How will the ACA decision affect older Americans? Read all about it here...

he National Senior Citizens Law Center and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare have released an analysis detailing the positive impact the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act will have on older Americans. Most Americans will be touched by the ruling, but America’s older adults will be impacted in these ways:

• They will continue to receive prescription drug savings through brand name and generic discounts
• The Part D prescription drug coverage gap known as the ‘donut hole’ will continue to be phased out
• Covered annual wellness visits for beneficiaries will continue to be provided in Medicare
• Older adults will pay less for preventive services. Under the ACA, Medicare will fully cover screenings like mammograms, pap smears, bone mass measurements, depression screening, diabetes screening, HIV screening and obesity screenings
• Eight years has been added to Medicare’s solvency thanks to the Affordable Care Act

The future of an estimated 3.3 million uninsured seniors, aged 50-64, who would have received health coverage under Medicaid and many of the 16 million older adults and individuals with disabilities who rely on Medicaid for long-term services and supports, is less certain with this ruling as the Court has limited the government’s ability to penalize states who do not participate in the expansion of Medicaid.

Read the complete analysis here.