Biden and Harris’ First Joint Event Since His Withdrawal, Highlighting Drug Costs

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are spotlighting their first joint event since Biden announced his exit from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Harris to take his place as the Democratic nominee. The event is taking place at Prince George’s County Community College in Maryland, where they are discussing the economy and efforts made by their administration to ease financial burdens for Americans.

One of the significant announcements during this event came from the Department of Health and Human Services, which disclosed an agreement on price negotiations for ten commonly used medications. This initiative aims to save Medicare enrollees around $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket expenses starting in 2026.

Biden emphatically remarked, “It’s a relief for the millions of seniors that take these drugs to treat everything from heart failure, blood clots, diabetes, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and more—and it’s a relief for American taxpayers.” His sentiments were echoed by Harris, who described the deal as “lifechanging for so many of our loved ones across the nation.”

Harris emphasized the fundamental belief that all Americans should have access to essential healthcare, regardless of income. She noted their administration’s commitment to reducing healthcare costs through the Inflation Reduction Act, highlighting her role in casting the tie-breaking vote in the Senate for this transformative legislation.

The Inflation Reduction Act represents a significant shift in healthcare policy as it allows the government to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies. Starting in 2026, alongside the initial ten drugs, further negotiations will take place for an additional fifteen drugs in 2027, another fifteen in 2028, and up to twenty drugs each year thereafter.

While aligning with Biden’s agenda during this event, Harris is set to share her economic platform the following day in North Carolina, marking her first major policy release since becoming the presumptive nominee. She is expected to propose measures to combat rising living costs.

As Biden departed the White House for the event, he addressed whether he thought Harris would diverge from his economic policies for strategic political reasons. He confidently replied, “She’s not going to.”

On the impending agenda, Harris plans to advocate for a federal ban on corporate price-gouging related to food and groceries. Her campaign has stated that the federal government, along with state attorneys general, should possess the authority to investigate and penalize companies that breach these new regulations.

The campaign highlighted that while price fluctuations in free markets are normal, there’s a crucial distinction between competitive market pricing and exorbitant prices that have no relation to actual business costs. Harris aims to draw attention to this disparity, particularly noting its impact on grocery bills for Americans.

Additonally, Harris has recently pushed for eliminating the tax on tips for service workers, mirroring a proposal from former President Donald Trump. Her campaign also indicates her forthcoming economic plan will include strategies aimed at reducing healthcare and housing expenses.

In parallel, Trump has criticized the Biden-Harris administration’s economic record, particularly in his own remarks aimed at highlighting economic issues. He briefly outlined his proposals to eliminate taxes on tips and on Social Security benefits for seniors while often intertwining these critiques with false statements regarding the economic landscape and his previous administration’s performance.

In a combative tone, Trump stated, “With four more years of Harris, your finances will never recover, they’re never going to recover. Our country will never recover, frankly, more importantly. It will be unrecoverable.” He urged voters to choose him to ensure that incomes would soar and the American dream would be revitalized.

This joint event by Biden and Harris underscores their shared commitment to tackling economic challenges and healthcare accessibility as they prepare for the upcoming electoral landscape.

Source: ABC News