Klobuchar visits Duluth, touts Inflation Reduction Act

DULUTH, MN. (KBJR 6) -Over the weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.

It’ll face its final test later this week in the House, before possibly moving on to President Biden’s desk.

Senate Democrats said the act will address health care, climate change, and taxes.

One of the leaders of that bill was Minnesota’s Senior Senator Amy Klobuchar.

On Wednesday, Klobuchar held a news conference outside the DECC in Duluth to tout the bill.

Klobuchar was joined by Duluth Mayor Emily Larson and several Northland senior citizens, discussing how the bill could help people in the Arrowhead, by lowering prescription drug costs.

The bill makes major changes to health care policy by giving Medicare, the federal health insurance for people 65 or older, the power to negotiate prices for certain drugs and subsidies.

Starting in 2026, Medicare will be able to negotiate the prices for 10 high-cost drugs.

The specific drugs haven’t been determined yet.

The bill would also cap seniors’ out-of-pocket spending for prescription drugs at $2000.

Senator Klobuchar said this is a positive step for not only Minnesota seniors but other benefit recipients as well.

“The $2,000 cap also applies to people on Medicaid- Medicaid, and CHIPS so it’s more people than just seniors,” Klobuchar said. “So this was a hard-fought victory. It’s hard to put into words what a big deal it is, almost as big as Lake Superior.”

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives, which is expected to take it up on Friday.

With Democrats in control of the House, it’s expected to pass and be signed into law by President Biden.

No Republican senators voted in favor of the act, including Wisconsin’s Ron Johnson.

In a statement, Johnson said in part, “It’s hard to overstate the damage and destructive impact on the economy by Biden and Democrats...and they are as detached from economic reality as they are the truth.”

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