WASHINGTON (RTT News) October 27, 2009 ― Seeking to boost support among seniors for efforts to reform the health insurance system, leading House Democrats announced Friday that their bill would include a provision to help seniors afford prescription medications.
Seniors already receive some support for prescription purchases through the Medicare Part D plan. However, the coverage drops off at a certain point, leaving seniors to cover the full cost of medications before kicking back in at a certain level creating what opponents call the "donut hole" in coverage.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., flanked by Democratic Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina and Nancy LeaMond, the executive Vice President of AARP, emphasized that "security for our seniors" was a key pillar of the Democratic proposal.
"An important part of that is reducing the cost of prescription drugs for our seniors," she said. "Our health insurance reform will begin closing the Medicare Part D 'donut hole' immediately."
She added, "As of January 1, 2010, our legislation will give a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs for seniors in the 'donut hole' and it will reduce the size of the donut hole by $500."
The legislation will also completely eliminate the coverage gap in 10 years, five years sooner than the original plan.
"These changes mean that 1.1 million seniors will avoid falling into the donut hole in 2010," she said. "And the 3 million seniors still affected by this gap will reap the benefits of lower costs, more coverage, and better benefitswhile their coverage gap closes fully by 2019."
