Move quickly to put H.R 3613 into law to give chronically ill Medicare Part D patients an avenue to fight skyrocketing out-of-pocket costs for their drugs. Don't make them choose between life-saving drugs and basic food and shelter!
Why is this important?
Private and employer health insurance plans classify prescriptions using tiers to differentiate among generic, brand name and "non-preferred" brand name drugs. Any medication costing more than $600 is automatically placed on a specialty tier that requires patients to pay from 25 to 33 percent or more - rather than a flat rate.
For many seniors on a fixed income, these life-saving drugs for everything from cancer to rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis can cost upwards of $1,700 per month. Seniors who can't afford the medication often go without treatment.
