By Aparna Zalani, AHCJ Texas Health Journalism Fellow
A conversation with Dr. Meena Seshamani, director of the Center for Medicare at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
The prescription drug benefits in the Inflation Reduction Act mark the most significant change in Part D, the Medicare drug prescription program, since the inception of Part D in 2003, according to the Director of the Center for Medicare, Dr. Meena Seshamani, who spoke at Health Journalism 2024.
“I think there are so many benefits to this law that seniors across the country are really excited about,” she said.
Seshamani highlighted several key points about how the Inflation Reduction Act will help Medicare’s 65 million beneficiaries.
Seshamani said that the new $2,000 out-of-pocket spending cap under Part D will save seniors $7.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs. She also noted that before the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law in August 2022, the shingles vaccine cost $200, and it is now free for seniors. She urged journalists to disseminate this information, saying, “It’s incumbent on all of us to make sure people know what changes are happening so that they can take advantage of them.”
She also mentioned that the $0 vaccine plan has increased vaccinations among seniors from 3 million to 10 million.
In response to a question from an audience member about the new insulin copay cap, Seshamani said that about 4 million seniors are benefiting from the program. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, a Medicare drug plan can’t charge more than $35 for a one-month supply of insulin.
When asked about pushback from pharmaceutical companies and whether it harms consumers, Seshamani responded that her team has made a good-faith effort at negotiations and outlined shared goals. The team has sought feedback from both stakeholders and consumers to develop a workable plan.
Seshamani addressed the complexities of choosing a plan on the Medicare Plan Finder and discussed the steps Medicare is taking to combat misleading advertising for Medicare Advantage and open enrollment. “We have rejected more than 1,000 TV ads in the latest round of open enrollment because they were misleading and didn’t follow our regulations,” she told the audience.
An audience member wanted to know if there was anything else in the Inflation Reduction Act that needed more attention, and Seshamani pointed to the inflation rebates. “That provision discourages runaway price increases,” she said. “If manufacturers increase prices faster than inflation, they have to pay the difference.”
Moderator Ed Silverman asked if CMS is on track to wrap things up by Sept. 1. Seshamani confirmed that they were.
The session was attended by approximately 35-40 participants.
Aparna Zalani is an investigative producer at CBS News based out of Dallas, Texas. She is a 2024 AHCJ fellow from Texas.
