they had to take — only paying for part of their prescriptions, and cutting doses into halves or even thirds to make ends meet. Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, Virginia seniors can now save hundreds or thousands of dollars a year on medication and healthcare costs.

The Inflation Reduction Act represents the most expansive healthcare reform since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This legislation lowers healthcare premiums for those who buy insurance on their own by an average of $800 per person, gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug costs for millions of Americans, caps seniors’ out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs at $2,000 per year, stops big drug companies’ egregious annual price hikes, and makes life-saving vaccines, including the shingles shot, free for seniors.

Despite all the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act, many members of Congress have pledged to repeal the law, which would raise costs for millions of seniors and families in an effort to boost Big Pharma’s profits. Many lawmakers also want to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. In addition, they still seek to repeal the ACA, including its protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions.

The policies championed by the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats do more than save money, they save lives. In his speech, President Biden called on Congress to make lower healthcare premiums permanent, expand the $35 monthly insulin cap to everyone, close the Medicaid coverage gap for the remaining 11 states, and extend Medicare solvency for 25 years. Congress continuing the work to lower healthcare costs, reduce drug prices, and improve care will be a lifeline for millions of Americans, particularly seniors, people of color, rural Americans, and people with disabilities.

I was proud to sit in the gallery and listen to President Biden offer his vision for the future of our country. At a time when many Congressmen have doubled down on their war on healthcare, it has never been more critical to remain focused on protecting equitable and affordable healthcare access. While there’s so much to celebrate, we still have more work to do — as President Biden said in his address, let’s get the job done.

(Editor’s Note: the opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and not necessarily those of PW Perspective, LLC or its affiliated stakeholders.)