The Affordable Care Act & Medicare

Top 5 things to know about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) if you have Medicare:

  1. You get more preventive services, for less. Medicare now covers certain preventive services, like mammograms or colonoscopies, without charging you for the Part B coinsurance or deductible. You also can get a free yearly "Wellness" visit.
  2. You can save money on brand-name drugs. If you’re in the donut hole, you'll also get a 50% discount when buying Part D-covered brand-name prescription drugs. The discount is applied automatically at the counter of your pharmacy—you don’t have to do anything to get it. The donut hole will be closed completely by 2020.
  3. Your doctor gets more support. With new initiatives to support care coordination, your doctor may get additional resources to make sure that your treatments are consistent.
  4. Your Medicare coverage is protected. Under the ACA, your existing Medicare-covered benefits won’t be reduced or taken away. You also will continue to be able to choose your own doctor.
  5. The ACA ensures the protection of Medicare for years to come. The life of the Medicare Trust fund will be extended to at least 2029—a 12-year extension due to reductions in waste, fraud and abuse, and Medicare costs, which will provide you with future savings on your premiums and coinsurance.