A Democratic-leaning health advocacy group is launching a series of digital ads in key Republican districts, highlighting how lawmakers there have pushed back against the Biden administration’s efforts to lower drug and health care costs.
Protect Our Care’s $1 million campaign, first shared with The Hill, launches Wednesday and targets House Republicans who represent districts won by President Biden in 2020: Reps. David Schweikert ( Ariz.), David Valadao (Calif.), Mike Garcia (Calif.) and Mike Lawler (NY).
The ads will also appear in the district of GOP Rep. Brett Guthrie (Ky.), who chairs the Health Subcommittee on Energy and Commerce.
Each of the members in the ads spoke against or opposed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which, among other provisions, capped the price of insulin for Medicare beneficiaries at $35 per month and gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices .
The digital campaign will reach people via over-the-top/streaming media including YouTube, Hulu, Meta and more. The group combines the advertisements with local events and organizes to ensure that people in these communities are informed about these reforms.
The IRA was one of the most significant drug market reforms in decades and features prominently in the Biden campaign’s efforts to spread a message about reducing health care costs.
Still, the final pricing of Medicare negotiations won’t take effect until 2026, and polls show the public is largely unaware of what the government has done.
“We continue to emphasize the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act and educate Americans about where their members of Congress stand on these issues,” Leslie Dach, chairwoman of Protect Our Care, said in a statement. “It is unimaginable that Republican lawmakers sided with big pharmaceutical companies and voted against lower drug prices.”
