Berwick Hopes Debt 'Super Committee' Spares Preventive Care

[cbayer]

August 4, 2011 — Roughly 17 million Medicare beneficiaries received free preventive care under the Affordable Care Act in the first half of 2011, just one example of benefits that a new congressional debt-reduction committee should leave alone, Donald Berwick, MD, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), said today.

"Prevention is a very important investment for our country," Dr. Berwick said at a press conference this morning.

In addition to the news about the number of beneficiaries receiving free preventive services, such as diabetes screenings and mammograms, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced 2 other consequences of the new healthcare reform law in the first 6 months of 2011. Nearly 1.1 million Medicare beneficiaries received a free annual wellness exam, while 900,000 Medicare beneficiaries who hit the so-called doughnut hole in the Part D prescription drug program received a 50% discount on prescription drugs.

The average monthly premium paid by Part D beneficiaries also will decrease slightly next year, falling from $30.76 in 2011 to roughly $30, according to HHS. Officials attribute this reduction to competition among Part D prescription drug plans and increased use of generic drugs, due in part to certain brand-name drugs going off-patent.


more at link:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/747556

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