WASHINGTON — As the 2024 U.S. presidential election draws near, high health care costs remain a top concern for voters without a four-year degree. A new report from the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), “A Comprehensive Plan to Lower Health Costs Without Reducing Coverage,” outlines a set of innovative reforms to reduce health care costs for working Americans.
This new publication is a key output of PPI’s Campaign for Working America, launched earlier this year in partnership with former U.S. Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio. The Campaign aims to develop and test new themes, ideas, and policy proposals that help Democrats and other center-left leaders make a compelling economic offer to working Americans, bridge divides on cultural issues like health care, immigration, and education, and rally public support for the defense of democracy and freedom globally.
As part of PPI’s Campaign for Working America, this report, authored by Erin Delaney, PPI’s Director of Health Care Policy, addresses the growing affordability crisis in health care and offers a range of policy solutions to lower costs for working families. According to a recent YouGov poll commissioned by PPI, rising medical bills are a critical financial worry for voters without college degrees, with health insurance, hospital costs, and prescription drugs cited as the most significant burdens. Delaney highlights that high prices, exacerbated by an inefficient fee-for-service model, have made health care inaccessible for many working-class Americans.
“Health care costs are outpacing inflation, putting significant strain on household budgets,” said Delaney. “Our recommendations focus on targeted reforms that will make health care more affordable while ensuring families have access to the care they need.”
Capping prices for out-of-network care based on Medicare rates to curb excessive charges and lower premiums, ensuring site-neutral payments to eliminate discrepancies in costs between different care settings, banning anti-competitive practices like “pay-for-delay” and “evergreen patents” to improve access to affordable generic drugs, and expanding telehealth services under Medicare to provide more convenient, cost-effective care for working families.
Delaney emphasized that addressing the structural drivers of medical inflation is essential to keeping health care costs in check: “Without bold reforms, health care costs will continue to rise, further squeezing working families.”
The report also explores solutions to improve maternal health, expand the nursing workforce, and support reproductive health services, ensuring comprehensive care for all Americans.
Read and download the report here.
The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. Learn more about PPI by visiting progressivepolicy.org. Find an expert at PPI and follow us on Twitter.
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Media Contact: Ian O’Keefe – iokeefe@ppionline.org
