Letter to the Editor by Ann Klees

To the Editor:

The moderate, left of center party in Congress passed the historic Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and President Biden signed it into law. The Inflation Reduction Act improves the lives of millions of Americans and their families and will hold greedy corporations accountable for price gouging.

One huge benefit in the Inflation Reduction Act is lower prescription drug costs. Medicare is finally allowed to negotiate for lower drug prices. Taxpayers and patients will save over $280 billion over the next 10 years.

Medication costs for seniors is being reduced. The capping of out-of-pocket expenses at $2,000 a year certainly benefits seniors while lifesaving insulin is capped at $35 per month. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, medicines become affordable for millions.

The Inflation Reduction Act doesn’t just help seniors on Medicare. It also makes healthcare more affordable for millions of working age Americans who get their health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. They will see a savings of $800 a year in premiums ensuring that millions can continue to keep coverage. This is done by extending the American Rescue Plan Act tax credits by three years.

What the Inflation Reduction Act won’t do is raise taxes on anyone making under $400,000 a year. What it will do is reduce the federal deficit by $300 billion over the coming decade.

Noteworthy is that every single Senator and Representative belonging to the rightwing conservative party voted no to the Inflation Reduction Act. They tried to block Medicare negotiating for lower drug prices. The rightwing conservative party sided with Big Pharma, not with their constituents. Why? Big Pharma contributes big dollars to the rightwing conservative politicians. In fact, the rightwing conservative party has already put forth a bill called the Protect Drug Innovation Act which benefits Big Pharma by repealing the  Inflation Reduction Act and by repealing Medicare negotiating with Big Pharma for lower drug prices. The rightwing conservative Representatives and Senators claim that Big Pharma is harmed by lower drug costs and stifles innovation. This, at a time when Big Pharma has made billions of dollars in profits.

The question is whose side are rightwing conservative Senators and Representatives on? The obvious answer is they are on the side of huge corporations. They are not on the side of their constituents. The moderate, left of center party continues to rein in the costs and steadfastly remains on the side of everyday Iowans.

When you go to the polls to vote, ask yourselves who is on your side.

Ann Klees
Waterville