Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today lauded the results of a report showing that American seniors are saving hundreds of dollars in prescription drug costs thanks to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Associated Press report on Medicare data shows that seniors in the Medicare doughnut hole paid on average more than $600 less in out-of-pocket expenses on prescription drugs.

“This is just one example of how the Affordable Care Act is helping seniors, and is a striking example of how repealing the law would have drastic negative effects on our seniors,” Larsen said. “Closing the doughnut hole is a critically important element of the law, and seniors will continue to benefit as the gap is fully closed by 2020. My colleagues who voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act owe an explanation to seniors who would have to pay higher fees for their prescription drugs, to families who would be denied insurance coverage because of preexisting conditions, and to young people and struggling middle income families who cannot afford health insurance.”

The Medicare data show that the average beneficiary in the doughnut hole would have paid $1,504 this year on prescription drugs, but have saved an average of $581 on brand name drugs and an average of $22 on generic drugs.