WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- More than 5 million U.S. seniors saved money on prescription drugs and 19 million got free preventive care in 2012, a health official says.
Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of health and human services, said due to the Affordable Care Act, the average U.S. senior on traditional Medicare would save $5,000 from 2010 to 2022. However, people on traditional Medicare who have high prescription drug costs would save much more -- more than $18,000 -- over the same period.
"Seniors in the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap known as the doughnut hole have saved an average of $641 in the first eight months of 2012 alone," Sebelius said in a statement. "This includes $195 million in savings on prescriptions for diabetes, more than $140 million on drugs to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and $75 million on cancer drugs so far this year."
For the first eight months of 2012, more than 19 million people with traditional Medicare received at least one preventive service at no cost to them -- no co-pay, or deductible -- for a mammogram or a colonoscopy.
"I am pleased that the healthcare law is helping so many seniors save money on their prescription drug costs," Sebelius said. "A $5,000 savings will go a long way for many beneficiaries on fixed incomes and tight budgets."
