Biden hinterlässt ein bemerkenswertes Erbe im Bereich der öffentlichen Gesundheit

Snippets from the article:

History will remember Biden for his aggressive actions against covid-19, most notably for his part in a mass vaccination campaign that saved an estimated 3.2 million Americans in two years. Two other areas that deserve highlighting are his efforts to curb the opioid epidemic and to make prescription drugs more affordable.

When Biden’s term started, the number of overdose deaths was skyrocketing at a relentless 31 percent a year. The administration’s bold overdose prevention efforts contributed to a remarkable reversal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the year ending in June saw a 14.5 percent decrease in overdose deaths. This is the single-largest recorded reduction in U.S. history. It is also the first time since 2018 that the country has seen a decline.

Biden fulfilled his campaign promise to cut prescription drug costs for seniors. His signature achievement, the Inflation Reduction Act, contained numerous provisions to make it easier for older adults to afford medications. One of them is a cap on out-of-pocket spending for those enrolled in Medicare Part D. That means no one with Part D has to pay more than $2,000 a year for prescription drugs.

In 2026, there will be additional savings because of another historic “first”: Medicare has been allowed to negotiate the prices of drugs with manufacturers. For the first 10 drugs that the administration selected to negotiate, prices for Medicare beneficiaries are 38 to 79 percent lower than list prices. Approximately 9 million people will see a direct benefit, with more to come as CMS is slated to add 15 more drugs next month.