Biden Takes Another Jab At Scott Over Medicare, Social Security In FL

TAMPA, FL — Repeating the mantra he made at Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Joe Biden told residents during his visit to Tampa Thursday that he will not allow the Republicans in Congress to cut Social Security or Medicare.

Both are a major component of his health care plan introduced in August, he said. It's an issue that should be of particular concern to Florida, which has more senior citizens than any other state in the country.

(Watch a replay of President Biden's Tampa speech at the bottom of this story.)

The president said seniors deserve the "security and dignity" of knowing they'll be able to afford their prescription drugs and that they will receive the Social Security benefits they paid into all of their working lives, Biden said.

Because of his health care plan, the government can now negotiate drug prices "with big pharma," like the price of insulin, which costs $10 to make, but "big pharma" was charging the consumer hundreds of dollars to obtain it. Insulin now costs Medicare recipients $35, he said.

He also capped the cost of cancer drugs for Medicare recipients at $3,500 a year this year with a decrease to $2,000 a year next year "no matter how expensive the drug is," Biden said.

"We've been trying to do this for years, give Medicare the option to negotiate drug prices," he said. "We pay more for prescription drugs than any other country in the world. We need to hold big pharma accountable."

He said this ability to negotiate drug prices not only benefits seniors, "it will cut the federal budget by billions of dollars and bring down the deficit."

"We saw on Tuesday night (in the State of the Union address) that Republicans don't like being called out on this," he said. "They called me 'liar, liar,' and when I asked if this means they won't cut Social Security and Medicare, they stood up and said 'yes.'"

Nevertheless, he said Republicans, such as Florida Sen. Rick Scott are threatening these benefits.

He said Scott's 12-point Rescue Plan calls for sunsetting programs like Social Security and Medicare every five years.

"The idea that a Florida senator wants to put these programs on the chopping block every five years, I find outrageous," he said.

Scott responded by denying that he's proposed cutting Medicare or Social Security.

"Maybe he's changed his mind, maybe he's found the Lord, but yesterday he confirmed that he still likes his proposal," Biden said. "I guarantee, it will not happen. I will veto it."

Just minutes after Biden completed his speech in Tampa, Scott posted a tweet challenging Biden to a debate Thursday night.

"Since you can't stop talking about me and laying to Floridians about Social Security and Medicare, I'm sure you'll accept my invitation to debate the issue. I'll be back tonight. You pick the time and place," Scott posted on Twitter.

There's been no response from Biden.

Biden said his health care plan also calls for an expansion of the Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obamacare, an act he said the Republicans have proposed eliminating.

He noted that 20 percent of those who get insurance through the Affordable Health Care Act live in Florida, "and they're trying to take it away."

Without naming him, Biden also took a jab at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for opposing an expansion of Medicaid for the state's poorest children.

"Under the plan, if a state expands Medicaid, the national government will pick up 90 percent of the cost," he said. "But 11 states, including Florida, have said 'no.'"

On Wednesday, a coalition of 40 Florida nonprofits, health organizations and child advocacy groups sent a letter to DeSantis urging him to allow Florida to opt in to the Medicaid expansion provision in the Affordable Care Act.

Biden said 1.1 million people in Florida would be eligible for Medicaid if DeSantis would allow the state to opt in.

"The only reason Medicaid expansion hasn't happened here is politics," he said. "It's time to get this thing done."

As for Social Security, Biden said those receiving Social Security benefits have earned them.

"You paid into every paycheck you got," he said. "It's more than a government program; it's a promise."

He warned Republicans to keep their hands off both programs.

"A lot of Republicans dream of cutting Social Security and Medicare," Biden said. "If that's your dream, I'm your nightmare."