During Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, our communities celebrate the rich cultures, heritage, and accomplishments of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. May is also a time to recognize remaining barriers to health and health access for these communities and renew commitments to addressing racial disparities. Your ability to get and afford health care should never depend on the color of your skin, what neighborhood you live in, or what language you speak.

As a Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Wisconsin, I am proud to be a part of the Administration's work to implement policies that improve access, advance equity, and promote economic opportunities for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders. President Biden’s new lower cost prescription drug law, the Inflation Reduction Act, is making historic strides towards improving health for all communities — including the 2.1 million Medicare beneficiaries who identify as Asian.

Asian American people with Medicare report more difficulty obtaining their prescription drugs than their white counterparts, underscoring the need for better access and affordability for needed medicines. The president’s new lower cost drug law is bringing relief to AA and NHPI Medicare enrollees who may be struggling to afford high drug costs. President Biden’s lower cost prescription drug law expanded its Extra Help program for Part D beginning in January, which means over 11,000 Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Medicare enrollees with low incomes may be eligible for $0 premiums, $0 deductibles, and generic drug copays that are no more than $4.50. But we need your help spreading the word to your loved ones and neighbors, as three million people are eligible for these benefits but are not enrolled. Go to Medicare.gov/ExtraHelp for more information and to see if you’re eligible. And to spread the word, go to LowerDrugCosts.gov to find a toolkit that contains informational postcards in traditional Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

Asian Americans are 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than non-Hispanic whites, so access to insulin and other diabetes medicine is essential for achieving blood sugar control and maintaining good health. One of the first benefits of the President’s Inflation Reduction Act to go into effect — and one of the most important provisions — caps the cost of each covered insulin product under Medicare at $35 per month. In Indiana over 30,000 Medicare enrollees could save $628 per year thanks to this benefit.  The new law also makes certain recommended adult vaccines, like Shingles and RSV, available at no cost for people with Part D coverage — helping eliminate cost-related barriers to vaccination for people with Medicare. Finally, under this administration, we have begun the historic process of negotiating directly with participating drug companies for lower prescription drug prices for some of the most expensive drugs — for the first time ever.

President Biden is delivering on his promise to lower prescription drug costs, make health insurance more affordable, and make the economy work for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander families. But we know our work is not done — this administration will continue to make health equity a cornerstone of our policies and work tirelessly so that all communities can access the care they need.

Michael Cabonargi is the Region V Director for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, representing Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and 34 Federally-recognized tribes.