Healthcare

Congresswoman Trahan firmly believes that access to quality, affordable healthcare is a basic human right and that in the wealthiest nation on earth, no one should worry that getting sick could mean bankruptcy for their families. As a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and its Subcommittees on Health and Oversight and Investigations, holding jurisdiction over matters like mental health, health disparities, biomedical research, and public health insurance programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Congresswoman Trahan is acting to make sure people with preexisting conditions and underserved minorities, like women, get the resources and treatment they need.

Inflation Reduction Act

Affordable Healthcare 

In the wealthiest nation on earth, Congresswoman Trahan believes no one should lack access to quality, affordable healthcare. She proudly voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which lowers health insurance premiums and expands coverage for millions. For Massachusetts, that means a projected 57,000 more people with access to coverage and hundreds of thousands of dollars saved. Specifically, the legislation

  • Extends critical marketplace subsidies for low-income Americans so 13 million people don’t see their rates skyrocket overnight, including 3 million Americans who would lose their insurance without this provision.

  • Closes the “family glitch” by ensuring that no family is forced to pay more than 9.61 percent of their income for health insurance.

Lowering Prescription Drug Prices

Big pharma companies have continued to increase the prices of prescription drugs people need to survive, forcing too many Americans to choose between paying for their life-saving prescriptions and other basic, everyday needs. The Inflation Reduction Act tackled the issue head-on by taking unprecedented actions to ensure individuals can access the medicine they need–at a cost they can afford. Specifically, the legislation 

  • Empowers Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs and passes those savings onto Medicare recipients and taxpayers who pay two to three times more for their medications than people in other wealthy countries.

  • Caps the out-of-pocket costs for seniors at $2,000 each year, saving older Americans hundreds or even thousands of dollars annually.

  • Sets the price for insulin at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries.

  • Prohibits pharmaceutical companies from hiking Medicare drug prices higher than the rate of inflation, implementing a penalty paid back into Medicare if they violate this provision.

Additional Supported Legislation

Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Reauthorization Act*

Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act*

Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act 

Strengthening Health Care and Lower Prescription Drug Costs Act

Medicare for America Act of 2019*

FAMILY Act*

Medicare for All Act of 2019

Healthcare Affordability Act of 2019

 * indicates the Congresswoman is an Original Cosponsor of that legislation.