A Real Commitment to Better Healthcare

American taxpayers have paid a steep price for the radical ideology of Democrats in power. Nowhere is this more apparent than in healthcare. With President Biden at the helm, costs continue to rise, patients have access to fewer lifesaving medicines, and the nation continues to drift further away from the promise of accessible and affordable care. In response, Republican lawmakers have put forward their Commitment to America, an optimistic framework outlining their ideas to revitalize the country.

The recent unveiling of the plan reminds the country that competition and innovation, not government control, are the necessary ingredients for advancements in healthcare. For example, the plan advocates for encouraging private investment and competition in order to improve the availability of lifesaving drugs and cures. This kind of approach expands patient choice and puts the average citizen at the forefront of their priorities. This provides a stark contrast to the current administration.

Democrats’ policies, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, have damaging drug pricing provisions that would limit high paying job opportunities in medical research and reduce access to care for those that need it most. Americans are paying this price because Democrats misdiagnosed the problem. Last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics mentioned in their inflation report that drug costs had only gone up 2.5 percent, compared to 42 percent and 60 percent for gas and energy respectively. Clearly, price controls on drugs do not address the inflation consumers face in their daily life. This government intervention in the market only decreases incentives for the private investment that drives research and development.  

The consequences of liberals’ mistakes directly threaten not only American finances but also American lives. Their pharmaceutical pricing scheme included in the IRA “could lead to 135 fewer lifesaving treatments and cures.” The loss of these drugs will have a devastating impact. If those 135 drugs came to market, they could have collectively saved 330 million years of life by 2039. 

Unfortunately, Democrats pay no mind to effective legislation. Instead, they’re only focused on advancing an agenda driven by those furthest to the left.  

Democrats’ constant legislative efforts toward big government ultimately harm patients. The GOP’s plan offers to chart a different course.