Inflation Reduction Act: 5 Benefits Washington Residents Will See

WASHINGTON — The Senate-approved Democratic spending bill that would deliver tax credits for clean energy household products and electric vehicles, prescription drug and health insurance savings, and other consumer benefits to Washingtonians is expected to pass the House Friday before it heads to President Joe Biden’s desk.

The 755-page Inflation Reduction Act, as the spending bill is known, passed the Senate on a party-line vote Sunday, with Washington's Democratic Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell voting in favor. In discussing the bill last week, Murray touted some of the cost-saving measures in the package, paid for in part by a new corporate minimum tax.

"Here’s what the Inflation Reduction Act will mean for Washington state: lower prescription drug costs, lower health care costs—and bold action on climate change that will deliver lower energy costs, promote energy independence, and create good-paying, clean energy jobs," Murray said. "Our bill is fully paid for without raising taxes on working families one penny by simply making sure the very wealthiest and giant corporations pay their fair share. "Passing this legislation will be a really big deal—and it marks a historic turning point in how we tackle the climate crisis in this country, while lowering everyday costs for families everywhere in Washington state."

Washington's Democratic delegation in the House of Representatives is expected to vote yes Friday, while Republicans like Rep. Dan Newhouse and Cathy McMorris Rodgers are opposed.

"Inflation continues to be at its highest level in 40 years, and Democrats' so-called Inflation Reduction Act will do little to provide relief for Americans," Newhouse said. "We need real solutions like opening up American energy production, not increasing taxes, and adding 87,000 new IRS agents."

The climate, tax and health care bill calls for $433 billion in new spending that Democrats say is more than offset by $739 billion in revenue, specifically:

• $313 billion from a 15 percent corporate minimum tax
• $288 billion from prescription drug pricing reform
• $124 billion from IRS tax enforcement reform
• $14 billion from the closure of the carried interest loophole

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised them “landmark legislation” for “lowering kitchen table costs, reducing the cost of Americans’ health care, creating millions of good-paying jobs and addressing the climate crisis.”

Republicans panned the measure as “reckless spending” that adds “fuel to the inflation fire that is burning through Americans’ paychecks.”

Inflation cooled in July with tumbling gas prices, but Americans continued to pay more for groceries, rent and other items, according to the government’s Consumer Price Index report released Wednesday. The most recent Seattle-specific index, released in June, showed inflation up 10.1 percent over the year. A recent analysis by WalletHub found Seattle had the fourth-highest inflation growth among 23 major cities.

Here are five things Washington residents need to know about the bill:

Time To Plug In?

Middle- and working-class consumers — those earning $150,000 or less a year (or $300,000 for joint filers) will be eligible for tax credits of up to $7,500 for qualified new “clean” vehicles made in North America. Consumer who earn $75,000 or $150,000 for joint filers can also qualify for up to $4,000 in tax credits for buying used clean vehicles.

Among those qualifying for the maximum credit are vehicles made by General Motors and Tesla; the less efficient the vehicle, the lower the tax credit, NBC reported.

Tax Credits For ‘Clean’ Living

The legislation increases credits from 10 percent to 30 percent for installing Energy Star products in homes and nonbusiness properties. According to the Senate Finance Committee, such products include “solar electric, solar water heating, fuel cell, and small wind energy, and geothermal heat pumps.”

How much savings Americans would see depends on their investments in improving the energy efficiency of their homes. According to a summary from the Bipartisan Policy Center, they could claim $1,200 in tax credits annually, including $600 for energy-efficient windows and $500 for energy-efficient doors, but could claim up to $2,000 if their upgrades included biomass stoves and heat pumps.

Lower Drug Costs For Older Americans

Beginning in 2025, Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket drug expenses would be capped at $2,000. There’s no cap now, and the average Medicare recipient spent $5,460 on out-of-pocket costs in 2016, according to a study by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.

Older Americans would also get recommended vaccines at no cost, including those for COVID-19 and shingles.

The legislation also caps monthly out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month for Medicare recipients. Senate Democrats tried to extend the cap to all Americans, but Republicans argued the Senate’s strict budget rules prohibited that, NBC News reported.

No Affordable Care Act Sticker Shock

The measure extends American Rescue Act funding through the end of 2025. Without it, the 13 million Americans who receive their health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace would have faced a sharp premium hike this fall.

The extra financial help is available to people who already are eligible for subsidized health plans on the ACA Marketplace. The legislation also expands ACA subsidies to middle-class wage earners who previously couldn’t afford health insurance, according to Kaiser Family Foundation.

More Neighborhood Investments

The legislation would funnel $60 billion in grants and tax credits to improve air quality monitoring, improve transportation, and invest in clean energy in poor and vulnerable communities.

It also specifically targets neighborhoods near industrial sites. For example, it provides $1 billion in grants to improve energy efficiency in affordable housing.

Environmental justice advocates say the measure falls short of what’s needed but addresses some of the most pressing problems.