CHICAGO — On Monday, Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez praised Vice President Kamala Harris’s work on health care, highlighting the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to protect access to abortion and reduce prescription drug costs.
Health care isn’t just about medicine; it’s about freedom, Rodriguez said during the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. “The freedom to make your own choices and get the care you need without worrying about the cost.
Rodriguez was elected as Lt. Governor in 2022 when Gov. Tony Evers won his second term. Before that, she won a seat in the state Assembly in 2020, flipping a Republican-held district near Milwaukee. Rodriguez has experience as a registered nurse and has worked for organizations like Honeywell Life Care Solutions and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
During the COVID pandemic, Trump and Wisconsin Republicans failed to protect our health. That’s why I ran for office and turned a red district blue,” she said. “Once a nurse, always a nurse.
Rodriguez joined other leaders, including Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, and Texas judge Lina Hidalgo, in a segment focused on “Investing in the Future.
Part of Harris’s economic plan includes capping prescription drug costs, like $35 a month for insulin and a $2,000 yearly cap on out-of-pocket costs. This plan builds on a program for seniors that Harris helped pass in 2021.
Recently, the Biden administration announced that Medicare had negotiated lower prices with pharmaceutical companies for 10 drugs used to treat conditions like blood clots, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. These drugs include Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, and others.
The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act gave Medicare the power to negotiate prices on a limited number of medications. Over the next two years, 30 more drugs will be selected for price negotiations, with the new prices being rolled out in 2027 and 2028.
Harris has also strongly advocated for abortion access throughout the campaign, even before Biden decided not to run again. Abortions are currently available in Wisconsin, but a challenge to a state law banning the procedure is still pending in the state Supreme Court.
Trump is now threatening to end the Affordable Care Act, interfere in personal decisions between women and their doctors, and cut Medicare, Rodriguez said. Vice President Harris fights for our health, defends women’s reproductive freedom, and protects Medicare and Medicaid. Kamala Harris is fighting for a healthier future.