Health Care Reform Will Benefit Nearly Half a Million Connecticut Seniors

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) released the following statement today on how health care reform will benefit Connecticuts seniors.

Health care reform will bring real and immediate benefits to seniors in Connecticut and across America, said Dodd. For 547,000 seniors in Connecticut, it means extending the solvency of the Medicare they rely on for their care. It means theyll be able to get free preventive care. And it means finally closing the donut hole that leaves too many seniors 97,000 each year in Connecticut stuck paying more than they can afford for the medicine they need.

Health care reform will improve Medicare for Connecticuts 547,000 beneficiaries by providing a free, annual wellness visit and no cost-sharing for wellness care. Health care reform legislation will also improve primary and coordinated care, enhance nursing home care, and strengthen the Medicare Trust Fund, extending its solvency from 2017 to 2026.

Each year, 97,100 Connecticut seniors hit the Medicare Part D donut hole. Starting this year, seniors who hit this gap in their prescription drug coverage will receive a $250 check, and the donut hole will be completely closed by 2020. A typical beneficiary who enters the donut hole will see savings of over $700 in 2011 and over $3,000 by 2020.

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