FROM THE FOUNDATION

All Over the Map

Newly updated to include breast cancer, prostate cancer, and spine procedures, this CHCF-sponsored research shows that practice patterns vary dramatically from place to place.

Medi-Cal Transforms

Medi-Cal is the main source of health insurance for one in five Californians. An updated report gives an overview of the program's key features, describes how the program is evolving, and examines the challenges ahead.

Obama Care in the Second Term

CHCF is a long-time sponsor of the UC Irvine Forecast Conference. A webcast of this year's conference on health policy in President Obama's second term is now available.

Medicare

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Health Law Reduced Medicare Beneficiaries' Rx Spending

On Monday, CMS released new data showing that Medicare beneficiaries in the first quarter of 2012 spent an average of $837 less on prescription drugs because of the federal health reform law. According to the data, beneficiaries have spent $3.4 billion less on prescription drugs since the overhaul was enacted in March 2010.

Reader Comments:
  • 1
  • 05/04/2012
  • Frank Apgar

This is a no brainer. Of course they paid less given in large part the rebate they recieved as part of the filling of the "Gap". One needs to ask at what cost? Where did the money come from? In order to continue to have their drugs covered by CMS, many companies were required to reduce their charges to Part D. However, as they did this, they increased their drug charges to commercial payers and individuals. These costs were of course passed onto all of us in the form of higher premiums. I encourage all to follow the money when they read any story about how PPACA is saving money. In all instances some will pay less, some more or some providers of care will make less. It all depends upon one's perspective.



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