U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Announces Guest for State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin announced that David Hovde of Appleton, Wisconsin will be her guest for President Biden’s State of the Union address on Tuesday. David is a Type 2 diabetic who receives his healthcare through Medicare and anticipates he will save hundreds of dollars each month on insulin because of the Senator Baldwin-supported Inflation Reduction Act provision that caps Medicare recipients’ out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 per month that went into effect in January 2023.

The Inflation Reduction Act, which President Biden signed into law last year, closes tax loopholes for big, billion-dollar corporations and makes them pay a fair share of taxes, cuts the deficit, invests in American clean energy to create jobs and take on the climate crisis, reduces health insurance premiums, and lowers the out-of-pocket cost of prescription drugs. The legislation caps out-of-pocket monthly insulin costs at $35 for seniors on Medicare Part D and will finally allow Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices.

“President Biden and Senator Baldwin worked hard to deliver results for Wisconsin, taking on big drug companies and cutting the cost of the prescription drugs that I, and millions of people like me, need to stay alive,” said Hovde. “I’m humbled that Senator Baldwin has invited me to join her at the State of the Union as a way to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act is putting people before profits and capping the cost of insulin at $35 per month. I am grateful for Senator Baldwin’s continued leadership in Washington to reduce health care costs, expand coverage, and lower prescription drug prices.”

“No American, especially our seniors living on a fixed income, should have to choose between putting food on the table or accessing the prescriptions they need to stay healthy,” said Senator Baldwin. “That’s why I was proud to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act last year to provide some relief for Wisconsin families and hold big drug companies accountable for prioritizing profits over people. We are finally going to give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices and cap out-of-pocket costs for nearly 46 million seniors across the country, reducing our country’s deficit and ensuring seniors can get the drugs they need at a price they can afford. And starting this year, insulin costs will be capped at $35 per month for seniors, like David, who take insulin every day to stay alive. I worked hard to deliver relief for working families across Wisconsin and am proud to see the results.”

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