‘An Arm and a Leg’: The New Cap on Medicare Drug Costs

Can’t see the audio participant? Click on right here to hear.

Click on right here for a transcript of the episode.

On a Sunday afternoon in August, well being companies researcher Stacie Dusetzina was sitting alone in her workplace at Vanderbilt College, watching C-SPAN and crying.

The U.S. Senate was voting on the Inflation Discount Act, which amongst different issues is designed to make sure that folks on Medicare pay much less for costly medicine.

It’s an enormous deal. A lot of seniors pay $10,000 a 12 months or extra for medicine or do with out lifesaving remedy; as soon as the brand new legislation kicks in, it units an out-of-pocket restrict of $2,000 a 12 months. 

Dusetzina and her colleagues have spent years making the case for this variation, documenting the methods present insurance policies depart folks within the lurch. 

The pharmaceutical business fought this variation tooth and nail — for many years. Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KHN, takes listeners on a journey again to the late Nineteen Eighties, when Congress discovered the price of messing with Large Pharma. 

“An Arm and a Leg” is a co-production of KHN and Public Street Productions.

To communicate with “An Arm and a Leg,” subscribe to the publication. You may also comply with the present on Fb and Twitter. And when you’ve received tales to inform in regards to the well being care system, the producers would love to listen to from you.

To listen to all KHN podcasts, click on right here.

And subscribe to “An Arm and a Leg” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, or wherever you take heed to podcasts.

KHN (Kaiser Well being Information) is a nationwide newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about well being points. Along with Coverage Evaluation and Polling, KHN is without doubt one of the three main working applications at KFF (Kaiser Household Basis). KFF is an endowed nonprofit group offering info on well being points to the nation.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story may be republished at no cost (particulars).

We encourage organizations to republish our content material, freed from cost. Right here’s what we ask:

It’s essential to credit score us as the unique writer, with a hyperlink to our khn.org web site. If attainable, please embrace the unique creator(s) and “Kaiser Well being Information” within the byline. Please protect the hyperlinks within the story.

It’s vital to notice, not every part on khn.org is offered for republishing. If a narrative is labeled “All Rights Reserved,” we can’t grant permission to republish that merchandise.

Have questions? Tell us at KHNHelp@kff.org