NEW WINDSOR – Nonprofit advocacy group Protect Our Care brought their “Medicare is Better Than Ever” tour to New Windsor on Monday to educate senior citizens about new cost-saving benefits as a result of the federal Inflation Reduction Act that was signed into law last year by President Biden.
The new law will be saving seniors with limited incomes on their medical expenses such as prescriptions, vaccines like flu, COVID and shingles, and by negotiations currently being held with pharmaceutical companies resulting in lower drug costs. The new law also places a cap on insulin and a yearly prescription cap of $3,000 plus a regulation that they cannot raise any drug price higher than the current rate of inflation.
State Senator James Skoufis said that will save many seniors about $400 a year. This is the time of year for open enrollment when seniors have a chance to re-evaluate which benefits they might adjust, so it is important for them to look into it and seek advice about which benefit changes could help them the most, he said.
Skoufis emphasized that may seniors in this area are on a limited income. He said many are struggling with taxes and putting food on the table.
He said some even divide their medicines to make them last, and so these better benefits will offer them a lifeline.
