Reduction act is tremendous low important. For people in this community. And for all of those who rely on Community Clinics as it gives more people access to resources and health care. Because of this act. Seniors and those who get Health Insurance through the Affordable Care act save hundreds if not thousands of dollars per year on prescriptions and Health Insurance premiums. Incredible and keep seniors on medicare healingy giving them access to additional, free vaccines, we know can be life saving. 91 of this would be possible without our representatives lead by speaker nancy pelosi. [applause] who has been an incredible champion, advancing truly transformtive and Historical Health care. Including with regard to hiv aids, the afford care act and now with gratitude the Inflation Reduction Act. Ladies and gentlemen, speaker nancy pelosi. [applause], thank you, doctor colfact for your wonder opening remarks and tremendous leadership in our Community Taking us through covid and now monkeypox a valued resource that we have in our community. I know that you have a meeting have you to be at and so i thank you for honoring us with your presence and if you have to slip away, we understand. If you were not so busy we would not want you to be with us. Because great to be here with doctor colfax with angels calgary the executive director of covered california were proud of them. Thank you, jessica. [inaudible] the director of aarp california thank you, thank you, to aarp for making, we can only do so much with inside maneuvering the outside mobilization. Weighing in oft people on the issue and arp has been masterful in this, thank you so much when we talk about reducing the cost of Prescription Drugs. I have to pull this down. Start all over . [laughter]. I said we have 2 v. I. P. s with us. Beatrice American Cancer SocietyAction Network ambassador and she is my boss. And oscar james a legendary figure here. Board member of the Southeast Health center. Oscar. Thank you for making this wonderful occasion possible with Community Family center. And keith is not speaking but acknowledge wrchl is keith. Thank you, keith for your leadership here and the hospitality you extend us this morning but important low the hospitality you extend to people in the community at this center it is pretty exciting the southeast south center now the southeast Family Health center. Here we are [applause] families are grateful for their your capable leadership doctor colfax. Thank you for that and again i know we consider it a privilege to be at the new renovated southeast Family Health center. Quality, Affordable Health care. We took the tour and when you take the tour, it is about health care. But it recognizes health is about your mental state and sense of community and value that is placed on you and people here feel very respected because of the nature of this accomplice. It is just remarkable. We gather here to share the good news under President Biden and democrats and Congress Health care costs will come down. Powered by our rescue plan to begin with, health care is more accessible and affordable than ever. We tried Affordable Care act to bring down the Cost Health Care and did except when it came to the cost of Prescription Drugs. We are about the Kitchen Table of americas working families. How can we lower costs and increase paychecks and make community safer. And that is what we have dmn this piece of legislation. With the inflation. We had in a rescue plan now extended it with the inflation Reduction Plan biden sign in the law, add to when we did in the rescue plan driving down the cost of Prescription Drugs and extending the premium reduction this is is about the Kitchen Table. Here is what the ira. We call it they dont want to call at this time ira. Sometimes they talk about that. The Inflation Reduction Acts means for Medicare Beneficiaries in our city. Cap the drug cost to 2 thousand dollars. This is a rable achievement. We have been trying to do this for arc while. We kept the copay so what people dont have to insulin. 35 dollars a month. That is like 110th or 120th of where it is. And i have to say, we did that without one republican vote. Sad to say. Without one republican vote. We have been drug members from pred tori price hikes they have been engaged in and finally empowered medicare to negotiate for lower Prescription Drug prices. That is the big triumph. This is historic we have been trying to do this for dekdzs big pharma weigh in the and weighed in and strangle hold on our ability to loose it Free Congress from that. We want to do more. But this opens the door on and we are proud. It is historic without one republican vote. And big pharma says the democrats will pay for this. Can you imagine mag they say a thing to threaten us for lowering costs for Prescription Drugs for americas family. San francisco the provisions save millions aier in our own community. And now we will hear more from arp california on what this cost means for families. Before we do, it is thousands of people in our community are in covered california this is what ira does for them. Rescue plan slashed premiums now locked in the lower processes at least for 3 more years and then that is what many of the other provisions come due. Our lever acknowledges increase in the that town. We will keep affordable insurance, the average enrollee in San Francisco could save over 1400 dollars. The ming mum in premium costs. Family of 4 could save up to 2800 dollars. 2 seniors could save 21 thousand dollars. We are fortunate to joined by jessica of covered california. Will share how we save more for 90 of enrollees in our state. We are blessed be joined by 2 v. I. P. s very important people. A leukemia patientness the burden of drug costs and oscar james will tell us about his pain. And a board member southeast Family Health center. Medicare beneficiary. A powerful voice for many years and his reputation he honors us. Law passed possible because the outside mobilization. You cannot do your best job just inside maneuvering. There has to be the engagement of the public. So that members of Congress Know and hear from their own constituents what they node. And how they need it. In the terminology that means something to them. Because we believe that health care is a right not a privilege. Too many families face the impossible choice. Keep a roof over your head and food on the table or access to life saving care. Campaign trail, i have seen grown men cry because they cant pay the Prescription Drug bills. They have family members and say, i just cant afford it. And it keeps getting more and the it was the one element of the Affordable Care act we reducing the costs that kept going up and now we have broken that strangle hold. Lowering Health Care Cost system about justice these benefits flow to the most in need. Vulnerable seniors, working fells and communities of color. We honor doctor king, doctor king said, of all forms of inequality injustice in health care is the most shock anding inhuman, he said, because it is often result in physical death. Now it is my privilege to introduce jessica k with covered california in delivering quality Affordable Care to all. Jessica. Thank you, so much. Madam speaker not only for the opportunity to be here today. But for your leadership and commitment in make thanksgiving day happen. The Inflation Reduction Act provide critical savings for millions of americans including the 1. 7 million in california who get their Health Insurance through the Affordable Care act marketplaces including covered california im here to represent. The savings have empowered cover california to reach record levels of enrollment. Reduce what consumers pay by 20 and a critical piece in bringing california to the lowest uninsured rate on record at the height of the pandemic. By extending for another 3 years we bring Health Insurance within reach of more people than ever before. This law will help californians and people across the country get coverd and stay covered. As you know, the act extends the increased and expanded financial help initial low included in the American Rescue plan. The capped 8 and a half of Household Income low are costs for more people. The law provides free, silver plan the average level of coverage for low income californians those who earn less than 19, 230 for an individual or 40,000 for a family of 4. And extends financial help to middle income consumers those who earn more than 51 thonned for individual and 10 sick thousand dollars for a family of 4 who were ineligible for Financial Assistance. Right now 2 thirds of the consumers we serve get comprehensive coverage for 10 dollars or less per month and many get it at no monthly cost. [applause]. We saw gains among communities of color. And low indm families got the piece of moindz that come with quality, affordable coverage making our Health Care System equal at the same time we make it more affordable. We seen middle income families paying 20 or 25 or 30 of their income on Health Care Premiums save thousands a year. And the savings for 3 years means californians and people across the country will continue to have the access to Health Coverage they need and deserve. Those are a lot of big National Members i will show what you it means for the people in the greater bay area. Right now there are about 325,000 cover california enrollees. Including 40,000 people in San Francisco, county. In Speaker Pelosis district tell help cover california enrollees save over 100 per month on average on top of the Financial Assistance they were receiving through the Affordable Care act. One couple that is benefitting is erin and jacob met with Speaker Pelosi when the American Rescue plan was passed. They are professionals photographer and business stray up when the pandemic hit. The law helped them keep coverage at a time when it mattered more than ever observe and now they are paying less than 50 dlrs a month for a high Quality Health plan for the both of them. Speaker pelosi, thank you. The work you have done along with congress and President Biden will make a world of difference in the lives of millions of americans and hundreds of thousands of californians. It will allow people like erin and jibbing on keep their coverage and the costs within reach for people throughout the state who dont have Health Insurance today but could have it tomorrow. Open enrollment on november first and i encourage anyone californian going without coverage to individual coverage california. It is more in reach than ever before. With that, thank you again to the speaker for her leadership and for this incredible accomplishment and my pleasure to introduce rossy advocacy director for aarp. California. Good morning. Thank you madam speaker and guests a pleasure to be here with you this morning to talk about Inflation Reduction Act. Years of discussion and negotiation and thank you to Speaker Pelosi, congress delivered role Prescription Drug price relief for millions of Older Americans by passing the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This historic new law includes many key aarp priorities that will save taxpayers and medicare billions of dollars including foible low allowing medicare to negotiate the price of Prescription Drugs. [applause], getting people with medicare plans the piece of mind knowing they will not have to pay more than 2 thousand dollars a year for medications. Penalizing Drug Companies raising their Prices Higher than inflation. Limiting the cost of insulin to 35 dollars an among for those on medicare. [applause] and making many vaccines shingles available at no cost in medicare. These Prescription Drug provisions in Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 broad bipartisan support in voters and are long over due. Speaker pelosi we know you have been a strong voice of support for lowering drug processes and grateful to you and your colleagues for getting this bill across the finish line. One cannot state what a monumental improve am this will be february Older Americans and all struggling to afford medications. For decades, medicare has been prohibited from using the buying power to negotiate lower drug prices. Up until now, the pharmaceutical industry successful at keeping that in place. This new law will finally change that equation and put money back in peoples pockets instead of more profits for pharma. This law will also keep insurance affordable for millions of americans when qualify for expanded Financial Assistance and will prevent a massive previous premium increase affect 3 million people. This is so important for aarp especially for members 50 to 64 who already pay up to 3 times more for their coverage than younger people this is an e normous victory the fight is in the over. Big Drug Companies spends millions trying to over turn the luto keep charging americans the highest processes in the world. Aarp will keep fighting big Drug Companies out of control process and we will not back down. Once again i thank you madam speaker on behalf of 3. 3 california numbers and all older californians for strong leadership in achieving the passage of this historic legislation. And now it it is my upon honor to introduce Beatrice Duncan, health and wellness advocate and constituent. Thank you. Good morning, my name is Beatrice Duncan going through cancer presentses a series of changes the many trials we face in cancer journey covering the high cost of out of pocket for medication is the most troubling issues and contributed to health desparity patients force to delay or forgo life saving. For those taking new or special drug therapies or medications, include members of our communities, the cost Prescription Drugs can be in tens of thousands per year. If i have conversations with other cancer parents the tommic on how are out of pocket cost force us for paying for cancer medications or shelter and other essentials necessary to our daily life. For example, having to purchase to medication [inaudible] the cuomo therapy infusion im one of those. Being able to have a care provider if affordable. Consistent chronic aid Health Problems and most important low being able to address emotional and social problems the need professional attention. With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act for lower Health Care Costs we have taken an important step in creating longterm affordability and will help spread the costs predictable for patients and survivors. To Speaker Pelosi, thank you for your support, leadership and our continue efforts to ensure this very important legislation was successful. Thank you for bringing Affordable Medical coverage and access to cancer medication to the forefront. You have demonstrate third degree is a human rights issue. One that will impact the constituency you representative in the house of representatives. Earlier i mentioned the challenges this we face as cancer parents with this law there will be reassurances the cost of cancer medication will be not one of them there is a Bright Future for me. And i look forward to share thanksgiving time with my daughter, my son and my 4 grandsons and 6 great grandchildren. And to focus on one of the things that truly matter in life that people give this life a true meaning. Thank you. See how excited i get. It is with a great, great pleasure