HHS: Health Care Reform Saves Seniors $460 Million

Jason Attermann — August 5, 2011 – 10:21 am | Health Care | Social Safety Net Comments (0) Add a comment

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) outlined the significant savings and additional services that have come into effect because of President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. According to HHS, senior citizens have saved over $460 million on the cost of prescription drugs since the health care reform package was implemented.

HHS released these figures of savings and expanded coverage that millions of Medicare recipients are receiving under the new laws: 

• From Jan. 1, 2011 to July 2011 there were 17,336,421 people, or 51.5 percent, with Original Medicare who received one or more free preventive services.
• During the same time period, 1,061,780 Americans with Original Medicare have taken advantage of Medicare’s new Annual Wellness Visit, up from 780,000 in mid-June.
• Through the end of June, 899,000 Americans with Medicare have benefited from the 50 percent discount on covered brand name drugs in the Medicare Part D donut hole—an increase of over 420,000 individuals in the month of June alone.
• The dollar amount of these out-of-pocket savings on drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries has risen to $461 million saved through June 2011—up from $260 million through May 2011, meaning beneficiaries in the donut hole saved over $200 million in the month of June alone.

 

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius said:

The Affordable Care Act is delivering on its promise of better health care for people with Medicare…. People with Medicare who hit the donut hole are paying less for their prescription drugs, 17 million Americans have received free preventive services and prescription drug premiums will remain low. These are important steps that are making a difference in the lives of millions of Americans right now.

Click here to learn more about how health care for millions of Americans has improved because of Obama’s Affordable Care Act.

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