Louisiana Seniors Would Pay Hundreds More for Their Prescriptions Under Ryan Budget Plan That Cassidy Backs
BATON ROUGE – In April Congressman Bill Cassidy voted for the House Republican budget, which resurrects the Medicare Part D “donut hole” and forces seniors and people with disabilities to pay hundreds more for their prescriptions, but he conveniently forgot to mention that fact in a prepared statement and has clammed up since then.
“Bill Cassidy claims that his vote for the Ryan budget ‘strengthens Medicare while saving money and lowering costs for Medicare beneficiaries,’ but nothing could be further from the truth,” said Kirstin Alvanitakis, communications director for the Louisiana Democratic Party. “The fact is that the Ryan budget would reopen the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole’ and force Louisiana seniors and people with disabilities to pay hundreds of dollars more each year for their prescriptions. The people of Louisiana deserve to hear from the congressman himself why he thinks Medicare recipients should pay more for life-saving drugs. His misleading statements on these critical issues are exactly why Louisiana voters just can’t trust Bill Cassidy.”
In 2013, more than 65,000 Louisianians benefited from the closing of the Medicare Part D donut hole. In 2012, Louisiana seniors and people with disabilities saved an average of $704 on their prescriptions. Since health care reform was enacted, Medicare beneficiaries in Louisiana have saved more than $100 million on their drug costs.
Starting in 2012, Medicare recipients in the donut hole received a 50 percent discount on covered brand name drugs and a 14 percent discount on generic drugs. Under the current health care law, coverage for both brand name and generic drugs will continue to increase over time until 2020 when the donut hole is completely closed.
Visit www.Cassidycare.com to learn more about Cassidy’s record.
Background
2014: Bill Cassidy Voted For The FY 2015 Ryan Budget. [H. Con. Res. 96, Vote #177, 4/10/14]
Cassidy Claimed Ryan Budget Would Lower Costs For Medicare Recipients. [Cassidy Comments on Ryan Budget, 4/10/14]
The FY 2015 Ryan Budget Repeals Closure Of Medicare Part D Donut Hole. “The Ryan budget would apparently repeal health reform improvements in Medicare benefits, including closure of the prescription drug donut hole and coverage of preventive services without cost sharing. These repeals would adversely affect current Medicare beneficiaries as well as those not yet eligible. Health reform has begun to close the donut hole — the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage that many seniors experienced once their annual drug costs exceeded $2,840. Before health reform, seniors had no additional coverage until their costs hit $6,448. Starting in 2011, seniors in the coverage gap began receiving a discount on brand-name and generic prescription drugs. These discounts and Medicare coverage will gradually increase until 2020, when the entire donut hole is closed. The Ryan budget would reopen the drug donut hole.” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/18/14]
The FY 2015 Ryan Budget Reopens The Medicare Part D Donut Hole For 65,043 Louisiana Seniors. [White House, 4/9/14]
Health Care Reform Has Already Saved Louisiana Seniors More Than $100 Million On Medicare Prescription Drug Costs. “In Louisiana, people with Medicare saved nearly $105 million on prescription drugs because of the Affordable Care Act. In 2012 alone, 60,016 individuals in Louisiana saved over $42 million, or an average of $704 per beneficiary. In 2012, people with Medicare in the ‘donut hole’ received a 50 percent discount on covered brand name drugs and 14 percent discount on generic drugs. And thanks to the health care law, coverage for both brand name and generic drugs will continue to increase over time until the coverage gap is closed. Nationally, over 6.6 million people with Medicare have saved over $7 billion on drugs since the law’s enactment.” [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, accessed 3/17/14]
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