President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris arrive for an event on prescription drug costs, in the East Room of the White House, Aug. 29, 2023, in Washington.
It might be fortuitous for Vice President Harris that the public hasn’t given President Biden credit for Medicare drug price negotiation.Evan Vucci/AP

By John Wilkerson and Rachel Cohrs Zhang

Aug. 15, 2024

WASHINGTON — When Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention next week, she’ll have a fresh policy achievement to tout: The first round of Medicare-negotiated drug prices. 

Harris’ introduction to Americans as the Democratic nominee for president is a second chance for Democrats to actually get credit for one of their biggest legislative accomplishments in the Inflation Reduction Act. The first joint appearance between Harris and President Biden on Thursday offered a preview of what’s to come, with Harris highlighting her role in passing the law that includes Medicare negotiation.  

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“I was proud to cast the tie-breaking vote,” she said at the event in Washington, D.C.

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  1. John Wilkerson

    Washington Correspondent

    John Wilkerson is a Washington correspondent for STAT who writes about the politics of health care.

  2. Rachel Cohrs Zhang

    Chief Washington Correspondent

    Rachel Cohrs Zhang reports on the intersection of health policy and business in Washington. She covers Capitol Hill, lobbying, and federal agencies. Her primary areas of focus are the pharmaceutical and hospital industries. She is also the co-author of the free, twice-weekly D.C. Diagnosis newsletter.