Actually, it is not an election campaign meeting. The president and vice president are in Maryland to celebrate efforts to provide Americans with cheaper drugs, according to the White House. – No senior should have to choose between picking up their prescription medicine or paying their rent, Harris said as she started the meeting. In 2022, the Biden administration made it possible for Medicare to negotiate down drug prices with the big drug manufacturers. Harris emphasized that lower prices will give people cheaper medicines and save taxpayers large sums of money. “Thanks Joe. Thanks Joe. Thank you Joe,” echoed the audience in the hall. This is the first time Biden and Harris have attended an event together since Biden withdrew from the race and Kamala Harris hastily took over the baton. – About life and death The meeting at Prince George’s Community College in Largo outside Washington DC has “obvious political overtones”, writes The Washington Post. It didn’t take long before the election in November became a topic: – She will be a bit of a president, said Joe Biden when he took the podium. People held placards referring to the lowering of prescription drug prices. Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP He also pointed out that Americans pay more for prescription drugs than any other country. – Too many Americans cannot afford the medicines they need. It is about life and death. So they cut pills in half and skip doses, Biden emphasized. – Our reforms do not save lives, they also save taxpayers money, he continued. There was a good tone between Biden and Harris at the meeting. Photo: Stephanie Scarbrough / AP Biden also criticized Project 2025, a 900-page plan for governance if Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wins the election. However, Trump has distanced himself from the plan, which was created by the Heritage Foundation think tank. Biden claimed it showed that the ability to negotiate down drug prices would disappear. The plan itself outlines a sweeping change to the Medicare program. Later on Thursday, Trump has also called in a press conference. It takes place later in the evening at his golf club in New Jersey. The press meeting takes place after Trump has repeatedly accused Kamala Harris of not giving interviews and not answering questions from journalists. Negotiated drug prices Biden’s and Harris’ appearance in Maryland marks the end of negotiations with drug manufacturers for lower prices for ten types of medicine. The negotiations were made possible as a result of Biden’s “Inflation Reduction Act” (IRA), introduced in 2022. – Two years ago, we gave Medicare the opportunity to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs, Harris emphasized at the meeting on Thursday. She pointed out that Medicare represents 65 million Americans. Thus, they have the power to negotiate down medicine prices. The prices are lowered for a total of ten medicines. Including medicine for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, blood clots and more, a White House statement said. Biden emphasized that Medicare can continue to negotiate lower prices for more drugs in the coming years. Interested in foreign affairs? Listen to the foreign affairs editor’s podcast: Published 15 August 2024, at 20.05 Updated 15.08.2024, at 20.22
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