Health reform is already making a difference for the people of New York by:
Providing new coverage options for young adults – Health plans are now required to allow parents to keep their children under age 26 without job-based coverage on their family coverage, and, thanks to this provision, 3.1 million young people have gained coverage nationwide. As of December 2011, 160,000 young adults in New York gained insurance coverage as a result of the health care law.
Making prescription drugs affordable for seniors – The health care law includes benefits to make Medicare prescription drug coverage more affordable. In 2010, 254,934 people with Medicare in New York who hit the prescription drug donut hole, received a $250 rebate. In 2011, people with Medicare who hit the donut hole began receiving a 50 percent discount on covered brand-name drugs and a discount on generic drugs. Since the law was enacted, New York residents with Medicare have saved a total of $342,524,678 on their prescription drugs. In the first nine months of 2012, 151,994 people with Medicare received a 50 percent discount on their covered brand-name prescription drugs when they hit the donut hole. This discount has resulted in an average savings of $690 per person, and a total savings of $104,800,724 in New York in 2012. By 2020, the law will close the donut hole.
Covering preventive services with no deductible or co-pay – In 2011, 1,518,392 people with Medicare in New York received free preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies or a free annual wellness visit with their doctor. And in the first nine months of 2012, 1,238,801 people with Medicare received free preventive services.
Because of the law, 54 million Americans with private health insurance gained preventive service coverage with no cost-sharing in 2011, including 3,342,000 in New York. An for policies renewing on or after August 1, 2012, women can now get coverage (without cost sharing) of even more preventive services they need. Approximately 47 million women, including 3,092,653 in New York will now have guaranteed access to additional preventive services without cost-sharing.
