Health care is now more accessible and affordable in Nevada due to Biden-Harris policies

Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote on two bills ensuring they’d become law. Since then, those laws have helped lower prescription drug costs for Nevadans and made Affordable Care Act insurance plans more affordable. 

Nevadans can now find health care coverage easier to get and more affordable to pay for, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These Biden-Harris administration laws reduced costs for prescription drugs, made vaccines free for seniors, and implemented a cap on insulin prices, and more. 

Both bills were passed with only Democratic votes in the House and Senate, and Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote for each to make them law. 

Healthcare has long been a high priority for Harris. Throughout her career, she has taken on pharmaceutical companies and other large corporate interests. Most recently, she called for eliminating medical debt for millions of Americans. 

“When I was attorney general of California, I met with countless families who were often quietly suffering because they or a loved one could not afford the medication they needed and were prescribed,” Harris said in a speech last year. “I investigated drugmakers that tried to stop production of cheaper, generic versions of their drugs, and we held them accountable … every person, not just the wealthy or well-connected, [will have] the opportunity to thrive and can live a life of dignity after they retire.”

Direct benefits for Nevada

The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022 despite fierce opposition from Congressional Republicans, has helped Nevadans by:

• Capping insulin at $35 per month for some 22,000 Nevada Medicare enrollees who rely on that medication;
• Making shingles, RSV, and other recommended adult vaccines free, allowing 90,000 Nevada Medicare enrollees to receive a vaccine in 2023;
• Capping out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare Part D enrollees starting next year, which will save 143,000 Nevadans an average of $434 per year;
• Extending Affordable Care Act subsidies for Nevadans, allowing some 21,000 residents to keep their health insurance coverage; 
• Expanding the “Extra Help” subsidy program, moving about 4,000 low-income Part D enrollees in 2020 from partial to full benefits.

Learn more about Nevada health care coverage for you and your family at https://dhhs.nv.gov/find_assistance/medical_assistance/.