Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) published a review of how provisions of the Inflation Control Act (IRA) reduce costs for women who receive Medicare, which includes approximately 30 million women. The results of the survey were announced. Part D.
ASPE data shows that approximately 733,000 women on Medicare would have saved money if the $35 IRA cost-sharing cap for Medicare-covered insulin had been in place in 2020; It shows that about 2 million women enrolled in Medicare received the recommended vaccines. Currently, it is covered at zero cost. They also predict that approximately 857,000 women enrolled in Part D will save more than $1,000 in 2025 as a result of redesigning the structure of the IRA prescription drug program.
In a government announcement about the findings, CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said:[w]”The signs across the country are that people are being disproportionately affected by high health care costs,” the IRA said. I'm trying to do that,” he said. ASPE Principal Assistant Secretary Rebecca Haffazi highlighted that their research shows that:[m]ost Medicare Part D enrollees are women, and some of the conditions that can be effectively treated with prescription drugs are women.[…] Some conditions, such as autoimmune diseases, are more likely to affect women than men. ” Therefore, drug cost savings are particularly impactful for this population.
Women make up more than half of all Medicare enrollees, so it's critical that they have access to affordable health care. At Medicare Rights, we continue to work to improve care and coverage for all seniors, people with disabilities, and their families.
Read the report here.
