Nancy Pelosi Visits Forest Hills To Discuss Healthcare For New Yorkers

FOREST HILLS — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined lawmakers and health care providers in Forest Hills, Queens, on Wednesday to talk about the benefits of the Inflationary Reduction Act for New Yorkers.

At the Queens Community House, Pelosi heard testimonies from Elmhurst Hospital nurse Rose Green, Queens organizer for the Education Project, Marcelle Dinnall, and others about the ways the legislation has helped the patients and communities they serve, especially people with diabetes and the elderly.

“Meeting the kitchen table needs to lower costs, create good-paying jobs, and have community safety, that’s what the bill is about,” Pelosi said in the roundtable conversation on Wednesday.

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, who moderated the roundtable, state Sen. Leroy Comrie and Queens borough president Donovan Richards were also present in the meeting.

The Inflation Reduction Act lowers prescription drug costs and health care costs by implementing a cap for out-of-pocket costs and establishing a $35 cap for a month’s supply of insulin.

The measure also caps payments for Medicare users at $2,000 per year for prescription drugs.

“This is a tremendous help for all these patients that come to our hospital that are uninsured,” said Green. “The patient will get the care and medication they need now.”

Pelosi thanked the members of the audience for their efforts in helping pass the legislation.

“I call you our V.I.P.s, or volunteers in policy, our volunteers in politics,” said Pelosi. “With all the maneuvering we try to do internally, we cannot get it done without the outside mobilization.”