Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Historic Day For Biden, Democrats As Flagship Health, Climate Bill Strides Toward Victory
The Washington Post: Inflation Reduction Act: House To Vote On Final Passage Friday
House Democrats on Friday are expected to approve a sweeping package to lower health-care costs, combat climate change, raise taxes on some large companies and reduce the deficit, sending the once-imperiled proposal to President Biden’s desk. With debate set to begin in the morning, and a vote on passage likely later in the afternoon, the chamber is on track to deliver for Democrats a major legislative victory — one that party lawmakers already have touted on the campaign trail in a bid to protect and expand their majorities in this year’s midterm elections. (Romm, 8/12)
CNN: House To Vote Friday To Pass Democrats' Sweeping Health Care And Climate Bill
The House of Representatives is on track to vote on Friday to pass Democrats' $750 billion health care, energy and climate bill, in a significant victory for President Joe Biden and his party. (Foran and Wilson, 8/12)
AP: House Dems Set To Overcome GOP For Climate, Health Care Win
A flagship Democratic economic bill perched on the edge of House passage Friday, placing President Joe Biden on the brink of a back-from-the-dead triumph on his climate, health and tax goals that could energize his party ahead of November’s elections. Democrats were poised to muscle the measure through the narrowly divided House Friday over solid Republican opposition. They employed similar party unity and Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote Sunday to power the measure through the 50-50 Senate. (Fram, 8/12)
How the legislation will affect Americans —
AP: In Biden's Big Bill: Climate, Health Care, Deficit Reduction
The biggest investment ever in the U.S. to fight climate change. A hard-fought cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for seniors in the Medicare program. A new corporate minimum tax to ensure big businesses pay their share. And billions left over to pay down federal deficits. All told, the Democrats’ “Inflation Reduction Act” may not do much to immediately tame inflationary price hikes. But the package heading toward final passage in Congress and to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature will touch countless American lives with longtime party proposals. (Mascaro, 8/12)
KHN: Democrats Didn’t Achieve All Their Goals, But Inflation Reduction Act Makes Historic Medicare Changes
The giant health care, climate, and tax bill expected to pass the House on Friday and be sent to the president for his signature won’t be as sweeping as the Democrats who wrote it had hoped, but it would help millions of Americans better afford their prescription drugs and health insurance. The Inflation Reduction Act is estimated to spend about $485 billion over 10 years on health and alternative energy programs while raising about $790 billion through tax revenue and savings. The difference would be used to help reduce the deficit. (McAuliff, 8/12)
The Guardian: Inflation Reduction Act Will Be ‘Life-Changing’ For Black And Latino Seniors
Millions of older American could benefit from provisions in the new climate and healthcare spending package that lower prescription drug costs. For Black and Latino seniors, who disproportionately suffer from chronic diseases and struggle with high costs, the package, if passed and signed by Joe Biden, could be especially life-changing. (Rios, 8/12)
NPR: What The Inflation Reduction Act Incentives Mean For Your Wallet
Money in the Inflation Reduction Act would make it cheaper for Americans to curb their own climate-warming emissions. While most of the bill's climate benefits would come from incentivizing major shifts, such as building more wind and solar power, individual choices can add up when undertaken on a large scale. (Benshoff, 8/11)
Also —
KHN: Big Pharma Went All In To Kill Drug Pricing Negotiations
For decades, the drug industry has yelled bloody murder each time Congress considered a regulatory measure that threatened its profits. But the hyperbole reached a new pitch in recent weeks as the Senate moved to adopt modest drug pricing negotiation measures in the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill “could propel us light-years back into the dark ages of biomedical research,” Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath, president of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, said last month. Venture capitalists and other opponents of the bill said that it “immediately will halt private funding of drug discovery and development.” (Allen, 8/12)
The Wall Street Journal: Inflation Reduction Act Draws Clear Battle Lines For Midterms
Democrats’ expected passage of their climate, healthcare and tax bill draws a clear line with Republicans headed into the midterms, with the parties now laying out competing economic visions for voters who will decide control of the House and Senate. Democrats say the Inflation Reduction Act provides much needed investment in cleaner energy and lowers healthcare costs, while the GOP says the bill will pinch small businesses while subsidizing electric cars for wealthy Americans and do nothing to cut households’ bills. The Senate passed the package Sunday along party lines, and House Democrats are expected to approve it Friday, sending it to President Biden’s desk. (Wise and Day, 8/11)
KHN: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: A Big Week For Biden
Health policy was front and center as Congress rushed to pass major legislation before leaving for its summer break. President Joe Biden signed a bill this week providing health benefits to military veterans who were sickened by exposure to toxic burn pits and will likely soon sign a measure allowing Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs and extend enhanced subsidies for those who buy their insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces. (8/11)
