How Medicare Part D supports patients

Since 2006, Medicare Part D has offered seniors and people living with disabilities affordable access to life-saving treatments through comprehensive prescription drug coverage. The benefit has been widely touted as a success and 92% of beneficiaries report they are satisfied with their coverage.

Since its implementation, consistently stable premiums have helped to support beneficiaries’ unique health care needs. Let’s take a closer look at a few ways Part D has had a positive impact on patients:

• Part D has helped tens of millions of beneficiaries manage a number of chronic and life-threatening conditions, including HIV, mental illness, cancer and epilepsy.
  
  
• Part D has improved beneficiaries’ adherence to prescribed medicines. In fact, one study found that adherence improved threefold for Medicare patients taking cardiovascular medications.
  
  
• Part D has decreased hospital admissions, resulting in improved health outcomes and savings for health systems and taxpayers.
  
  
• Part D has strengthened patients’ access to critical immunizations, such as the shingles vaccine, which can reduce the risk of developing shingles by up to 90%.

As we see, Medicare Part D continues to support patients by providing comprehensive prescription drug coverage which leads to better health outcomes. Check back here over the coming weeks for more information about Medicare Part D. In the meantime, learn more by visiting PhRMA.org/PartD.