President Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders joined forces on Wednesday to criticize Republicans for their stance on prescription drug costs.
The White House event featured the presence of the independent U.S. senator alongside Biden and healthcare advocates. The main goal of the event was to address the issue of high inhaler costs and propose a solution of reducing them to $35 a month. Moreover, the event highlighted other Democratic initiatives aimed at improving healthcare accessibility.
“Bernie, we’ve been fighting this battle for 25 years. And finally, finally, we’ve triumphed over Big Pharma,” exclaimed Biden, proudly highlighting the recent achievements of the Democrats in Congress. They successfully implemented measures to limit the cost of insulin for seniors and granted Medicare the authority to negotiate more affordable drug prices.
“Bernie played a crucial role in getting it passed. It surprised me, I must admit, that not a single Republican in the entire Congress voted for it,” Biden remarked.
The Biden reelection campaign made this appearance in order to highlight the differences between their health care agenda and that of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly stated his intention to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which was implemented during the Obama era.
“They want to ‘terminate’ the Affordable Care Act,” Biden exclaimed, clearly amused by the choice of words. “I find it quite interesting how my predecessor refers to it as ‘terminating.’ It would mean millions of Americans losing their health insurance.”
Sanders’ public display of support for Biden has the potential to strengthen the president’s standing among progressives and younger Americans. Biden’s unwavering support for Israel during its conflict with Hamas has been a point of contention for both of these groups, resulting in a loss of support for him during the Democratic primaries in crucial swing states.
Sanders has been advocating for the United States to support a U.N. resolution that calls for a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and access to aid. Additionally, he has been urging President Biden to halt the shipment of offensive weapons to Israel. According to the Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry, the ongoing strikes by Israel have resulted in the deaths of over 30,000 Palestinians. These strikes were initiated in response to a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, which claimed the lives of 1,200 people and resulted in the kidnapping of hundreds.
According to Biden, Trump and congressional Republicans are being accused of desiring to increase the eligibility age for Social Security and reduce Medicare benefits, all while implementing tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest individuals in the country.
“I have a better idea,” Biden exclaimed. “Together with Bernie and other members of Congress, I will take action to safeguard Social Security and Medicare. We need to ensure that the wealthy contribute their fair share to maintain the sustainability of these programs. It’s a straightforward solution.”
Bernie Sanders has been a staunch advocate for a national healthcare plan called Medicare-for-All, which aims to provide healthcare coverage for all Americans. This initiative has been a cornerstone of Sanders’ presidential campaigns in both instances.
During the event with Sanders, Biden aimed to highlight the collaborative efforts between him and congressional Democrats in addressing the issue of high prescription drug costs. As chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Sanders played a significant role in these actions. The president’s current focus is on implementing a $2,000 cap on drug costs and ensuring that $35 insulin is accessible to all Americans, irrespective of age.
Biden expressed his gratitude for Bernie’s assistance in highlighting the importance of healthcare as a fundamental right rather than a privilege in the United States.
Biden and former rival Bernie Sanders join forces to criticize Trump’s approach to healthcare.
