Hi there,

I’ve heard from so many of you about how it’s getting more and more expensive to live and raise a family in San Diego – and a big reason for that is the ever-rising cost of health care. That’s why, in Congress, I’m fighting to make sure that every San Diegan has the health care that they need. And while there’s a lot of work still to do, we’ve made some big progress! Because of the Inflation Reduction Act that I was proud to help pass last term, millions of Americans, especially seniors, are saving money on the medication they need.

And now, seniors can choose Medicare plans with new cost-saving benefits. The Medicare Open Enrollment period has started – so from now until December 7th, seniors can go to medicare.gov to sign up for Medicare or change their current coverage. 

Here are your options:

First – The Inflation Reduction Act capped the cost of insulin at $35 per month for Medicare recipients in San Diego and across the country. For a lot of San Diegans, that used to be as high as $200 per month!

Second – A lot of beneficiaries are now paying less for prescription drugs – a lot less. Any drug covered by Medicare Part B will have a lower co-insurance if the price has increased beyond the rate of inflation. Next year, Medicare Part D enrollees who have drug costs above a certain threshold won’t have to pay any cost sharing for their Part D drugs. Starting on January 1, 2024, that threshold is $8,000, so seniors with the highest prescription drug costs could save thousands of dollars next year. By 2025, this will become a flat $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, saving nearly 19 million seniors an average of $400 a year. This is a really big deal.

Third – Recommended vaccines are now covered under Medicare without cost-sharing. That means no out-of-pocket cost for vaccines to prevent shingles, tetanus, hepatitis, COVID, and the flu.

And finally – Starting this month, if a drug company raises the price of a Medicare Part D prescription by more than the rate of inflation, the manufacturer will pay the price difference to Medicare. That means Medicare saves more money – and those savings will be passed on to seniors.

To learn more about Medicare Open Enrollment, how you can change your plan, or how to help the seniors in your life, visit here.

We’ve made a lot of progress – but we’re far from done. Health care is a human right – and right now, it’s too expensive, too inaccessible, and too complicated for so many Americans. I’m fighting for a future where all Americans can receive the care they need and deserve. In the meantime, I’m proud to have worked with President Biden to reduce the costs of prescription drugs, so that seniors can afford the care they need and deserve, right now.

Warmly,

Sara Jacobs