AARP Pennsylvania Convenes Discussion on Lower Prescription Drug Costs After Inflation Reduction Act Signed into Law

Senator Bob Casey joins AARP Discussion

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey joined AARP Pennsylvania for a roundtable conversation highlighting how older Pennsylvanians will benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which was signed into law by President Biden earlier this week. 

"The Inflation Reduction Act is a game-changer for our seniors: it will make prescription drugs more affordable, cap annual out-of-pocket Medicare costs at $2,000 and will even cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month under Medicare Part D," said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. "Today's discussion showed how much this new law will help Pennsylvania seniors who have struggled with high health care costs. Our work to lower costs for seniors and families continues, and I am proud to join AARP in that fight."

Gathered in AARP Pennsylvania's Harrisburg Office, State Director Bill Johnston-Walsh and Volunteer State President Joanne Grossi, along with Senator Casey and special guests Ginny Boynton of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and Susan Washinger, Community Organizer with PHAN (Pennsylvania Health Access Network) discussed how the bill will help lower prescription drug and health care costs for families across the state.

After decades of calling on Congress to make prescription drugs more affordable, AARP won the fight for Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and help seniors save money on their medications. The historic new law will lower health care costs for seniors, including capping the cost of insulin at $35 per month for people who use Medicare Part D.

The bill will not only save money for millions of seniors, but it will also save lives by:

• Finally, allowing Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs
• Limiting the cost of insulin to $35/month for people on Medicare
• Penalizing drug companies for raising their prices higher than inflation
• Giving people in Medicare drug plans peace of mind knowing they won't have to pay more than $2,000 a year for their medications
• Making many vaccines, such as shingles, available at no cost in Medicare.

"This was a historic victory on behalf of AARP Pennsylvania's 1.8 million members, but the fight isn't over," said Joanne Grossi, AARP PA's Volunteer State President. "Big drug companies will spend millions trying to overturn the new law so they can keep charging Americans the highest prices in the world. AARP will keep fighting big drug companies' out-of-control prices. We won't back down and we are proud to have Senator Casey join us in this fight."

Contact: TJ Thiessen, [email protected], 202-374-8033

SOURCE AARP Pennsylvania