Groton Seniors Saved On Prescription Drugs in 2012

Groton seniors saved more than $233,000 on prescription drugs in 2012, according to new data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The data, circulated in a news release by U.S. Rep. Joseph Courtney, showed the Affordable Care Act saved seniors in Eastern Connecticut more than $10 million on prescription drugs in 2012.

The act made changes in Medicare to provide a 50 percent discount on covered brand-name drugs starting in 2011, and a 14 percent savings on certain generic drug costs in 2012.

In Groton, both the number of people receiving benefits and the total savings increased as a result. The data showed 237 people saved $150,164 in 2011, and 281 people saved $233,031 in 2012.

Mystic also showed increased beneficiaries and savings. The number of beneficiaries rose from 247 to 284, and savings increased from $152,294 to $249,384.

“As these numbers prove, seniors across eastern Connecticut are receiving significant assistance covering the cost of prescription drugs thanks to the Affordable Care Act,” Courtney said in the news release. “With the cost of other consumer goods rising, the Affordable Care Act is providing real, immediate relief to seniors who, for too long, struggled under the burden of prescription drug costs.”