WASHINGTON - Ways and Means Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Pete Stark (D-CA) today issued the following statements in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) report showing that 1.3 million people with traditional Medicare have received a 50 percent discount on their brand name prescription drugs, and nearly 19 million people with traditional Medicare have received one or more free preventive services because of the Affordable Care Act so far this year.
Rep. Levin: “For almost half a century, Medicare has brought peace of mind to millions of Americans who no longer have to live in fear of being one illness away from financial ruin. Today’s report from CMS shows that, thanks to improvements Democrats made to Medicare in the Affordable Care Act, seniors and people with disabilities are seeing significant savings on their brand name prescription drugs, and are receiving free preventive care that provides early detection and treatments of otherwise expensive and life-threatening illnesses. Now more than ever we must continue to fight off plans to destroy this vital program and ensure that Medicare remains the safety net for future generations."
Rep. Stark: “Today's data reflect the very meaningful impact that health reform is having on the health and the pocketbooks of seniors and people with disabilities in Medicare. The numbers underscore just how cynical Republicans are as they continue their call for repeal. In California alone, the law is slashing the burden of brand name drug costs for nearly 60 million people by an average of $500 -- and that's just in the first six months of the year. Reform is also helping improve millions of beneficiaries' health with preventive care and wellness visits at no cost, which is a boon to those individuals and also to the healthcare system overall."
