August 16, 2022
Our support for the Inflation Reduction Act
A statement from chair and chief executive Greg A. Adams on the importance of this recently passed legislation.
The Inflation Reduction Act represents critical action to ensure the continued availability of affordable health coverage for millions of Americans, curb unsustainably high drug prices, and address climate change. Kaiser Permanente is greatly encouraged by these provisions, and we welcome the bill’s passage and we are pleased it has been signed into law for the benefit of the American people.
Millions of Americans will benefit from the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies through 2025, which will continue to make health care and coverage more available and affordable for more people. These expanded subsidies have worked — in 2022 ACA enrollment reached an all-time high of 14.5 million people nationwide.
Kaiser Permanente is deeply concerned about the burden high drug prices impose on our members and the impact these prices have on our ability to carry out our mission to provide high-quality, affordable care. We are encouraged policymakers began to address the issue in Medicare and hope they continue to do more in the future. We believe it is possible — indeed essential — to ensure that the drug industry is rewarded appropriately for providing real innovation in a sustainable manner, and not just pricing their products at the highest possible price. This legislation is an important first step in that direction.
The act also contains important provisions to address the climate crisis, including supporting clean energy generation and green technology for homes and commercial buildings. With our long-standing commitment to improving conditions that affect the health of individuals and communities, Kaiser Permanente has prioritized actions that will contribute to a future free of the extreme climate conditions currently harming so many in America and around the world. Working together, we can all achieve a healthier climate for ourselves and generations to come.
