CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — 2023 brings healthcare changes for people on Medicare, changes that could stop people from going without necessary medicines.
"A new law passed at the end of summer last year that includes some really important provisions for older Americans. Three of them have already gone into effect,” Leigh Purvis, senior director of healthcare costs and access for the public policy institute of the American Association for Retired Persons said.
These are the "big three" changes Purvis said to have the most impact:
- Vaccines will now be available for free.
- Insulin will now be limited to $35.
- Drug companies that increase prices faster than inflation will be penalized.
Most people at the Garden Senior Center believe the new adjustments to federal health insurance are positive.
“We should have basic healthcare for everyone, no matter someone's ability to pay for it,” Kaye Nelson said.
Right now, 4.3 million Texans are on Medicare.
“People are having to make those tough decisions between getting the drug that they need and paying for other important things like their food and their rent,” Purvis said.
The hope is that people won't have to compromise their health anymore.
AARP is tracking more changes to Medicare including lower premiums and improvements in access to behavioral health care.
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