by Mike Hall – Reposted from the AFL-CIO NOW Blog
The Affordable Care Act has saved nearly 3.6 million people enrolled in Medicare $2.1 billion on their prescription drugs in 2011, finds a new report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says the health care reform law signed by President Obama in 2010:
is already saving money for millions of Americans with Medicare. As we move forward, we will close the donut hole completely and save even more money for everyone with Medicare.
The Affordable Care Act—which Republican lawmakers are fighting to repeal—provides a 50 percent discount on brand-name prescription drugs and, beginning this year, a 14 percent discount on generics. Last year, it provided a 7 percent discount on covered generic medications for people who hit the prescription drug coverage gap known as the donut hole, with more than 2.8 million beneficiaries receiving $32.1 million in savings on generics.
Overall, the 3.6 million Americans who hit the donut hole saved an average of $604 on the cost of their prescription drugs. The Affordable Care Act closes the donut hole completely by 2020.
Click here for a state-by-state look at donut hole savings figures for today’s donut and herefor a fact sheet.
Tags: Affordable Care Act, Health Care, seniors
by Arthur Benson—Pennsylvania
I came to the door of a soon-to-be-member and met an elderly couple. They were bedding in a cluttered living room with most necessities at arm’s length. The husband informed me that they were ineligible for any form of government assistance due to bureaucratic red-tape. He was in good humor and described their situation as their “nursing home.” He confided in me his concern for their welfare and being unable to provide transportation for his wife’s doctor’s appointments. He is afraid he might fall while assisting her to his car.
Tags: membership, seniors
by Jeulia Russell—Ohio
I knocked on a senior’s door. She was a nice older woman. I told her who I was and with and what we were doing–fighting to lower the costs of health care.
She told me she had never had health insurance until she was 65 years old, and she said it was hard because she’s on a fixed income. I assured her that what we’re fighting for was going to pay off and she became a dues-paying member and she brightened my day and my confidence.
Tags: Health Care, seniors
by Travis Blake—Pennsylvania
While signing up members in South Whithall, PA, I came to the house of a lady who is retired and disabled. She needs a wheelchair and walker just to get around the house. She also has an autistic child she takes care of. She is struggling to pay her own health care bills, as well as struggling to do all she can for her autistic child.
Tags: Health Care, Retirement, seniors
by Jackie Lima—Pennsylvania
I met a 96 year old woman tonight. She invited me into her home and we began discussing health care. She had good reason for signing up as a member of Working America. Her son was denied his medication at their small town pharmacy because he owed too much money. In fact, there was a note on her table to that end. The woman expressed how hard it is to see her children suffering and vowed to sneak down to the pharmacy and pay her son’s bill. I told her if we had national health care, this wouldn’t be an issue—that her son would have his medications. Instantly, a look of relief filled her eyes. “That is why I’m out here,” I said. She gave me some fruit and sent me on my way.
Tags: children, Health Care, membership, prescriptions, seniors
by Jackie Lima—Pennsylvania
The woman I spoke to tonight worked in a nursing home. Apparently, the home was purchased by firms from other states. One elderly client, who still held his own “power of attorney” had an outstanding bill with the nursing home. He was relegated to “hospice status,” but bounced back after responding to medication. He has Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia, but because he owed the nursing home money, he was weeded out and sent to a local hospital with inpatient hospice service. The employee of the nursing home that I spoke with is concerned that he will be over-medicated, not receive the care he needs and be left, possibly to die, all because of an inability to pay.
Tags: Health Care, seniors
by Donald Pettyjohn—Ohio
On my ninth day of canvassing in Dayton for Working America, I met a woman with an interesting and inspiring story. She was in her late fifties and raising her ten-year-old grandson, whose mother and father didn’t want anything to do with him. She didn’t want to see the boy sent to a foster home and so took custody of him. She explained that she had a medical problem consisting of a mass building up inside of her and didn’t know what exactly it was, except that it causes her a lot of pain. She also said that she had so many medical bills from her past problems that now she couldn’t possibly pay them with what she was receiving on social security. As such, she felt she couldn’t go to the doctor to find out what was wrong with her on her $450/month from social security. A few months ago, her social security had been raised to $520/month, but as a result her food stamp allowance had been reduced to $23/month. As she started crying, she told me that her rent was $325/month and that she could barely afford food and utilities.
She said between sobs that she couldn’t pay any dues but said she would make phone calls for Working America, put together fliers or even follow canvassers around with something cold to drink. I thanked her for her generosity and willingness to help despite her situation and she told me, “No, thank you for coming out each day trying to help better the lives of people like me.” I gave her a big hug and assured her that things will get better and she smiled.
As I left, I couldn’t help but think about what we do and the impact it has on peoples’ lives. And I know in my heart that coming to Working America was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. If we don’t stand up and fight for these people, no one will.
Tags: children, Health Care, membership, seniors, social security
by Maranda Stebbins—Missouri
I met an elderly man last night who was enjoying the fresh air through his screen door. He invited me to step inside because it was difficult for him to move around. As I began my rap, he started to look at me a bit suspiciously. After I handed him my clipboard and the pen, he asked me if I thought this would do any good. Of course I said I absolutely thought so—that it was the very reason we do this work. He told me he was no Spring chicken, and that he had seen how things go in this country, and told me it is only getting worse.
He shared with me that he is a cancer patient on social security, and his monthly charges for health care keep rising. Additionally he has one prescription that costs him over $100 every month. He then told me that he still has debt from the first round of chemotherapy treatments, when he was insured through his wife through her job at a major retailer. Under the insurance plan he racked up over $12,000 for chemo, and $24,000 for surgery. We all know that kind of money to someone with a retail paycheck is—to say the least—a lot.
This man was skeptical of Working America at first, but as he went on with his story and personal political opinions, it was obvious to me that he was very passionate about the issues that we fight for. When I left, he had not only signed on as a dues-paying member, but also expressed interest in getting more involved.
Tags: Health Care, insurance, membership, seniors
by Stefan Gravener—Pennsylvania
Last week I was talking to an elderly man, and during a conversation about our health care crisis, he invited me into his home. It was a modest row-home in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He was retired, he had worked hard during his life, but he had a huge problem. He had recently received a package from his health insurance company “detailing” his new health care policy. It was three inches thick. Accompanying it were a few other pieces of mail, all from his health insurance company.
He picked up the Goliath of a packet and said, “I don’t understand any of this.” He slammed the girthy package down on his coffee table; the table now wishing it was retired. He signed up as a member, after which he pointed to his wall. He had received an award for fighting to protect Social Security and Medicare from an organization I forget.
Although this man is fighting the good fight, he has to spend his retired days reading books by his health insurance company, which to him is a book with a bad ending.
Tags: Health Care, insurance, membership, retirees, seniors
by Jackie Lima—Pennsylvania
In one of the most affluent neighborhoods I have canvassed for Working America, I met a woman who immediately identified with the cause of American’s health care crisis. It was discovered that her 70-year-old father had terminal cancer after he had been misdiagnosed for a year. When his employer found out, they eliminated his job. Consequently, he began paying $1,000/month for COBRA insurance. His bills have piled up and now he must sell his house. It was determined that Medicaid would cover him, but the daughter is confused by the complicated Medicaid options.
For this woman, taking care of her father’s health care issues has become a full-time job. They did find hope in a new drug, but Medicaid doesn’t cover it. So, she is paying out of her own pocket for health care for her father after he worked all his life.
Tags: Health Care, seniors
