Congresswoman Takes Aim at Prescription Drug Costs for Older Adults

Rep. Kendra Horn (D-Okla.) recently proposed legislation to limit how much U.S. seniors must pay for life-saving medication, reports KFOR . Horn's Capping Out-of-Pocket Costs for Seniors Act aims to reduce prescription drug costs for the 46 million Medicare Part D enrollees by setting a cap of $2,000. "The high cost of prescription drugs forces too many seniors to choose between putting food on the table and lifesaving medication," Horn stated. "I've heard from Oklahomans who are spending thousands of dollars a month on prescription drugs alone. We have to take action to address this crisis." The measure also seeks to modernize the incentive structure for Part D plans by slashing the government's portion of catastrophic coverage from 80 percent to 20 percent over four years. "Medicare beneficiaries across the country are facing high out-of-pocket costs for many medications . . . even with Part D coverage," said Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.)