Medicare Watch
Your Weekly Medicare
Consumer Advocacy Update
Health Reform, Rising Drug Prices and More . . . | ||
March 18, 2010 |
Volume 1, Issue 3 |
|
Health Reform and MedicareCongress is poised to vote on health reform legislation, but they need to hear from you. President Obama’s plan would close the doughnut hole in Medicare Part D, provide full coverage for preventive services and provide incentives for providers to coordinate care. Write your senators and representatives and urge them to pass health reform and strengthen Medicare. Read Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker’s statement on health reform. Para ver una hoja informativa sobre el plan de la reforma de salud de Obama, oprime aquí. To view a fact sheet about Obama’s health reform plan, click here.
Rising Drug Prices and Medicare Drug Coverage
On March 17, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing on rising drug prices in the Medicare Part D drug benefit and their impact on older adults. Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker submitted a statement for the record that outlines how President Obama’s health reform plan would improve Part D. The Obama plan would phase out the doughnut hole and would allow consumers to purchase lower-cost generic versions of expensive biologics. Read the statement. |
Dear Marci, I am having trouble paying for my prescription drugs. Are there any programs that can help me pay for my medications? —Rebecca (Shaker Heights, OH) Dear Rebecca, There are many programs that might be able to help you pay for some of your prescriptions. There is a federal program called Extra Help that can help pay for most of the costs of prescriptions if you are eligible. To learn more about Extra Help, visit www.medicareinteractive.org. The excerpt above is adapted from Dear Marci, our weekly newsletter for consumers. Sign up for Dear Marci.
SpotlightSeniors to Seniors, a broad coalition of unions and advocates for older adults, is calling on Congress to pass health reform. The coalition is committed to educating the public about how health reform will affect Medicare once it is enacted. Read more about Seniors to Seniors. |
|
|
Stay up-to-date on Medicare policy and advocacy developments, and learn about changes in Medicare benefits and rules with this weekly newsletter. * * * *
* * * * The Medicare Rights Center is a national, nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs and public policy initiatives. Visit our online subscription form to sign up for Medicare Watch at http://www.medicarerights.org/about-mrc/newsletter-signup.php. Get answers to your Medicare questions from Medicare Interactive at http://www.medicareinteractive.org. © 2010 by Medicare Rights Center. All rights reserved. For reprint rights, please contact Nathan Heggem.
|
||
