Take Action: Protect Medicare Part D!

The President signed the Budget Control Act of 2011, into law on August 2, 2011. The bill increased the debt ceiling and established a process to reduce federal budget deficits by $2.1 trillion over 10 years. The bill formed a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the “supercommittee”. The supercommittee must draft a plan to cut $1.2 trillion from the Congressional budget and the full Congress must pass the legislation by January 15, 2012. There has been talk of even including Medicare in cuts to reduce the national deficit.

Many people with lupus and other chronic diseases depend on Medicare Part D (the prescription drug program) for access to their life-saving medications and treatments. It is imperative that we spread the word to contact the supercommittee in order to ensure that they do not implement cost cutting measures in Medicare Part D that will negatively affect people with lupus and other beneficiaries.

Medicare Part D has proven to cost far less than projected and the program has been and continues to be extremely successful. Medicare Part D has provided support to millions of beneficiaries by providing them with access to prescription drugs that were previously unaffordable. This, in turn, has improved health outcomes, which ultimately saves money in other parts of Medicare by reducing doctor and hospital visits, preventing acute illness, and avoiding other costly health problems.

Take action with me today and contact your Members of Congress and the supercommittee via our legislative action center and urge them to protect Medicare Part D!