Biden and Harris promote drug savings in Maryland

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took a victory lap on prescription drug costs in Maryland on Thursday, touting the billions in savings that Medicare patients will soon see.

The lavish event was the first joint appearance by the two since Biden dropped out of the presidential race against Republican Donald Trump and endorsed Harris. It also put the spotlight on two Maryland politicians who are gaining increasing national prominence. Supporters filled a gymnasium at Prince George's Community College, where large blue signs proclaimed: “Reduce the cost of prescription drugs.”

The speeches were punctuated by chants of “Joe! Joe! Joe!” and “Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe!” as the crowd praised both Biden’s work to reduce drug costs and his decision to step down as a presidential candidate.

The reason for the event was for Biden and Harris to announce that together, American seniors would save billions of dollars on medications through Medicare-negotiated prices now allowed under the administration's Inflation Reduction Act.

Seniors themselves are expected to save $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs in the first year, while the Medicare program could save $6 billion.

Biden told the friendly crowd that he first co-sponsored a bill to negotiate drug prices through Medicare in 1973. And he praised Harris for casting the deciding vote in her role as President of the U.S. Senate in 2022 to pass the Inflation Reduction Act that made negotiations possible.

“Not a single Republican voted for this bill, period. Not one in the entire conference,” Biden said, drawing boos from the crowd.

Biden warned that if Trump and Republicans win the general election in November, they would work to roll back the Anti-Inflation Act. Under Project 2025 – the Heritage Foundation's plan for a Republican-led administration – “they want to go back to letting the drug companies charge whatever they want,” Biden said.

“Let me tell you what our project 2025 is: Beat the hell out of them,” Biden said to cheers.

The savings will apply to the first 10 prescription drugs negotiated between Medicare and the pharmaceutical companies. The new prices will take effect in 2026.

The diabetes and kidney drug Jardiance, for example, has a list price of $573 for a 30-day supply, but a renegotiated price for Medicare patients of $197, according to a White House fact sheet.

And for Medicare patients, the price of the arthritis and psoriasis drug Enbrel for a 30-day supply is now $2,355, while the list price is $7,106.

Biden and Harris also addressed other provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, including a $35 monthly cap on insulin and a $2,000 annual cap on all drug costs that must be paid out of pocket. Biden said the next step should be to expand those provisions to more Americans, not just those with Medicare, which primarily covers people 65 and older.

“Every senior in our country should be able to live in safety, stability and dignity,” Harris said. “And in the United States of America, no senior should have to choose between filling their prescriptions and paying their rent.”

After their speeches in the community college gymnasium, Biden and Harris visited two different lounges on campus and spoke to supporters. In total, 2,300 people were in attendance, according to the White House.

The event was an official White House function, not a campaign rally, but it took on additional political significance this election season as supporters and media alike flocked to Prince George's County to see the president and vice president share the stage together.

When the speakers in the preliminary round mentioned that Biden and Harris would soon be on stage, they received cheers from the crowd.

Angela Alsobrooks, Prince George's County Commissioner and Democrat who is also running for the U.S. Senate against Republican Larry Hogan, brought a lot of energy right from the start.

“How lucky are we to have Joe Biden as our president?” Alsobrooks said, drawing cheers. “And how incredibly proud we are to have Kamala Harris as our vice president,” she said to even louder cheers.

“I think you’ll agree that they did an excellent job,” she said.

The cheers and applause were almost deafening when Maryland Governor Wes Moore said, “In a few minutes, you will hear not only from the 46th President of the United States, but from the 47th President of the United States!”

Some in the audience wore Harris-Walz campaign shirts or hats; others were dressed in the colors of the various historically black fraternities of the Divine Nine. Harris is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

The economic situation, and inflation in particular, is a central theme in the presidential campaign between Harris and Trump. Trump has criticized the Biden-Harris administration for inflation, which continues to weigh on the finances of many Americans.

In a statement this week, Trump said seniors were “struggling” under Biden and Harris’ economic policies.

Harris, in turn, praised the administration's policies to combat inflation, which include the Inflation Reduction Act.

Biden and Harris' comments came shortly after the release of a new report showing year-on-year inflation hit its lowest level in more than three years – an indication that price and cost increases are gradually easing.

As a presidential candidate, Harris has not yet unveiled her full platform, but according to the Associated Press, she told reporters last week that her platform would focus “on the economy and what we need to do to reduce costs and also strengthen the economy overall.”

Harris has already been to Maryland several times this year, but that was when she was still running for re-election as vice president with Biden.

First, Harris appeared with Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks at a recreation center to talk about gun violence and publicly support Alsobrooks' campaign for U.S. Senate. A few weeks later, Harris was at the University of Maryland at College Park, discussing abortion access on the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.