WASHINGTON, DC, October 23,
2009—This morning, AARP Executive Vice President Nancy
LeaMond announced the Association’s support of a House
provision to close the Medicare prescription drug “doughnut
hole”—a dangerous gap in coverage for older
Americans. A statement from LeaMond follows:
“Closing the prescription
drug coverage gap for Medicare beneficiaries has long been one of
AARP members’ top priorities, and we are delighted to
support provisions announced today to fully close the doughnut hole.
“AARP is fighting to
guarantee that all Americans have access to quality, affordable
health coverage. For our members with Medicare drug
coverage, the doughnut hole stands out as a major affordability
concern and real barrier to access.
“More than 3 million people
fall into the doughnut hole each year, and millions more live in
fear of reaching this dangerous gap in coverage. Research
shows that people who have trouble paying for their prescription
drugs are more likely to skip doses or stop taking their
medications altogether, which can lead to more serious health
problems and higher long-term costs both for them and for our
health care system as a whole.
“AARP thanks the House for
helping to make sure that Medicare beneficiaries will not have to
put their health at risk because they can’t afford needed
medications. We look forward to working with both chambers
to continue to improve health care reform legislation so that
every American has access to affordable coverage.”
For more information on
AARP’s health care reform effort, please visit http://www.aarp.org/health/articles/health_reform_get_the_facts.html
.
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