Hundreds of thousands of Nevada seniors also receiving free preventive services thanks to health insurance reform

December 7, 2011

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today announced that Nevadans have saved $8,763,130 so far this year on prescription drugs as a result of the Affordable Care Act. As of the end of October, 16,411 Nevadans on Medicare have saved on their drug costs, averaging about $534 per senior. That number will grow as the year concludes. Additionally, 150,196 Nevada Medicare beneficiaries have received free preventive care thanks to the law.

“Nevada seniors are paying half as much for life-saving prescription drugs thanks to health insurance reform,” Reid said. “During these tough economic times, it’s crucial that seniors and all beneficiaries have a little extra in their pockets to put food on the table and pay the bills. Nevadans continue to benefit from this law, which will entirely close the ‘doughnut hole’ over the next decade.”

More seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare have seen significantly lower costs for important health care – through both discounts on brand-name drugs in the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole" coverage gap and free preventive care. As of the end of October, 16,411 Nevadans who receive Medicare benefits paid half as much for their prescription drugs as they did prior to health insurance reform.

With the Medicare open enrollment period ending at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, beneficiaries should review their current plans to ensure they have the best coverage for their health care needs next year.

People with Medicare can now review their drug and health plan coverage options for 2012 as part of the annual Medicare Open Enrollment Period. For more information, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is highlighting plans that have achieved an overall quality rating of five stars with a high performer or “gold star” icon on Medicare’s Plan Finder – www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan.

In addition to closing the “doughnut hole,” the Affordable Care Act is preventing insurance companies from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions and allows adult children to stay on their parents’ insurance plan up to age 26, reducing the number of uninsured young adults this year.

###