LAS VEGAS \u2014 One of President Biden\u2019s promises to America\u2019s seniors when he first campaigned for the Oval Office was this: You will pay less for health care.<\/p>\n
So on Wednesday, with a possible re-election announcement getting closer every day, the president traveled to Las Vegas to boast that millions of older adults would save on their medications thanks to\u00a0the health care legislation he championed last year.<\/p>\n
Because of the Inflation Reduction Act, he said, seniors will no longer have to make co-payments for some recommended vaccines like shingles and tetanus, saving them an average of $70 each year in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor seniors on fixed income\u00a0who often need expensive medications to stay healthy, that constant question is can they take the medications and can they pay the bills without giving up important elements of their life,\u201d Mr. Biden told an audience at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just your health,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s about your dignity. It\u2019s about your security.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the 2020 election, Mr. Biden came up short among people 65 and older to former President Donald J. Trump, 48 percent to 52 percent. The president and his advisers are hoping to increase his support among that group in 2024 by arguing that its financial and medical security will be better protected with Mr. Biden in office.<\/p>\n
The centerpiece of that argument so far has been the fate of the government\u2019s primary retirement programs, Social Security and Medicare. Mr. Biden has been aggressive in seizing on proposals by a handful of Republican politicians to argue that the party would put the popular programs in danger.<\/p>\n
He said as much on Wednesday, standing in front of a sign at the University of Nevada that said \u201cLowering Costs for American Families.\u201d The president recounted his State of the Union speech this year, when several Republican lawmakers called him a liar for claiming that they wanted to cut the social safety net programs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope it\u2019s true,\u201d he said, noting that the legislators were being filmed as they denied any interest in doing any damage to Medicare and Social Security. \u201cBut I\u2019ll believe it when I see it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Beyond that issue, however,\u00a0the administration argues that older Americans will also be grateful for the president\u2019s efforts to keep costs down, especially when it comes to their medications, at a time when prices have been rising sharply.<\/p>\n
In addition to the $70 average savings on vaccines, White House officials said on Wednesday that seniors across the country would benefit from provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that penalize drug companies when they increase the cost of a drug faster than inflation.<\/p>\n
How Times reporters cover politics.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0We rely on our journalists to be independent observers. So while Times staff members may vote, they are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. This includes participating in marches or rallies in support of a movement or giving money to, or raising money for, any political candidate or election cause.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Officials said that 27 specialized drugs recently met that criteria, and that their makers would be required to pay rebates to the federal government for the extra costs. Administration officials said that older Americans might see some savings in the future as drug companies keep prices lower to avoid having to pay the rebates.<\/p>\n \u201cSome people with traditional Medicare or managed care Medicare may stand to save starting in just a matter of weeks,\u201d Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told reporters before the president\u2019s appearance.<\/p>\n Mr. Biden also highlighted the impact that his health care actions have had on the cost of insulin, which is a common \u2014 and usually expensive \u2014 drug for many seniors who suffer from diabetes.<\/p>\n The president\u2019s health care law caps the price of insulin at $35 per month for older adults, and Mr. Biden has succeeded in persuading two of the three biggest drug manufacturers to lower costs for younger people in need of insulin. Eli Lilly announced this month that it would cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin at the same $35. Novo Nordisk said it would cut the cost of its insulin drug by 75 percent.<\/p>\n The focus on medical costs for older adults has been part of Mr. Biden\u2019s agenda since before he became president. His campaign website said under\u00a0the heading \u201cThe Biden Plan for Older Americans\u201d that seniors in the United States \u201cdeserve to retire with dignity \u2014 able to pay for their prescriptions and with access to quality, affordable long-term care.\u201d<\/p>\n But his policy ambitions are now part of a political effort to win back some in that demographic who have trended toward Republicans as the average age of people living in the country increases each year.<\/p>\n A group of about two-dozen Republican lawmakers is pushing legislation to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, a move that White House officials and the president have seized on. Mr. Biden wants to make his Republican White House rival \u2014 whomever that turns out to be \u2014 pay for a repeal effort by suggesting that it will hurt older adults.<\/p>\n In a statement last month, the White House said that efforts to repeal the law \u201cwould give tens of billions of dollars in subsidies back to Big Pharma, raise seniors\u2019 prescription drug prices and raise taxes on an estimated 14.5 million people \u2014 all while increasing the deficit.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Biden\u2019s visit to Las Vegas comes just weeks before\u00a0he is\u00a0expected to\u00a0announce that he is running for a second term. Nevada is a critical swing state that Democrats need in their column if they want to retain control of the White House for another four years. In 2020, Mr. Biden won the state with 50.06 percent of the vote, to Mr. Trump\u2019s\u00a047.67 percent.<\/p>\n Wednesday\u2019s speech took place at the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, a nod to the service unions that are extremely powerful in Las Vegas and an important Democratic constituency.<\/p>\n