(NewsNation) — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday took to the campaign trail together for the first time since Biden ended his reelection bid last month.
While Harris works to distinguish herself independently from Biden, she is also set to highlight accomplishments from the Biden-Harris administration.
The pair last appeared publicly together to welcome back to the U.S. Americans detained in Russia who were freed as part of a massive prisoner swap earlier this month.
New Medicare drug deal
On Wednesday, federal officials inked deals with drug companies to lower the price for 10 of Medicare’s most popular and costliest drugs but shared few immediate details about the new price older Americans will pay when they fill those prescriptions.
Biden and Harris went to Maryland on Thursday and announced that the first round of Medicare drug price negotiations will save an estimated $6 billion, while older Americans could save roughly $1.5 billion on their medications.
Nonetheless, the newly negotiated prices — still elusive to the public as of early Thursday morning — will impact the price of drugs used by millions of older Americans to help manage diabetes, blood cancers and prevent heart failure or blood clots.
The drugs include the blood thinners Xarelto and Eliquis and diabetes drugs Jardiance and Januvia. Medicare spent $50 billion covering the drugs last year.
Plus, the administration said it’s just the first round of drug price negotiations.
The drug deals will become a focal point for Harris’ presidential campaign, especially since she cast the tie-breaking vote to pass the law.
“They’re fighting to get rid of what we just passed,” Biden said of Republicans at the Maryland rally. Saying he and Harris made an “incredible partner,” Biden said with “the progress we made, she’s going to make one hell of a president.”
Lowering costs for Americans
Lowering costs for Americans has been a campaign goal for Harris since becoming the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. She has been working to create her own vision for the future of America.
“One thing that I know for sure is that this President, this vice president, are fighting very hard to make sure that the middle class is stronger,” White House press secretary Karine Jean Pierre said regarding Harris’ vision.
The official event comes a day before Harris is set to unveil part of her economic agenda Friday in North Carolina, where she was aiming to roll out other ways she plans to help cut costs and boost incomes for the middle class.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
