RALEIGH, N.C. — Our nation's top two leaders will be in North Carolina Tuesday afternoon.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have an event scheduled in Raleigh.
It's the first time the President will be in our state since January. Harris was here earlier this month.
Vice President Harris spoke about the strides taken in North Carolina to expand Medicaid, reduce prescription costs for seniors and expand the Affordable Care Act.
Harris addressed the maternal mortality rates in the United States. According to Harris, 45 states have expanded Medicaid to include 12 months of post-partum care instead of the previous two months.
Next, Harris discussed abortion rights across the country and the impact anti-abortion laws have had on women.
"Access to healthcare should be a right, not just a privilege. No matter who you are, where you live or how much you earn," said Harris.
President Biden spoke next.
Biden said Republicans have tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act at least 50 times, including in the most recent budget proposal.
Pro-Palestine protestors interrupted the president's speech briefly. The protestors were escorted out.
"They have a point, we need to get a lot more care into Gaza," said the President in response, before continuing with the speech.
Biden discussed preexisting conditions and lifetime caps on insurance previously barring people from healthcare across the country.
Biden spoke about how he enacted tax credits that he said saved Americans $800 per person, per year. He said he is now calling on Congress to make the tax credit permanent to continue to reduce the cost of care.
"[The] ACA is breaking records," said Biden.
"Eighty percent of the folks on the ACA plan can get a plan for $10 a month. 21 million people covered, 75% increase since Kamala and I came to office," claimed Biden. "And that includes over 1 million folks right here in North Carolina."
"More Americans have healthcare today than under any other president," said Biden.
The President said the healthcare expansion has saved American taxpayers money, saying it is cheaper to pay for preventative measures than treatment.
"One hundred million Americans can no longer be denied health insurance because of preexisting conditions whether you get your insurance through ACA or not," said Biden.
The ACA has allowed 25 million "low-income adults" across the country, including 400,000 North Carolinians, to receive Medicaid coverage, according to the President.
Biden said Americans pay more for prescriptions than anywhere in the world. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden claimed "We finally beat Big Pharma", reducing the cost of insulin for seniors.
Biden said he hopes to expand those savings to all Americans.
Biden claimed the Inflation Reduction Act saved taxpayers $160 billion, and giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices saved taxpayers an additional $200 billion.
Biden addressed Donald Trump and the Republican party's attempts to "terminate" the ACA.
The President claimed, "Forty-five million people nationwide would lose their health insurance including 1.4 million right here in North Carolina. One hundred million people with preexisting conditions from heart disease to asthma could lose their protection as well."
President Biden promised to protect Social Security and Medicare. He also promised to make the wealthy pay their "fair share of taxes".
Biden also claimed the average billionaire pays 8.2% in taxes. This is not true. The top 400 wealthiest American taxpayers pay an average federal income tax rate of about 23%. Read more by clicking here.
Biden touched on abortion rights and promised to restore Roe v. Wade into law.
"I see a future where healthcare is a right and we restore the freedom to choose and protect the freedoms and not take it away," said Biden.
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