TheVoiceOfJoyce The Inflation Reduction Act brought significant changes to our Medicare program. Most importantly Medicare will begin negotiating prices for the 10 most used prescription drugs. Insulin pricing is capped at $35/ month. Vaccines that are beneficial to Seniors are free and available to everyone. They include Shingrix, protection from Shingles, a debilitating disease that effects nerve endings. This Vaccine used to cost $200 at most pharmacies and two doses are effective for 10 yrs. There are now free Vaccines for Hepatitis A & B, pneumonia and an all in one, Tdap( tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough). Overall drug costs will be capped as well. Refer to this article from The NY Times for important Medicare phone #’s. Be well.

Posted on by jaslvr

www.nytimes.com/2023/01/14/health/medicare-drug-prices.html

With Shingrix available at pharmacies without charge, “the receptivity to vaccination for older adults will increase substantially, especially among underserved populations,” he predicted.

Also free: hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccinations, and Tdap, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).

The third major change: When prices for drugs covered under Part D, and some under Part B, increase faster than the inflation rate, the law now requires drug manufacturers to pay rebates or face stiff penalties.

Although those rebates will go to Medicare, not to individuals, “if you’re responsible for a portion of a drug’s cost and there are limits on how much that can increase, in theory your costs should decrease,” Mr. Lipschutz said.

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