Pelosi Statement on Unchanged Medicare Part B Premium in 2015
Contact: Drew Hammill, 202-226-7616
San Francisco – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Services announced that the Medicare Part B monthly premium and annual deductible will remain unchanged in 2015:
"After working all their lives, America's seniors deserve the security of affordable health care and the dependability of reasonable premiums and deductibles. Today's announcement from the Department of Health and Human Services is just the latest evidence that the Affordable Care Act is working, holding down costs and improving the quality of care for seniors across the country.
"Thanks in part to this landmark law, seniors who had their Medicare Part B premiums explode by 112 percent between 2000 and 2008 have had no increase in their premium in three years. When seniors see affordable costs and a secure future, they can enjoy more money in their pockets and lead healthier, fuller lives.
"Due to the Affordable Care Act, seniors in Medicare are seeing major savings and better benefits. More than 8.3 million seniors in Medicare have saved more than $12 billion on their prescription drugs, an average savings of $1,443 per senior. Seniors now have Medicare coverage of key preventive services, like mammograms, with no co-pays and deductibles. And since the enactment of the ACA, the life of the Medicare Trust Fund has been extended by 13 years. In addition to seniors, the ACA is also benefiting millions of other Americans – students, women, workers and small businesses. This progress makes it clear: now is the time for Republicans to end their obsession with the Affordable Care Act and stop threatening the security of our seniors and middle-class families."
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