Way #6: Benefits for Seniors

Grandparents and other older adult relatives and friends are an important part of family life in Wisconsin. They share stories with us and act as caregivers and playmates to their grandchildren. To continue fulfilling these important roles in our communities, it is important that seniors stay in their best health. The federal health care reform law is making an important contribution in that regard.

As Lisa Lamkins, advocacy director on federal issues for AARP Wisconsin, states, “Millions of people have benefitted from health care law provisions that help people in Medicare with high drug costs; make preventive care free of charge for more Americans; and crack down on Medicare fraud, waste and abuse.” That statement sums up the benefits the Affordable Care Act is already delivering for seniors in Wisconsin:

• Assistance with drug costs. An unpopular part of Medicare Part D is the “donut hole,” which made it difficult for many seniors to afford their prescription drugs. 74,400 Medicare beneficiaries in Wisconsin reached the donut hole and had no other assistance in their prescription drug coverage in 2009. Under the ACA, the donut hole will close entirely by 2020, but the narrowing of the hole has benefitted seniors already. In 2010, seniors that reached the donut hol were given one-time rebate checks to help cover their prescription costs, and since 2011 seniors are enjoying a 50% discount on brand-name drugs.
• Free preventive care. Way #3 in our series focused on preventive services accessible at no cost. Under the ACA, seniors with Medicare are reaping the same benefits. Services such as mammograms and colonoscopies are now available with no financial barriers. Free annual wellness visits are also available now for seniors in Medicare. 232,685 seniors in Wisconsin on Medicare got at least one free preventive care service during the first five months of 2012, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). That’s nearly 40 percent of Wisconsin seniors taking advantage.
• Strengthening Medicare and cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse. Under the ACA, an investment has been made in making Medicare more efficient and cutting waste out of the system. In 2011, over $4 billion was recovered and returned to the Medicare Trust Funds, the Treasury and others, according to a statement by CMS. Reforms for dual-eligible individuals—low-income seniors or younger individuals with disabilities who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid–are another example. Under the ACA, new and enhanced options will strengthen Medicare, such as better care coordination and increased access to home and community-based long-term services.The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation has produced a comprehensive overview of this topic.

These and other ACA benefits for seniors were covered in a little more detail on our March 2012 blog post celebrating the ACA’s two- year anniversary. Kaiser Health News also summarized What’s At Stake for Medicare Beneficiaries in Supreme Court Decision today.

Lacy Langbecker
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As we wait anxiously for the Supreme Court to issue their decision on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), we know that children and families in Wisconsin are already benefiting from the law. It is important to recognize these ways in which the ACA is already making an impact and what could be lost if the Court strikes down the whole law. This is one in a series of blog posts highlighting what we think are the top ten ways children and families in Wisconsin are already benefiting from the health care reform law.